I
really envy those who were students and scholars of the prestigious university
called Jawaharlal Nehru University. In-fact when I first came to Delhi , I promised that I would go to JNU even if it is just “to look
at it”. Fortunately, there happen to be a student whom I had the privilege to
deliver an item from home.
As I went inside the campus, I felt a sense of achievement,
elation. Here I am, in one of the most coveted University. Walking around,
looking around…It felt good.
Later , when I came back to Delhi , now working and struggling to survive,
I had the privileged to frequent the university as I got myself into the
development sector and later on as a freelance journalist. Scholars were indeed very friendly, very learned and yes I
learnt a lot from interactions, seminars, and discussions from them either in
the university or in other events. And as someone in the circle of the
development sector (both as practitioner and freelance journalist) I frequently
brush shoulders with JNU and its products (teachers, scholars and alumni). My generation, particularly in my
state/region is mostly of a typical traditional relations with teachers, where
students listen , follow instructions and the teachers did the talk ! We never
actually have any discussion or interactions . At some point of time I thought
I should have opted for Arts stream, seeing so many happenings, events and
discussion among social streams and political sciences students themselves and
teachers as well.
I
must say and admit, those teachers, scholars and JNU students are excellent,
well versed, they are good in arguments, have sound theoretical background,
perspective and understanding. They are “liberal” - they won’t mind what you
wear, what you eat, and what you do !! They are down to earth. Moreover, another good thing is to get to know and be friends with the North-East people who are students and scholars and
even teachers here. It gives you a sense of ego to be their “friends”. It makes
you feel proud!
Along
with this shoulder brushing with the educated and the intellectuals, I also had
the privileged to share working space, as colleagues in the development sector (read
NGOs) with students from this
prestigious university. I say student as they get job (s) even while
they are students. Now you get to see their real worth !! the other side of the 'intellectuals".
He
came with a tag, a brand and a sense of an aura!. That’s okay, as long as you
do your job and your duty. He was appointed because the NGO need more
“qualified” staffs. He would shout at those who “does not know” things. One day
I was reading “My Feudal Lord” an autobiography by Tehmina Duranni. This JNU
fellow asked “why are you reading this ( such kind of) book” ..Umm, I didn’t
have the answer for some time..I murmured “because I want to”! No doubt he is
hard working, after all he had to move ahead with his career…He is the only
person in the office who comes in any time, and of course he worked even when
no one else works too. Over worked ?. He is the one who take most of the responsibility
of the organization on his shoulder!!. Nobody says anything because he was
“learned” and hand-picked by the boss.
Its
not only about man. In the other organization I worked , came another JNU
educated women. She is from Kashmir!. Very well versed, highly political and
the right person for an organization working on human rights ! Nobody knows
what she is doing, only the boss knows. She was a friend of a friend of the
Boss. ! “Intellectual Discussion” and paper writing seems to be her main job in
an organization that doesn’t believes in “writing” reports and maintaining paper
work!. She comes in anytime. Even as the
organization works 6 days a week, Saturday is a holiday for her. Yes, she must be working overtime, as she send
official smses even after 10 pm!
When you work together under one roof , under
one organization, things are quite different. On a daily basis, “working
together” with people who comes with a “brand” is not so healthy. They have
great minds and brains. But working together with such branded intellectuals is all together a different story. Professionalism has a different meaning for them. Many
would argue that I am being cynical or say that “the grapes are sour” applies to me . But I say this because, they tend to remain
aloof, with an attitude that they are “different” “exclusive” 'superior' from the “common
man/woman" or the 'average' educated ones from the non branded universities. Maybe they don’t care what others may feel or think , as they have a good impressive ‘branded CV” plus enjoys the privileged of direct contact with the boss, as most NGOs take people from JNU. Indeed
most of them come to just enhance their future career, get experience from NGOs
and move on. So why should they bother?.
By the way, the first time I went to JNU and the first person I ever met there and
eventually became friends have un-friend and blocked me on social media. Some other JNUites have also gone missing from my friend list as well.
PS - this loud thinking comes in the aftermath of the recent crack down on JNU students over alleged sedition and anti-national activity and sloganeering in the campus, the eventual nation wide debate and 'ultra' -extravaganzas (February 2016).
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