The Sharp Contrast

Today’s India is apparently being driven to success and prosperity by its educated and ambitous youth. Indian Professional can be seen in the high management layer of numerous successful companies. Most of Indian brilliant student who pass out from premier institutes like IITs and IIMs are never second to the professionals from USA and Europe. Probably this is the reason that Planning Commission has proposed to set up more such institutions (8 IITs, 7 IIMs, 20 NITs, 20 IITs …). This is a brilliant move which might further boost India’s contribution to Information Technology and Management in the Global Market.

But at the same time, I find it shocking to hear that a student of BITs has attempted suicide because of the depression, which he suffered due to ragging. Though Indian professionals have proven their potential on world level, but such incidents (at regular intervals) present a contrasting face of Indian Professionals. How can the institute producing brilliant professionals, can also witness such unprofessional attitude of students and authorities?

When I joined my college (1996), ragging was on decline. Authorities were getting more and more strict against the notorious students. And when I passed out from the college, ragging was almost null. I believe that bright career prospects for students were one of the major driving factors which helped the authorities to curb ragging. Since a student passing out with good character record, was likely to get a very good job, it meant that a student with bad character record had much to loose. Most of the senior students were afraid of twisting their arms with college authorities (not only when the authorities were right, but also when the authorities were wrong). Given that the Indian IT sector is even since on boom, and there is more awareness in society (thanks to Indian Media), I was under impression that ragging in Indian Institutions (Specially the prestigious institutes like BITs) should be very professional (if at all it is there). How can one torture his fellow students to a limit of suicide? It is not only unprofessional but it is in-human as well.

Whenever such incidents take places, college authorities pounce on the students and take steps to implement discipline. But after some time, we again here similar news. Where do we lack? Is there a lack of professional management at such institutes? May be. It is quite likely. If you compare the salary of a graduate passing fresh from the college, with the salary of a senior professor (at one of the prestigious institutes), you might be surprised. When professors, teachers and other authorities get paid so less, it is quite likely that such incidents will keep happening. I feel that in addition to increasing IITs, IIMs (and other institutes), planning commission should also take some steps to attract best teaching talents to such institutes.

PS: Salaries are just one aspect of the problem which exists in the teaching and management staff of these institutes. There are many other issues like local politics, cast politics, presence of undeserving people on board etc, which also needs to be tackled.