Campus jottings

It is considered home to the more studious and serious lot of the country's young brigade. But for the past one week, the hot topic of debate at Ganga or Babu Dhaba has been anything but academic. It is not the latest on ``America under attack'' or the changing power equation in the sub-continent either.

It is not ``food for thought'' but ``thought on food'' that is the simmering theme dominating breakfast tables. And ironic as it may sound, students have been sitting on a hunger strike to ensure that they get good food in hostels.

True to Jawaharlal Nehru University style, the protest against the introduction of a new computer course and the serving of poor quality food in two hostels has led to students boycotting classes.

The ongoing agitation is against the introduction of a short-term computer course by the School of Computer Sciences and the poor quality of food served in two of the University hostels. Over 500 students of the University had taken part in a torchlight procession on Sunday night as part of the protest. In fact, except for those who have to appear for an exam, most students have joined in the protest.

The main complaint of the students has been that the administration is commercialising academic courses by demanding a fee of Rs. 15,000 for the three-month course and thereby going against the ethos of the University. The course in question claims to make students adept at languages such as Java, C and C+++ in just three months. The reason for growing discontent is also being described as the alleged refusal of the School to award students with a diploma or a degree at the end of the course.

Students are also protesting against the privatisation of the mess services in the two hostels, Mahi and Mandavi. The quality of food served, allege students, is of extremely poor quality. ``We are not against privatisation but the quality of food. If the rest of the hostels can provide good food then why not the new ones, specially since they are privatised,'' argues a Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union member. The JNUSU is demanding closure of the commercial course and improvement of hostel facilities.

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For those who are wondering whatever happened to those loud, noisy and entertaining college festivals, there is reason for hope. Not much may be heard from the college front as far as the fests are concerned, but it is not as if they are not happening.

The real fun should begun by the end of this month. Unlike the past, the hoopla over the fests seems to be missing this year. And considering festivals are one thing that every student has in mind while stepping into college, the most happening event of campus life should bring back the spotlight on the fun part.

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) -- two premier institutes that are known for their annual festivals -- have already had their yearly fiesta. But unlike previous years, there has been no hoopla this time around. No ads from Pepsi or Coke, not many newspaper ads or publicity.

Of course, it is not without reason that fests are such a favourite with students. The general party mood apart, it is also time for the ``group leaders'' to make some pocket money. The financial part of the festivals may not be something that students or institutions like to talk about, but overall the coming months will mark a shift from the political events to the more popular ones.

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This University has given the country 23 Arjuna award winners so far. And gauging from the way its students have been performing of late, the tradition should continue in all probability.

Reconfirming its predominance in sports, the Guru Nanak Dev University received the Maulana Abul Kalam Azad trophy for the best sports University of India for the sixteenth time. The award was received by the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Dr. S.P.Singh, at a ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhawan last week.

The University had won the award seven times in succession since 1976 and three times in succession twice in 1986 and 1991. Named after the first Union Education Minister, the running trophy is awarded to the University with the best all round performance in sports.

The University had bagged the top slot in the all India inter varsity championships in hockey, gymnastics, cross-country race and weight lifting in the men's section and the all-India championship in hockey, cross country, weight lifting and football in the women's section.

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To help Persian teachers and scholars of different Universities keep track of the latest developments in modern Persian language and literature, the Culture House of the Islamic Republic of Iran organised the 17th All India Persian Refresher Course last week.

The event saw scholars from various Indian Universities and prominent Iranian scholars take part. While the cultural counsellor, Mr. Issa Rezazadeh, described Persian as the common heritage of Indian and Iranian people, Prof Harbans Mukhia, the rector of Jawaharlal Nehru University, spoke on the significance of the concept of dialogue among civilisations initiated by the President of Iran.

Lakshmi Balakrishnan

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