Jammu University as a Model for Development and Peace !
Anurag Gangal
August 09, 2008
Despite manifold well known discriminations of the people of Jammu for so many years, there is at least one institution in J&K which is not affected by any type of major ethnic, religious and administrative prejudices. It is nearly a corruption-free establishment. This is none other than the University of Jammu (JU). Maybe it is for this reason that JU has lately been more dynamic in interacting with civil society in different ways through its academic institutions and activity oriented centres.
VCs:
Vice Chancellors of JU have worked towards its growth and expansion since its inception in 1969. However, the kind of institutional, infrastructural and academic strengthening that has taken place recently is unprecedented in the history of JU. Especially from 2002 – 2003, Jammu University (JU) has become a model of communal harmony, corruption-free institution, professionalism, continuous modernisation and technological advancement. There is -- despite various movements and demands from students, teachers, administrative staff, other employees and civil society including disgruntled and unhappy elements -- a continuous flow into improvements in work ethos and multidimensional up gradations. Even the student community off and on the JU Campus is provided all sorts of modern facilities and information technology.
Why JU Succeeds ?:
As against the performance of JU in recent years, the Government of J&K has lately failed miserably vis-ŕ-vis the ongoing people´s movement for restoration of 800 kanals land to the Amarnath Shrine Board. The main reason for the failure of the J&K Government is its recurring attempt to go beyond the limits of an established policy in general and especially anent the case of transfer of land to Baba Amarnath Shrine Board (BASB) in particular. As regards the BASB land crisis, the Government has indulged in violating diverse provisions of the Constitution of India and well known tenets of the policy and principle of secularism. Even the Preamble of the Constitution of India has been set aside by the Government of J&K while revoking the earlier land transfer order to BASB.
Interestingly, J&K Government – going against the policy of secularism – offers to manage Baba Amarnath yearly religious pilgrimage through official governmental machinery instead of the Baba Amarnath Shrine Board ! Is it not a dangerous precedent establishing possible global trends for posterity to see ever increasing interference of all Governments in the religious matters of all religions and religious institutions the world over ? Jammu University community does not agree with such interference of governments in religious matters.
Indeed, the Jammu and Kashmir Government has not only lately but also during the last sixty years committed several faux pas. Endless examples are there. J&K´s the then government also appears to be responsible for the creation of the so called "Azad Kashmir" in 1947. Then onwards, it could not but slide down from the snowy tops of Ladakh and Kashmir to the lesser heights and plains of Jammu region with its highly divisive activities and corrupt implementation of policies. The people of J&K were put aside on the shelf – in effect.
Even the execution of development related planning and policies were largely marred by parochialism, regional discrimination, narrow populism, peculiar sectarianism and hidden governmental functioning towards systematic establishment of communalism including. As such, apparently the communal divide in the minds, especially, of inhabitants of Kashmir had been simmering and further strengthening with the passage of every year.
Obviously, even Mahatma Gandhi could not foresee this bubbling of gross prospective corruption and veiled divisive communal trends. That is why he is known to have seen " A ray of hope in Kashmir" towards communal harmony. This ray of hope is to be seen in Jammu and not so much in Kashmir.
JU´s Strength:
It is JU community´s power of courage of conviction, dedication to professionalism, impartial administration, quality assurance and the policy of being just, kind and firm to employees, students, teachers and civil society that has helped shape a new vision for the youth of Jammu in recent years.
Apart from the construction of monumental General Zorwar Singh Auditorium, several new departments and centres of learning have come up in addition to up gradation of a number of departments and centres. Widening networking with civil society has also led Jammu University to become an institution of global repute with a number of memoranda of understanding (MoU) signed with foreign universities for purposes of research and exchange of students and teachers.
Despite the constitutional failure of the machinery of the State, the teachers and students of Jammu University are busy doing their work at the main campus and recently created four other campuses as well. The Jammu University community – Teachers Association, Officers, Staff, Families including children, students and research scholars – is also in full support of the movement of Baba Amarnath Shrine Sangharsh Samiti for reclaiming 800 kanals of land from the J&K Government. Morning and evening protest rallies in support of Sangharsh Samiti are brought out daily from the JU Campus. As such, JU is fully responsive to civil society of Jammu irrespective of region and religion including Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, students, researchers, Kashmiris, Gujratis, Bengalis and others. All in the JU are completely in full support of the sentiments and fight for self-respect of the people of Jammu. Even several noted teachers of JU are in the forefront of the movement led by Sangharsh Samiti.
All this speaks of the calibre and level of academic leadership being provided to civil society and others. Despite all discrimination, the Jammu University is marching ahead especially with its excellent infrastructure and facilities for students and teachers.
What Governments can learn from JU ?:
Therefore, the J&K Government should learn from Jammu University on how to function without corruption and unnecessary compromise on quality despite all routine challenges of the day. Let Jammu University become a model for the J&K Government to follow and learn for the fast track peace and development of the State. Let JU arrange training courses and certificate courses for the governors, chief ministers, ministers and administrators in the J&K State. Nevertheless, it may be said that former Governor of J&K General S. K. Sinha and Chief Ministers – have all been very generous to JU. Even former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was very liberal to Jammu University.
How much should a government learn from a University like JU ? Governments must encourage an institution like Jammu University for gaining from its storehouse of knowledge, expertise, objectivity and sanity of free minds and vastly trained human resources in the form of youth and youthful energy. Governments must look up to universities just as it happens in Europe and America also. JU, Indeed, has always been in the forefront where questions of development, peace and conflict resolution are concerned. It is having a highly positive approach towards dealing with challenges and crises. That is why it is high time when Jammu University must be accorded the status of a Central University. Otherwise, there is no guarantee of sustainability for the governments to come in future. Governments must learn to learn from universities ever more. Governments are generally not so interactive as a university like JU is. That is what governments need ever more now a days.
VCs:
Vice Chancellors of JU have worked towards its growth and expansion since its inception in 1969. However, the kind of institutional, infrastructural and academic strengthening that has taken place recently is unprecedented in the history of JU. Especially from 2002 – 2003, Jammu University (JU) has become a model of communal harmony, corruption-free institution, professionalism, continuous modernisation and technological advancement. There is -- despite various movements and demands from students, teachers, administrative staff, other employees and civil society including disgruntled and unhappy elements -- a continuous flow into improvements in work ethos and multidimensional up gradations. Even the student community off and on the JU Campus is provided all sorts of modern facilities and information technology.
Why JU Succeeds ?:
As against the performance of JU in recent years, the Government of J&K has lately failed miserably vis-ŕ-vis the ongoing people´s movement for restoration of 800 kanals land to the Amarnath Shrine Board. The main reason for the failure of the J&K Government is its recurring attempt to go beyond the limits of an established policy in general and especially anent the case of transfer of land to Baba Amarnath Shrine Board (BASB) in particular. As regards the BASB land crisis, the Government has indulged in violating diverse provisions of the Constitution of India and well known tenets of the policy and principle of secularism. Even the Preamble of the Constitution of India has been set aside by the Government of J&K while revoking the earlier land transfer order to BASB.
Interestingly, J&K Government – going against the policy of secularism – offers to manage Baba Amarnath yearly religious pilgrimage through official governmental machinery instead of the Baba Amarnath Shrine Board ! Is it not a dangerous precedent establishing possible global trends for posterity to see ever increasing interference of all Governments in the religious matters of all religions and religious institutions the world over ? Jammu University community does not agree with such interference of governments in religious matters.
Indeed, the Jammu and Kashmir Government has not only lately but also during the last sixty years committed several faux pas. Endless examples are there. J&K´s the then government also appears to be responsible for the creation of the so called "Azad Kashmir" in 1947. Then onwards, it could not but slide down from the snowy tops of Ladakh and Kashmir to the lesser heights and plains of Jammu region with its highly divisive activities and corrupt implementation of policies. The people of J&K were put aside on the shelf – in effect.
Even the execution of development related planning and policies were largely marred by parochialism, regional discrimination, narrow populism, peculiar sectarianism and hidden governmental functioning towards systematic establishment of communalism including. As such, apparently the communal divide in the minds, especially, of inhabitants of Kashmir had been simmering and further strengthening with the passage of every year.
Obviously, even Mahatma Gandhi could not foresee this bubbling of gross prospective corruption and veiled divisive communal trends. That is why he is known to have seen " A ray of hope in Kashmir" towards communal harmony. This ray of hope is to be seen in Jammu and not so much in Kashmir.
JU´s Strength:
It is JU community´s power of courage of conviction, dedication to professionalism, impartial administration, quality assurance and the policy of being just, kind and firm to employees, students, teachers and civil society that has helped shape a new vision for the youth of Jammu in recent years.
Apart from the construction of monumental General Zorwar Singh Auditorium, several new departments and centres of learning have come up in addition to up gradation of a number of departments and centres. Widening networking with civil society has also led Jammu University to become an institution of global repute with a number of memoranda of understanding (MoU) signed with foreign universities for purposes of research and exchange of students and teachers.
Despite the constitutional failure of the machinery of the State, the teachers and students of Jammu University are busy doing their work at the main campus and recently created four other campuses as well. The Jammu University community – Teachers Association, Officers, Staff, Families including children, students and research scholars – is also in full support of the movement of Baba Amarnath Shrine Sangharsh Samiti for reclaiming 800 kanals of land from the J&K Government. Morning and evening protest rallies in support of Sangharsh Samiti are brought out daily from the JU Campus. As such, JU is fully responsive to civil society of Jammu irrespective of region and religion including Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, students, researchers, Kashmiris, Gujratis, Bengalis and others. All in the JU are completely in full support of the sentiments and fight for self-respect of the people of Jammu. Even several noted teachers of JU are in the forefront of the movement led by Sangharsh Samiti.
All this speaks of the calibre and level of academic leadership being provided to civil society and others. Despite all discrimination, the Jammu University is marching ahead especially with its excellent infrastructure and facilities for students and teachers.
What Governments can learn from JU ?:
Therefore, the J&K Government should learn from Jammu University on how to function without corruption and unnecessary compromise on quality despite all routine challenges of the day. Let Jammu University become a model for the J&K Government to follow and learn for the fast track peace and development of the State. Let JU arrange training courses and certificate courses for the governors, chief ministers, ministers and administrators in the J&K State. Nevertheless, it may be said that former Governor of J&K General S. K. Sinha and Chief Ministers – have all been very generous to JU. Even former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was very liberal to Jammu University.
How much should a government learn from a University like JU ? Governments must encourage an institution like Jammu University for gaining from its storehouse of knowledge, expertise, objectivity and sanity of free minds and vastly trained human resources in the form of youth and youthful energy. Governments must look up to universities just as it happens in Europe and America also. JU, Indeed, has always been in the forefront where questions of development, peace and conflict resolution are concerned. It is having a highly positive approach towards dealing with challenges and crises. That is why it is high time when Jammu University must be accorded the status of a Central University. Otherwise, there is no guarantee of sustainability for the governments to come in future. Governments must learn to learn from universities ever more. Governments are generally not so interactive as a university like JU is. That is what governments need ever more now a days.
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