-Excellence is about standards, high standards-
If someone ever thought that Tamilnadu’s first premier engineering university is a place of excellence, that thought was result of successfully planned deceit and building of a myth by constant propaganda unconnected to any kind of facts. From frequent name changes starting with PAUT to AUT to the present name as well as to the sadist changes about the jurisdiction and structure of university, the focus remains on the size and the physical grandeur of an institution. All dramas related to AU lead to a single conclusion: ANNA university has been a toy in the hands of Dravidian politicians since inception , where the learning of science of engineering has been marauded by twisting systems, lowering of standards to facilitate populism, where teaching gets vandalised. AU is a perfect example of the rotten pudding called Tamilnadu.
Let’s give due credit to the university on facts. ANNA University is a brand. The main college, CEG is the oldest Engineering college in India, the oldest in Asia that rolled out eminent engineers much before the IIT brand was introduced in the country. The University or institution of CEG had such a head start over other institutions and with a fine location within a metropolis that it ought to have been enabled by now as one amongst the premier engineering or technological universities on the planet. But it ranks around a dismal #600 in QS university rankings. Even today, AU’s superficial predominant position was due to one singular fact: some of the best of students in the state preferring to join CEG than any other college in the state, apart from the IIT. It is the CEG that is remains heart beat of AU. Primarily because of exceptional students and despite constant efforts to dilute the system which some may positively defend or twist as exercises in experimentations. But does this heart beat as healthy as it should be is debatable. We will begin at the top and see how the top arrive at the top. Let’s study the process of selection of VC.
I have been watching the down turns of AU for over three decades. The main culprit was that the University was made a fertile playground for politicians and even for some Chancellor- Governors. It is this political party cum partisan, vested politics apart from the usual work politics that are the bane of this university. The primary task of the faculty and staff here is to endure mutual politics. I was associated with the University since my days at RajBhavan three decades ago, my school and college mates studied there, stayed with my brother in law at PG family quarters on the campus, our daughter was a student at CEG and my association with some faculty, retired and present continues. Hence some awareness and knowledge on the institution.
Every system in this University appears brilliant to a superficial eye. We will take CEG and the systems and standards there as an example /sample and consider its demerits and merits, if any. Often to the ignorant , things appear impressive because he or she can’t decipher between superficial and substantial. Like the analogy of a villager visiting a science college and watching his ward experimenting with vernier caliphers and believing it to be something advanced and scientific because he can understand nothing. While often substantial academic work can be done by burning the midnight oil, tremendous sacrifices and discipline, these are done away with when mediocrity, incompetence and desire for short cuts to success were offered as an option, as a result of weakened processes and standards. So this superficiality which I call grand nothing entered CEG when AU since set up and the tampering of systems launched in the name of many kinds of rhetoric unacceptable and anathemic to academic excellence.
As I said the rot began at the top. The selection process of Vice Chancellor through a supposedly brilliant committee representing many relevant sections of academia in a spirit of democracy became the major culprit. Every section of the committee came to represent a vested interest, and forgot their focus which was to enhance the knowledge, skills and abilities of students. Usually, the Chancellor ultimately agrees to the choice of Vice Chancellor by ruling governments’ representatives on the committee, barring exceptions. What clinches the choice of VC? It is all about political, caste, secular lobbying and connections. The standards set for selection are too vague permitting defence of any VC choice as the best available and allows the man with maximum clout to take over. After being appointed as VC in this manner, the VC tries to accommodate the demands of government and Chancellor by allowing interference in all the major decisions of the university. This desire to please authorities instead of creating standards of academic excellence becomes the primary job of the VC. The system of all VCs’ selection in the whole state further suffered when crores exchanged hands tainting the process. CBI ought to have been invited to investigate into the well known allegations but was avoided not to expose the involved political powers. Yes, Corruption has a status on all the universities in the state. AU was no exception. And suffered the most.
Even the most erudite and accomplished of VCs desire to be on the good books of authorities to secure their office. Tact became more important than talent for holding office. A top technologist who was later connected with UNESCO became VC at AU shocked me by his monotonous requests. “Please put in a word of admiration about me to the Governor”. This was either desperation at best or insecurity at worst despite a no nonsense Governor in the name of PC Alexander holding office then. Neither did I have a formed opinion of that VC. Obviously PCA would have read me, his personal staff, if I had praised VC out of turn. It wasn’t my job either.
Most VCs of AU becomr representatives of the caste to which they belong. Not ordinary reps but those of the high energy fire brand variety. The moment they took over, those recruited at all levels were mostly chosen from the community of the VC. If there are impediments in promotions of those for those from favoured caste, members of other castes were charge sheeted to remove them from contesting for promotions. Caste was reinforced again and again as much as possible. This lead to consolidation of castes in the campus but was claimed by casteists as caste unity for self protection. And the system has enough loopholes to circumvent a fair appraisal and choice in promotions. A look at the recruitment during reign of most VCs will expose heavy slant towards the caste and community of the VC in office. And in promotions too. But that particular Vanniyar VC took the cake and deserves a special mention here for outstanding nepotism and favouritisms. Even today, caste factions rule and ruin the university. Unless they were done away with, there is little hope that AU will ever become an institution of excellence.
Let’s not restrict ourselves in condemning the choice and actions of AU VC. There may not be many autonomous colleges in Tamilnadu that permit interference by Govt but none of the universities that control these colleges, ironically, have total autonomy. AU is badly hurt as it is an example of hits from all sides, many sided violations. The VC doesn’t restrict himself to reporting to the Chancellor. He has to report to the Chief Minister, the Minister for Higher Education, the Secretary in Dept of Higher Education and to the Director of Technical Education. Compare the institution with IITs which reports to a Board of Governors. The university has no physical space befitting it’s high status. Infact the limited physical space too is always under threat. A private school was permitted to come up in its campus. When space was required for Madras University, the first target gets to be the campus of CEG. Thank God the proposal of new Secretariat in Kotturpuram died...because as per plans that project would have eaten into the shrunk campus. It is obvious AU is targeted by various elements under various political and bureaucratically pressures and interests which I call threats.
The selection process of able, meritorious students too was frequently tampered with. A common entrance test was replaced with selection through marks based on school leaving examination. Remember the state has multiple syllabuses at school levels. Then instead of a central admission system at ANNA university, in the name of pupil friendly scheme, admissions are done elsewhere too. A white paper on admission done needs to be published at the end of every academic year to prove that laws and rules have been followed in the admission process. Every admission ought to be accounted for.
The much hyped reservation policy was supposedly followed on paper. Even with the so called transparent CET, the selection of students became a farce. An unlimited quota for the Chancellor/Governor came into existence along with quotas for the Chief Minister and Pro chancellor. Some seats were secretly sold under this quota. Interestingly, kids of Raj Bhavan staff as well as children of AU staff were directly admitted without any reference to performance in CET. In the process, the much touted reservation quota considered the heart of social justice by Tamil politicians was thrown to the wind to please the powerful and the filthy rich. Hypocrisy, here I flourish!
With corruption in the selection of faculty and no hard high standards for selection of students, obviously AU was not an University of excellence or meritocracy in the western sense. Lack of standard at every level hamper the university from contributing to the society. There were a few exceptions of course. We will study the other processes at CEG which I consider as a sample of what happens elsewhere including at the affiliated colleges of the university.
Let’s begin with that very basic attendance registers. There is no strict time bar for faculty practically and the HoDs are lenient to those favoured. And most HoDs arrive late too. Some don’t turn up for the day but sign in whenever they arrive. Ditto for favoured students. Often classes are suspended as I was witness to my daughter returning home within an hour of leaving home for CEG. Some faculty are very poor in English language skills but hold doctorates with there dissertations in English. The assessment of students at all levels can get parochial. It all depends on the students’ chemistry with faculty regarding marks/grades awarded at every level. Even if a student performs outstandingly, he could be finished if he doesn’t have a positive pleasant vibe with faculty. Students could be favoured or become victims of bias depending on caste chemistry between students and faculty. There is no intensity in learning at CEG. Ask any student who later went abroad for studies.
Best of universities focus on kindling the minds of students. They teach fundamentals well and help form minds. Such universities have weekly assignments and students spend long time at the Library or the Laboratory and lesser time in the class room. The teachers are expected to prepare for their classes and not miss any, come what may. The student appraisal is objective, ruthless and the class presentation leads to tough but pleasant, respectful interrogation. As in research, Graduate and Post graduate students are expected to submit papers through an anti plagiarism software. If the software, website finds plagiarism exceeding 7% max, ( for professional courses; for humanities and arts it is 25%)the papers are automatically rejected. AU was very late in introducing this software (introduced in 2017) but restricts its compliance to research students at a generous 20%. How can you get fascinating numbers in research if you have high standards? So AU has lower standards so the university achieve impressive statistics to be presented to their higher authorities and for public consumption. If all the past research papers prior to the introduction of anti plagiarism software were put through the anti plagiarism software now, I suspect 90% of the doctorates that went through AU may fail. AU also failed in making it mandatory for all graduate and post graduate students to submit their assignments, project presentations and dissertations through this software. Standards can’t get any lower. Why have a lax compassionate attitude in professional higher learning?
It is to the credit of the new VC that he brought in an assessment system with mandatory minimum marks for admission for research students. Despite this, the system as a whole remains what it was. Most research students focus on their papers only on the last year of their course and spend the initial years running errands for their guide. I know some nasty stories about how the guides use their wards but will keep this for another write up. It is obvious that many of these guides who got their Phd through short cuts (meaning meandering aimlessly pleasing guides but distant from academic searches) will naturally expect their students to tread the path they had walked. It is indeed sad that research is a farce in the state along with higher education but the Govt is spinning out numbers to pat itself as India’s #1 state in higher education. Higher education especially in sciences is about standards alone. Period.
But, Tamilnadu is notoriously famous and popular for lenient assessment, Grace marks at exams at all levels from school onwards. An unnecessary unseemly kindness that will be cruel on the future and lives of students is in vogue. A look at assignments at CEG and its standards does not warm hearts. There are students who never used the Library during their stay at the University. Some never even got their library cards. And there exists business centres in Chennai that provide assignments and research papers for a cost but were not deemed fit for a ban by government. There is no intensity, no pressure, no involvement in studying at CEG. In fact, almost no intense learning, leave alone excellence in learning. But students being basically bright, hard working, meander to careers and later make success. And AU/CEG pats itself for that.
CEG has some great faculty. And some good HoDs. If the student is related to the powerful, these faboulous teachers are turned dummies and are put down. When mobiles were banned some years ago, the grandchild of chief of a top political party defied it but the administration shivered to touch him. Lady teachers who cannot perform at CEG joined the #metoo movement ages before it was launched in the west. A simple complaint of sexual harassment on their bosses or colleagues will eliminate them from the scene. These women become organised mafia with some males as advisers and none dare to bell them. Some do #metoo complaints as a routine as this frequent complainer lady in Media Sciences dept. Most of those she complained against were brilliant inspirational faculty like Prof Selvam who was looked upto by students. Sadly, some men support her to even out competition and enemies. It is not just good male faculty but students too who suffer in the process. Politics is a winner at CEG.
AU/CEG ought to be one of those rare universities where a Prof who was academically unrelated to a study or science becomes professor and HoD of a dept. A clear case of political, partisan decisions clouding academic excellence. And some faculty get extensions as they are related to powers and the powers want to retain them. Who suffers here? Obviously, students and academics. I am aware of incidents in the west where the faculty have regular appraisals wherein HoDs were demoted as Asst Professors when they fail in appraisals. The security and comfort of bureaucratic protection has become a fundamental human right in India. Who cares what they deliver in return for their salary? Some faculty are deputed to run administrative functions as registrar and comptroller of exams. Thereby their knowledge and experience on subjects are put to disuse. It is sad, that some faculty prefer powerful administrative functions to teaching students.
Teachers need constant upgradation of skills and relearning. Most institutions of excellence focus on reorienting their faculty. AU too has many such programs but no pre and post appraisals of faculty are ever done. Infact faculty deputed to such programs consider them as vacations where they can relax without bothersome students. The thirst and motivation for teaching and learning have been crushed by mundane survival politics in the campus. HoDs who can’t even understand topics for research exist in CEG. Imagine the status of research then. When a scholar proposed his topic as “Idols in Tamil Films”, she was asked to change topic to “Ideals in Tamil Films”. Whether the professor was incompetent, ignorant, gullible or clever is debatable. Such tragi-comedies tread the campus as faculty.
I have no knowledge about the financial autonomy of the university. But I am aware that huge money on building infrastructure is spent but maintenance gets a pittance.The academic funds allocated are often used to run programs that help the faculty running it build their image, bring personal connections, enhance their social standing. While such expenditure ought to focus on just one vital factor: The benefits accruing to students in improving their knowledge. Irrelevant seminars and sometimes engineering discussions in Tamil are the norm. Fundamental questions as to the relevance of a program to be organised never get to be asked. There is public money and let us spend it is the entitlement attitude. It’s obvious corruption creeps into such programs.
Some faculty who can not converse fluently in English are employed at CEG. Obviously as I mentioned earlier they hold doctorates too. They also go abroad to present papers in western countries. Does CEG assess or question these ambassadors of Tamilnadu before they leave shores? Even if travels were funded by foreign agencies, such trips ought to ensure and reflect the standards of the institution. Standards at every activity that happens in CEG and AU needs to be formed and implemented.
The attraction of numbers is fascinates mathematicians. For Politicians and Career Educationists, numbers offer opportunities of a different kind. They use numbers to flaunt themselves, to defend funds allocated and for diluting processes. Sadly quality can not be measured or quantified. But quality systems can ensure standards. It is time that AU becomes totally independent and stays like a stone wall against interferences and unsolicited, irrelevant advises by those unconnected to the engineering profession. It is time that AU solicits its famous alumni elsewhere including those overseas for inputs to shore up the standards in the university.
We are told that foreign students at CEG receive faboulous accommodation and excellent food in their very exclusive hostels. Yes, they pay up for theses facilities. Having seen the rooms and messes for other Aam Aadmis in the campus, i believe much are wanting in the quality offered. AU should learn from other private institutions like the Ramachandra Medical College hostels in Chennai and find solutions so the students have healthy nutritious food as well as a memorable time at the campus as many do in western universities. Cost versus benefits need to be studied. The campus needs a fun admosphere to encourage learning and activities related to enhance health and furthering skills. The students need to be treated as adults with respect. I still remember that day when I admitted our daughter to college. After selection, she was submitting her certificates and documents and the guy in charge asked her to which community she belonged. She pleaded ignorance and waved at me to come in as I was standing near the door. I walked in to her rescue and that guy asked me, “ is this the way to bring up your children without feeding her on your caste?”. I was stunned by his rudeness but as I knew bureaucracy can kill at Will, so I kept mum though hurt. The staff and faculty should be asked to behave respectfully with dignity to students and their parents.
Thankfully some corruption has been unearthed recently in the revaluation of papers. But the damage has been done and the image of AU has been brought down. It is also impossible to monitor every affiliated engineering college in the state and the tantrums of every management as most launched their enterprise primarily as a business. A system of self evaluation and self regulation can be introduced for accredited engineering colleges and accredition suspended permanently to those who who give fake inputs and break laws. Good accreditation policies like Audit and bench marking should supplement to ensure continuous improvement of learning processes. As an University overseeing colleges, challenges can be overcome if it is seen as a collaborative effort and not as one fed from the top. Some colleges have funny interpretations on discipline and ban girls and boys mingling in a class room and the campus should be asked to focus on education. Respect for opposite sexes can’t be cultivated by imposing perverted conditions on students. A relaxed friendly admosphere can facilitate learning than an admosphere of a prison.
The time for renaissance for ought to happen now. Or it will never happen. With a committed a Chancellor and an experienced honest Vice Chancellor at the helm, there is hope. A fool proof merit only selection process of students and in the choice of faculty, inculcation of seriousness in professors, a relook into the system of assessments and credits, contempt for practioners of politics and casteism, action against antisocials ruling threatening the honest, stronger anti plagiarism efforts, providing a pleasant environment for teaching and learning, opportunities for non academic skill development, and this list can get endless. It is time for AU to innovate and survive the future by becoming relevant to the present. This is the time to raise the bar.
Will continue..
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