Tamil Nadu - Chennai

How managements view the issue

CHENNAI: When V.J. Philip was a student at the Madras Christian College in the mid-1970s, the college campus played host to quite a bit of political activity. The Students Federation of India had a presence, and there was a group of radical leftist students on campus.

Three decades later, with Dr. Philip at the helm as Principal, the college seems to have established a campus culture in which politics plays little part. MCC’s experience could have several lessons for colleges struggling with the dark side of campus politics, which are especially relevant in the light of the recent violence at the law college.

Student union elections today are based on “merit”, says Dr. Philip. Only students who meet criteria related to attendance and examination arrears and have a clear disciplinary record are allowed to contest college union elections. “When you put all these things together, it eliminates the kind of student who is just a troublemaker…When we brought academics into the picture, it changed everything,” he says.

This doesn’t stop students from being politically aware. “We don’t ban students from belonging to political parties, but we expect them not to bring their affiliations on to campus,” he says, adding that no sponsorship is allowed from parties.

The Madras High Court seems to agree with Dr. Philip’s analysis that the way college managements run an institution and the emphasis on academics are key to keeping dirty politics off campus. Last week, it ordered an exhaustive enquiry into the running of the law college and the role played by the principal in maintaining academic atmosphere.

Other private colleges also swear by the formula of academic criteria. At Guru Nanak College, 75 per cent attendance, no arrears, and an undertaking of good conduct signed by both parents in the Principal’s presence are essential for any candidate, says Principal John Morais.

The Supreme Court has also mandated such criteria recommended by the Lyngdoh Committee for student elections. At the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras, tough academic criteria keeps the bar high, but some regional groupism does creep into campus politics, says dean of students V.G. Idichandy. However, it is banned from election propaganda. At Presidency College, authorities have not been able to enforce any academic criteria for student elections, but they have largely managed to keep caste politics out, according to S. Ramanathan, who retired as Principal this year. “Here, it is the politics of the bus routes, 6D against 29A, with students from the communities at Kasimedu and Perambur forming the major factions,” he says. The threat of violence is ever present, and the college maintains a close rapport with the police posted on Kamarajar Salai.

Unlike Presidency, other government colleges don’t take the risk of direct elections at all. At the Law College itself, student body elections have been withheld since 1981. The Madras University has also banned a student union, with students only being selected for the academic council. Following the threat of student unrest a decade ago, the Government College at Nandanam moved to the format of student representatives being elected for departmental associations.

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