Students' and Teachers!

Students have run amok in India or shall I say Bharat. One group even killing even a teacher. This was a serious incident. But the trouble over use of mobile phones, students ransacking a principal's residence, and other such incidents were all done in front of TV cameras. In fact one of the young female protestors in Chandigarh (over use of mobile phones) instead of getting arrested for disturbing public peace and other such late 19th century Acts, has been "spotted" by a filmmaker for his next big hit! Agitation, especially when u are a female students does make your career in a way colleages can not!.

Of course, for those who do not want to start their political career in the dusty badlands of Bihar and UP or the Bomb infested naxalite infested, or the poverty infested, or the communaly supercharged areas of the country (categories which cover most of the country), can start from the easier but more visible and comfortable bastions like Delhi University OR JNU. All it takes to make a political mark is Talking, socialising, taking people out for chai, fixing small problems of students and bunking classes. Of course, calling some political bosses for various political and non political dos at the innumerable Talk Shops of the university helps!

It also helps immensely if you are a female student. One reason why left parties have done so well historically in JNU is that because of their "progressive" nature they have been able to field a steady stream of female candidates. Of course the other parties of the right and the centre have already picked up this trait and the results are for all to see. I do not know why it helps to be a woman. But usually the practce is that just before the elections the woman candidate, appropriately accompanied by men compatriots are taken on rounds in all the men's hostels in DU and JNU. This seems to be doing the trick. Men apparently get bowled over just by the virtue of the fact that the candidate has come calling to his/their room! This in a country where people are not surprised to discover hundreds of female foetuses in a well one fine morning.

The lesson for the woman is that there is an entry barrier! If you are allowed to born and suffer for the first 20 years of your life, there are major benefits waiting. Not surprising, laws of scarcitiy starts to take effect! Before that, you have to withstand lound and silent violence!

Talking of violence, students' violence is nothing new to the world and no it did not begin in India during the so called naxalite period in Calcutta or during the JP movement in Bihar or as a fall out of mandal commission implementation.

Would you believe, it is well documented by Phillipe Aries, young school students in France in the 16th and 17th centuries came attended classes fully armed with swords etc? And history tells us that they did not hesitate to use these arms against fellow students as well as teachers!!!!

What about the teachers? Have been taught by some great ones. But...... suffice it to say that I donot know of any teacher who first commits social crime of offering private tuition at a cost (for teaching what s/he should have taught in school for the salary s/he gets) and then compounding the crime by committing the real criminal act of not paying taxes on the income which is ofen 5 times the salary.