Morung Express News
Dimapur | September 5
THE PREMIER institute of higher learning in Nagaland is entangled in a slew of lapses. Investigations have revealed a number of anomalies in the functioning of the system put in place at Nagaland University.
A serious allegation that has surfaced is the unqualified appointment of an associate professor, also known as a reader, in the soil science department. The highest decision-making body of the university, the central executive council, had settled on taking necessary action during their eleventh and twelfth meetings. Now, after the thirteenth meeting, the associate professor continues to hold charge of his placement.
Teachers in the Medziphema Campus said the reader, who received his appointment on July 11, 2005, could not even speak “proper English” during his first days of joining. The irony of it all is that a gold medalist, also a double M Sc holder and one who has also cleared his NET exams, was deprived of the very post. A professor not wishing to be named said, “I do not know why he was not eligible.”
Results of interviews conducted for non-teaching staff conducted in November 2005 have also been found to be pending. Interviews for posts meant for the Krishi Vigyan Kendra at the Lumami campus were also conducted but results were declared in a piecemeal manner, leaving some posts unfilled.
Then there are claims that rules are twisted and made more rigid for scheduled tribes and scheduled castes so that those who fall under the “general” tag can have things their own way. According to some, academic rules are altered by non-locals to suppress the upcoming careers of Nagas.
A “heavy rush” of scholars signed up for their Ph D only after intense pressure broke the spell of not inducting Nagas for their doctorates which had been in practice for the last two and a half years, according to sources.
A visit to the Medziphema Campus, a facility that teaches agricultural sciences, confirmed the absence of proper research farms, which would mean that students are, “awarded degrees by adjustments of data and manipulations” without undertaking authentic field work.
Special focus on the soil conservation department reveals that there has been no intake of M Sc students for three consecutive years. As such, two professors and two lecturers have only one subject to teach B Sc students. The university spends Rs 15 lakh on their salaries annually.
From the same department four students who admitted themselves some 5-6 years ago could not complete their theses due to “negligence of technical assistance from the department,” an informed source said. Some of the students have reportedly compromised by quitting.
And after 10 + 2 classes were dismissed from the campus, professors from non-agricultural backgrounds are still being employed there with the university failing to utilize them in their respective subjects.
From Sir, with no love
CASE STUDY: Medziphema Campus, Nagaland University
FINDINGS: Negative remarks
Teacher’s Day is celebrated today. However, that’s no reason why university teachers should be spared the cane. Of course, we’re not talking of all teachers, but there have been instances when educators have been found to be indulging in pinching research works.
An associate professor was earlier caught publishing others’ research works. Twice. No action was taken because authorities and the teaching community “could not do anything.”
Reliable sources informed that publishing bogus research papers have become rampant in the campus. Ctrl C, Ctrl V (in simple parlance, copy and paste) is now a method adopted by some teachers for releasing their papers as research work, causing the propagation of pseudo information.
A senior officer in the government’s agricultural department rues over the fact that youngsters fresh out of university sometimes have no clue in going about their assigned duties, despite their degrees making tall claims. He fondly remembers the time when the teachers who taught him painstakingly went to great lengths to make students swallow and digest lessons. One notch below the pass mark meant retaking a whole semester then.
Medziphema campus being a technical institute, teachers would be required to stay within its perimeters under ideal circumstances as practicals account for a bulk of studies. This is not the case as several teachers only teach in classrooms and then leave for Dimapur where their homes are located.
And sometimes when teachers realize they cannot complete their allotted assignments on time, classes and internal exams are conducted on holidays, and even Sundays, after taking the assent of the students.
