EDUCATION: Green & grey for equality – Premier college goes for uniform

EDUCATION: Green & grey for equality – Premier college goes for uniform – a shining example of focus on educational value ?!!

Students in uniform at the entrance to Tadong Government College on Monday - happy to gain the knowledge of college, good for the studious ?!! (Prabin Khaling)

FROM THE TELEGRAPH CORRESPONDENT

Gangtok, Aug. 30: First semester student Sunil Chettri was a bit apprehensive as he walked into Tadong Government College dressed smartly in a deep green blazer, green striped tie and grey trousers. But soon Chettri’s awkwardness dissipated.

His friends also turned up similarly dressed, and soon the premier college in the hill state was crowded with students in green and grey uniform. The dress code had been enforced by the authorities from today to maintain uniformity among students hailing from different economic backgrounds.

For the girls, grey skirts with black stockings have replaced the trousers. “We are very happy about the uniform. It has brought unity and uniformity on the campus,” said Chettri.

Tadong Government College comes under Sikkim University. The monsoon semesters had started from June and the college authorities said the decision to introduce uniforms was taken at that time. “But we could not implement it then, as we had to give students time to get them stitched,” a member of the college authority said.

College principal M.P. Kharel said the institution had a dress code earlier from 1985 to 1987, but for some reason it was withdrawn. “We feel uniforms are necessary in the present times to inculcate a sense of discipline, attachment, uniformity and identity among the students,” he said.

Kharel said the large number of students was one reason why uniforms had been introduced. “We have more than 2,500 students. It is impossible to identify all of them giving opportunity to outsiders to enter the college campus and create mischief,” said the principal. The uniform, the principal believes, will also discourage students to indulge in bad habits, said Kharel. “Students in uniform will be spotted immediately outside the campus if they take drugs and alcohol.” The principal said uniforms would also remove the rich-poor discrimination and save many parents from unnecessary fashion expenditure.

Tadong college is the second government college in Sikkim to have uniforms after Law College in Gangtok.

Tech boy in hospital after video fight – not focused on gaining educational knowledge at all ?!!

Students outside the polytechnic on Monday - ready for mob rule of unethical politicians, a culture apart from true education ?!! (Kundan Yolmo)

FROM THE TELEGRAPH CORRESPONDENT

Siliguri, Aug. 30: A second-year student of Siliguri Government Polytechnic was hospitalised after he was allegedly beaten up by a senior over a video shot of the latter’s girlfriend on his cellphone.

The incident in a private hostel in Aurobindopally last evening sparked protests from students who started an indefinite strike from today demanding that the third-year student of electronic instrumentation technology, Shubham Bera from East Midnapore, be rusticated immediately. Both Subham and the second-year student, Arin Dutta, have filed FIRs.

Arin, who studies electronic telecommunications, said around 5pm yesterday when he was in a tuition class he got a call from Nurul Hassan, another second-year civil engineering student, telling him that Subham wanted him to come to his Aurobindopally hostel. “I took leave from the tuition and reached the hostel. Once there, he started hitting me with T-scales and raining fists and kicks on me,” alleged Arin while showing injury marks on the chest, back and neck at the Siliguri District Hospital today.

Rajarshi Guha, the doctor treating Arin, said his condition was stable. “Arin has suffered some injuries but his condition is stable.”

Arin, who is from Bankura, stays in a private hostel at Bharatnagar here and is the vice-president of the Chhatra Parishad unit at the polytechnic. “Subham warned me that I should leave the party at once,” he said.

Nurul, who was also assaulted allegedly by Subham, took Arin to the hospital. Both the second-year students, however, denied having recorded any video. “It is completely untrue. He beat us up for being Chhatra Parishad members,” Arin said.

Subham today denied that the incident had any political connection. “I am an SFI supporter, what has happened is a personal issue. They had recorded my friend in video during a college programme and I came to know that they also passed lewd remarks while shooting it. They were going around showing the video,” Subham said. He claimed that the duo also assaulted him and he hit them back in self-defence.

The anti-ragging committee of the polytechnic has constituted an eight-member committee to probe the issue. “The committee will submit its report in seven days,” said Subrata Sarkar, the college principal.

Alok Dasgupta, the inspector-in-charge of Siliguri police station, said: “No one has been arrested.”

Affiliation plea – time to slowly move out from under Bengal, knowing someday NBU’s culture of corruption will change ?!!

FROM THE TELEGRAPH CORRESPONDENT

Balurghat, Aug. 30: Student unions of colleges in South Dinajpur have said they would intensify their movement to bring all institutions in the district under the North Bengal University.

All seven colleges are affiliated to the Gour Banga University since 2008.

Teachers, members of the governing body and the principal of Balurghat College have also supported the demand.

Balurghat college is the only institution that offers post-graduate courses in the district.

Supporters of PSU, the students’ wing of the RSP, had taken out processions and submitted a charter of demands to the principal of Balurghat college on Friday, demanding the re-affiliation.

They also began an indefinite demonstration in front of his office.

“Our movement is against the malaise of the newly formed Gour Banga University and administration in the colleges across the district,” Balurghat College Students’ Union general secretary Arindam Bose said.

According to him, students were unwilling to take admission to the post-graduate course in the institution because it is under Gour Banga.

Those who can afford to leave the district are going to other universities for further studies, he said.

Principal Batokrishna Pal said he was finding it difficult to run the PG course because of faulty publication of results, question paper leaks and administrative lapses.