Professor Dipendu Chakraborty is a renowned teacher at Calcutta University , Dept of English. He has retired already, but given his enormous experience, his popularity among the students and his credentials the university decided to keep him on an extension basis.....which means every January he will get an extension for another year.
The students have no doubt gained a lot from this arrangements. He was awarded the prestigious "Sir Gurudas Chair Professor" post.
But recently this old man was simply thrown out of the university just for the reason that he denied to toe the political line followed by the ruling party. Answering on the topic of caste-based reservation in higher studies, to a magazine, he opined that he personally feels reservations should be on the economic ground....caste system should be counted out, precisely that was the fault that sir actually did, and he had to face the music....and ultimate the students are bearing the actual burnt.
The HoD of another department , who happens to be a scheduled caste (with all due respect to them, I have nothing like upper or lower caste beliefs) took this as a personal slur and asked the authorities to look into the fact so that Prof. Chakraborty does not get a renewal of his extension this year.
Understandably enough sir was extremely upset at the turn of the events and he refused to ask for a renewal either. After so many years of contribution, this was absolutely not the kind of treatment that is expected...and interestingly enough none form the English dept stood by him. Another interesting fact may be stated in this place....Prof Chakraborty was categorical in criticizing the ruling party in the Singur-Nandigram issue, though he has long been a member of the party. Even then what more can be expected from a party which is known for showing least respect to veterans....exceptions though are there but only to sadly prove the rule.
But we, the students are made the victim of this political fiasco.
We took Harold Pinter for our special author paper, and only Professor Chakraborty teaches that unlike Eliot or Woolf which is shared by various teachers. No we are left completely in the dark as we are not getting any sort of guidance. Another potent question who will set papers and who will evaluate those?.as no other teachers are appointed for that special paper, if anyone who has no specialization on Pinter will be made to check our answers after the exams....and whats going to come out can well be apprehended.
Why cannot a criticism be taken as a criticism?... Why punish everyone who dares to go the other way? ... why cant these politicians keep their cheap populist activism and their dark desires out of education....why will not this government allow us to have our own decisions?....I can criticize the government...at least I thought so....but Bengal Marxists , I perceive think the other way round....the need a severe booting so that they understand the enormousness of their wrong doings.....Who will be the HoD will be instructed, Who will be the VC will be decided from the party head quarters.....even a new appointment should require the Alimuddin Street stamp....who cares if he is not a Pinter specialist?...after all students will suffer.....they need a psychophant...and the party interest will be served na? They will be able to keep the teachers' body under their control, another supporter at the university will ease their way to the CU Senate...and much more.........
who cares at the dropping status?...who cares about the regularly falling teaching quality...I have no problem in confessing that it is utter torturous to go through some of our teachers' classes....neither they can guide us through the texts nor they can offer us better critical discussions.....so pathetic is the condition...and added to this is the class room politics...or better students politics which is again in some way supported by these teachers.....so that's a different story.....and I'll definite say that any other day
So there lies the importance of a "petwa" teacher....and Prof. Chakraborty's recent criticisms was enough to earn the ruling party's wrath......so this small situation provided them the opportunity ......
shame on this government.....shame on those who are at the helm of affairs, at CU.....they think of their berths only while the betterment of the students would have been their prime concern....but sadly that's simply a back bencher under CPM-ruled Bengal.....sad story indeed....but in Marxist state, politics first stupid!!!
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