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By Deepak Joshi Pokhrel
There is an adage in English saying “old habits die hard”. This old age saying is very relevant in our context, as if they were made for us. The incident which just recently took place in the oldest university in the country, Tribhuvan University, over the decision to increase the fee corroborates the old axiom.
Tribhuwan University is the oldest and most prestigious educational institution in the country. Every year, it produces thousands of scholars that shape the future of the country. To the most chagrin, the same university is vandalised and faces frequent intimidation from various student unions belonging to different political parties. With the protection from the political parties, the students attack teaching and non-teaching staff over minor differences, making a mockery of such prestigious educational institutions.
Academia and scholars are the true gems of the nation. They provide strategic guidance, helping the sitting government to undertake auspicious measures to uplift the country from political, social, cultural and economic aspects. Their company is enjoyed by the leaders who bow down to their knowledge. But sadly, our scholars and academia in the past have been manhandled, physically abused and even smeared with soot for reasons which still remain unknown. This indicates that students’ bodies even have the authority to take the law into their own hands.
Involvement of student representatives in clashes, vandalism, arson and assault of university officials and teachers is a common scene across the country. If the media reports are any guide, the university and office campuses have been padlocked for 342 days over the past five years. What is even very surprising is that not only do student unions padlock the office; the other groups, such as part-time teachers and employees, also resort to similar disruptive forms of protest.
In the past, the Central Department of English was set on fire, and a library at Trichandra University was torched. However, people believed that students’ politics had ended in Nepal. The recent incident which took place at Tribhuvan University forced them to rethink their claim.
Student politics have been nothing new in Nepal. It has remained highly ingrained in our political system ever since we restored democracy. Be it at the local level or the central level, students keep themselves glued to politics to lay the foundation of their political careers. One who has followed Nepali student politics over the years should not be surprised if they see students enrolled a decade ago still languishing in the university. Reason: they want to shape their political career. The longer the time they spent in student politics at the university, the better for their connection with political heavyweights.
Across the globe, the students’ bodies, by their virtue, are seen as representative of change, innovation, exploration and social reform. They act as a bridge between the university’s administration and the students. They take part in activities that aim to bolster the confidence of the student to take on the challenges and subsequently fight them. Conversely, in Nepal, the students’ bodies serve the agenda of the political parties, and they do not work in the interest of students. The president and secretaries of the students’ bodies are more concerned about fostering their relationship with leaders in power. This raises the question of the legitimacy and accountability of the student bodies in Nepal.
Over the years, people from all walks of life have denounced the role played by the students’ bodies. They blame that students’ politics in the university has only laid the ground for arson, vandalism and physical assault on teaching and non-teaching staff of the university. There are even allegations that TU is becoming a factory for producing unemployed youth.
One can easily understand why it faces such accusations. The answer is very simple. The students, instead of studying and chasing their dreams, are more focused on student politics, believing this will open the floodgates of opportunities in terms of national politics. But apart from exceptions, an overwhelming number of students are left in the lurch as they fail to leverage their political careers. With low academic performance, they are not observed in the market and subsequently contribute to increasing unemployment in the country.
In the recent past, we often hear that the quality of education in the university is low due to student politics in the university. We cannot disapprove of this assumption by any evidence, nor can we claim that this assumption is invalid. While it would be unwise to solely blame student politics for the poor performance of the university, the other groups, such as the appointment of teachers, administrative staff and other high officials on the basis of political connection, can be perceived as a big reason for its below-standard performance.
Almost everyone in the country admits that our universities have been the playground for partisan politics. From student politics to the appointment of teaching and non-teaching staff, there has been partisan politics. Many present political leaders are the product of student politics, which triggers students to engage in student politics with the hope that they could also reach the helm of national politics.
While our neighbouring nations have been excelling economically, socially, politically and militarily, we are still unable to impart the lessons among the students that they are the bedrock of the nation. We failed to indoctrinate them that they are responsible for shaping the future of the nation. Student politics will not help empower, inform and educate them to take on the challenges faced by the rapidly changing global scenario. Soon they eschew students’ politics; the better for them and the nation as well.