Vice Chancellor Jammu University silences students’ by offering jobs

PS Bali

Jammu, December

It would not be perhaps wrong to say that vice chancellor Jammu University has learnt the song of appeasing students, not all, to silence them. It is strange but true that Jammu University has not witnessed any major protest by students for the past more than six months, courtesy--vice chancellor prof Ishar Mohan Singh, “who patronized some students to get job in the Jammu University,” alleged officials in Jammu University on condition of anonymity.

Official sources claimed that the initial years for Vice Chancellor, prof Ishar Mohan Singh were full of challenges, with student bodies on toes exposing one after another scam in the University. But eventually the negotiations between Vice Chancellor and students’ leaders turned win-win situation for both.

“After some round of meetings between vice chancellor and student leaders, it was negotiated upon that no protest against University will take place if leaders will be settled with job in the university,” said sources from Jammu University.

If sources are to be believed powerful and influential people are preferred upon meritorious candidates while appointing for teaching as well as non-teaching faculty in the University. “Rule of primitive societies that ‘might is right’ is still prevalent in Jammu University. Appointments here are made on the physical strength and political influence of the candidate, instead of his/her merit,” said sources adding that people with political influence have contained high position in the university and are patronizing influential candidates to get job in the university.

Day scholar, Anil Sharma said that it is quite peculiar to see no student activities on the University campus. “This is my fourth year in the university, but I have not seen such a stillness. Student unions were always active in raising various issues concerning students, but this years is different with NSF, ABVP, NCSU, JSM and other student unions seem on hibernation,” he said reluctant to disclose his department.

He added that once students union, without naming any, had staged a protest demonstration against defunct clock of central library, but “this year many important issues concerning students like roaming of outsiders in the University remained untouched,” he rued, adding “protests are still held but are irrelevant and had nothing to do with general students,” said Anil.

It is pertinent to mention here that eyeing the upcoming appointments in the month of January for the post of assistant professor, student unions have again resorted to protests in the University. “To get themselves settled as assistant professors, members of particular student union are resorted to pressure tactics by staging protests in the University,” source disclosed.