Karnataka: Sad decline

The higher education system — and Bangalore University in particular — in the southern state of Karnataka (pop. 62 million) is in deep turmoil.In the week December 9-15, 3,400 pre-university teachers (classes XI-XII) boycotted classes demanding pay hikes. Three days later, when they returned to work, the states showpiece Bangalore University (BU, estb.1964) transformed into a battle ground with over 150 students led by the ABVP (Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad) — the ruling BJPs student wing — laying siege to the universitys Central College campus. Protesting discrepancies in marks cards issued by the university, they gheraoed vice chancellor Dr. N. Prabhu Dev with one student hurling a flagstaff at him despite heavy police protection. Simultaneously, the universitys lecturers staged a dharna at the same venue to protest against a physical attack on Prof. B.R. Nilanjana, BUs director of distance education and correspondence courses, by activists of the right-wing Sri Ram Sena protesting delay in conducting distance education exams. Its not just the universitys city campus which has been plagued by protests. During the past month BUs sprawling 1,100-acre Jnanabharathi campus has also witnessed a spate of demonstrations and rallies staged by postgraduate students and non-teaching staff. According to vice chan-cellor Prabhu Dev, in a letter to Karnataka governor and BU chancellor H.R. Bharadwaj, a mafia like situation in BU has been orchestrated by registrar Prof. B.C. Mylarappa, and some university syndicate members who are hatching a conspiracy against him. Prabhu Dev says he is being targeted because some anti-social elements are against exam reforms he has initiated. Some anti-social elements cant accept that we are going ahead with several overdue examination reforms. In the recent past there have been rising complaints relating to exam malpractices, marks cards scams, and forged degree certificates being issued to students. Now that we have been put an end to all this, anti-social elements whose lucrative sources of income have dried up want me out, Prabhu Dev told media persons on December 21. However, according to informed academic opinion, the current problems of Karnatakas 18 state funded universities — and Bangalore University, which has an annual budget of Rs.260 crores, in particular — are rooted in the wide powers enjoyed by the varsitys 20-member Syndicate which is dominated by ex offico bureaucrats and government nominated members. As per s. 28(g) of the Karnataka State Universities Act (KSU), 2000, the nominees should be eminent educationists but this requirement is liberally interpreted by successive state governments to pack the syndicate with ruling party politicians. University syndicates are reportedly super cabinets of higher education in Karnataka and enjoy wide discretionary powers under s.29 of KSU, 2000. Among the powers of the syndicate are: …to manage the affairs of the university, in particular to administer the funds and properties; to enter into, verify, carry out and cancel contracts on behalf of the university; to make recommendations regarding admission of colleges to affiliation; to recognise hostels to suspend or withdraw such recognition. With syndicate members reportedly auctioning jobs to under-qualified…