Monday, January 28, 2013

SAC iT

 Somebody I once knew remarked that our institution, NIT-C was perfect. He would shout it loud and clear   to about a hundred or so people participating in a debate in which he would in a very euphemistic(The difference between "The guy is dead" and "The guy passed away.") way be thrown metaphorical tomatoes. I never understood why he stood adamant on that point except for the sake of putting up a strong front for the ensuing debate. But, over time, I have atleast learnt about the perspective he put forth.  Just check out the other institutions in and around our country.

Now, it's a known fact that the Students Affairs' Council has somewhat limited powers or as some might say, none at all. Let's take a look at the different institutions in and around the world. Where exactly does students have unlimited powers? To some respect, in institutions, where student organisations under actual political parties play it out. From experience, we all know that power comes from intimidation and the ability to raise up a ruckus at short notice. From experience, we also know that such power is accountable to none and prey to the influence of the parent political organisations. We do not wish it for our institution. So, we have staunchly resisted such incursions even though there has been plenty. We have always had people from outside trying to mediate into our conflicts.

And, so since we do not have the one thing, that can shake things up, we are left on a little bit of shaky ground. The only thing we do have is a bumbling Students Affairs Council. It can perhaps get only things half done and in an extreme scenario as a critic pointed " is nothing but a front for the administration to claim that students are given representation." We can all agree that the ball bounced wrongly for us when it came to the Students Council. But, do we sit and cry? Or, do we take it and run?

"If the SAC calls, students will back them up." is one another cry that has floated for long in the air. Now, even if we do not suspect anybody's good intentions, we do need to ask one question. To what extent, would an average student stick out his neck for something good to happen in this college? Will he be willing to risk his academic life for effective health services in college? Maybe. Would he do the same for better sports facilities? Hmm.

But, you know what? That does not make the sum and substance of what a student can do. One of the interesting and very sensible suggestions that was given to the SAC was to shift the holidays such that people would be able to enjoy Christmas. Compared to many other suggestions, it was something that we thought would benefit everybody. So, we pursued it earnestly. The Dean(Academic) however stopped us on track. And, he did not do so for the heck of it either. He had a very solid reason. A shift in winter holidays would also mean a corresponding shift in summer holidays, which would put the working days onto the driest months of the year around here resulting in acute water scarcity.

Why did I bring out this example? I would like to point to all student members of the men's hostels regarding the conditions of the all leaky taps. Most of us have done nothing about it. It does not take a petition to SAC to change the situation. It only requires a written complaint to the steward. And, so we fail to do the simple things we can do and sit up to dream about the big revolutions that the college should undergo. We also without fail criticise everything under the sun. Now there are exceptions. I have seen a person tie up the tap with a LAN cable, thus tightening it and preventing the leakage. I have also seen broken pens being inserted into the latches of bathrooms without bolts so that not only the person doing it but also the general public may benefit. Respect.

Enough criticism of the menfolk. Let me extend a fair share to the women around here as well. It's not a stinging criticism but something that I observed, so do bear with me. A march was organised by our womenfolk for the victim of the Delhi rape case. Though I did not earlier believe in such candle light vigils and marches, I see that the trickles of protest throughout the country has had a resounding victory in the end report of the Justice Verma Commission since the ruling government would be pretty much forced to act on this report. I also agree that due to a certain bit of misunderstanding with the guys, there was not enough support for your march.(And that girls were ironically eveteased even during the march). Apologies. That shouldn't have been a case. However(And do correct me if I am wrong), it's been nearly one and half years since a woman faculty(or a research scholar) died in this institution due to mysterious circumstances. Now, we cannot comment on how it happened because we indeed can never be sure of how it did. But, for a name that got mudslinged by the news media that tried to sensationalise it(A news media does not have the right to poke into a victim's private affairs.), I did not see a single response from the same section. Where did your sense of justice go? I remind you of the Aarushi Talwar case where all the girl students in her school organised a candlelight vigil to issue a statement to the media to stop with its sensationalism.

*If there is an aspect unknown to the author regarding the former paragraph, the author apologises and promises to correct it as soon as somebody points it out*

And, again the above was not something directed solely to the women because indeed, we are all hypocrites.  We all react in a similar manner(including the author). So in light of all these, the next time you raise your voice, ask yourselves one thing. Do you have the right to raise your voice?

Of course, then you would ask me. Who has the right to raise his voice here? I will tell you who. Those people who took care of the latches and water taps have that right. That guy who ran around for Ragam and did all the Jo-Co work without ever being officially called that due to certain circumstances has the right to raise his voice. Those people toiling night and day for intra-college events, with perhaps little mention of their names do. Those people organising extra-mural talks through different associations for the benefit of the students do. Heck, people who did just about anything without giving a damn about their names being applauded by the student mob does.

Because, let's face it. They care about the college. Instead of creating a ruckus and showing everyone that they do give a damn, they just do what they can in their own quiet way.

PS: In the end, to my fellow branch Councillors, I have only thing to say. The Executive Council does not make up the SAC. So, haul your asses to the next meeting and participate. Work in tandem with the executive council. If we each do our bit, it would never guarantee that everything's going to be fine. But, it's better than nobody doing anything at and then putting the blame on each other.

Saturday, January 19, 2013

To do.

This is somewhat inspired from a previous post of mine as well something I saw from the archives at MIT. Apparently, these people distribute a 101-things-to-do-at-MIT list to the freshers there. So, here goes. Some of them are stuff I never did, but then.

1. A walk from Kunnamangalam to our college at night after 12. [ ]
2. Eating egg bhajis from MC the night before exams. [ ]
3. Planning a trip to places like Manipal, Gokarna or Goa at the very last minute and then executing it under a shoestring budget. [ ]
4. Lifting benches for Tathva and Ragam during first year. [ ]
5. Staying back during vacations under the pretense of Ragam or Tathva work and then playing Poker and Mafia without any respite, well into the night. [ ]
6. Doing something embarrassing and getting hooted at by the crowd during first year fests like Sangam and Debutante. [ ]
7. Discovering and developing a skill you thought you never had [ ]
8. Forgetting CGPA for once and delving into a subject because you really like it. [ ]
9. Creating something. Say, a remote toy helicopter. Or, a terrific software program. Engineers, aren't we? []
10. Getting into one of those clubs and taking pride in how it defines. And, swearing to lock horns with anybody who says anything remotely bad about the club. Not to forget the night-outs spend in making the club events a success. [ ]
11. Chanting "Idi naadham muzhangatte.." together with a bunch of your college mates when you go representing NIT-C to another one of those inter-collegiate fest. [ ]
12. Celebrating Onam traditionally in the afternoon and mud-style in the evening. [ ]
13. Dancing in the rain. [ ]
14. Dancing in the Rajpath to prevent the crows from shitting at you and then getting shitted on irrespective of all that dancing. [ ]
15. Taking a bucket and pouring a mixture of rum, vodka, whisky, brandy and beer into it. And, then dipping a glass into it, praying to the lord almighty and drinking it. [ ]
16. Drinking delicacies around here like Avil Milk. [ ]
17. A visit to Chechi's and Pappachan's. [ ]
18. Living on a Rs. 100 for a week. [ ]
19. Going to the forbidden MB rooftop. [ ]
20. Playing a wild April fool prank on the institute. [ ]
21. Going for an insane branch tour after dealing with all the difficulties with respect to permissions. []
22. Going behind a member of the opposite sex and making a debacle out of it. And never accepting the fact that you got rejected, saying something like "He/She does not deserve me. ". [ ]
23. Falling in love with CREC and this institution's history. [ ]
24. Being a part of a meeting at the ELHC pits. [ ]
25. Getting your hair ruined at the barber shops in Kattangal. [ ]
26. Going into deep discussions regarding the inner meaning of life with your roommates. [ ]
27. Wearing formals for placements and absolutely hating it. [ ]
28. Showing up at FS auditions and infuriating everybody by walking like a duck. [ ]
29. Ending up in Students Affairs Council and dealing with everybody including faculty and students yelling at you for righteous reasons. [ ]
30. Watching meteor showers from the OAT. [ ]
31. Sleeping inside the OAT at night, staring at the stars in the night sky. [ ]
32. Playing in the fourz ground. [ ]
33. Visiting the gymkhana at NIT-C and getting horrified by all the biceps and bulges. Vowing to never again go there. [ ]
34. Getting raw eggs smashed all over you on your birthday and getting ass whooped the same day. [ ]
35. Standing up for your friends. [ ]
36. Publishing a newsletter which declares that the institute is the next anti-christ, converting yourself into a symbol like the batman and laughing your ass off when nobody's looking. [ ]
37. Waking up at 7:59 and entering class at 8:00.
38. Running around for condonation towards the latter part of your sem.
39. Going to atleast one exam without studying anything and actually bullshitting your way out of it. [ ]
40. Taking up a sport and playing it for the love of the game. [ ]
41. Drinking steaming hot tea in the morning hours from the thattukada at kattangal when everybody else is  asleep [ ]
42. Keeping in touch with the outside world through the media and having an opinion on everything from the civil strife in Mali to women safety in Delhi. [ ]
43. Giving back to the society through NSS or any other initiatives. [ ]
44. Teaching the less privileged students in and around your institution. [ ]
45. Going hungry for days in a row in the name of conducting an inter-college event like Ragam or an intra-college club event. [ ]
46. Sitting in and around rajpath with your friends as the dusk slowly converts itself into night. [ ]
47. FIFA and Counterstrike. [ ]
48. Never letting go of your dreams. [ ]
49. Promising yourself to change the world and not go down a comfortable or safe path. [ ]
50. Knowing that this institution or its administration is not perfect but taking insane pride in being from NIT-C. And, wearing that pride like a badge of honour. [ ]

I guess you would probably be able to add a million more.