What Caused NUSRL Students To Boycott Their Classes, #SaveNUSRL

For the past few days a protest has been going on Inside the NUSRL-Ranchi. The
students of the said university have boycotted their classes until the
administration pays any heed to their demands of revamping the prestigious
National Law University to the glory it deserves. The ongoing protest effectively
highlights the sorry state of higher education in this country. Unlike the student
protests and disruption that we witnessed since BJP-led NDA came into power,
this protest is directed in the right course. The students at NUSRL demands
meritocracy to prevail instead of the shallow nepotism professed and nurtured by
those responsible to handle the administration of NUSRL.
A student from NUSRL, shared with us the following details about the abysmal
condition of NUSRL Ranchi. NUSRL is the most expensive NLU in the country, a
student pays approximately Rs. 1,90,000/- for two semesters, yet the facilities,
academic and non-academic alike fall despicably short of appropriate standards,
the administration teems with nepotism, neglect and shows negligible concern
for actual welfare and Development of the institution. Apart from the vice
chancellor, there is no faculty holding the rank of Professor, the campus lacks all
weather roads. The internet facilities provided are reminiscent of stone age, the
mess food, apart from lacking taste and nutrition is cooked in the most unhealthy
and unhygienic method possible. The sewage drains are uncovered, the campus
is infested with approximately 50 stray dogs. Mosquitoes, Snakes and rodents
roam the campus freely. The administrative block stands deserted till as late as
12 noon, with the office bearers including the vice-chancellor turning up stylishly
late. There is a biometric attendance recorder for the fourth grade staff, logic
should elude everyone, on why the same practice is not followed for teaching
and other non-teaching staff. The answer scripts are evaluated with the name of
the student displayed on the scripts and not by the coding method all the world
uses. Teaching staff, apart from being incompetent to do justice to their allotted
subjects have taken up Ph.D. courses in the university, often citing the same
workload to skip classes. Some teaching faculty also hold administrative posts
(Dean Student Welfare, Registrar, Dean Academics and Controller of
Examination), cite administrative workload for not doing justice to the subject
and cite academic workload when asked about administrative shortcomings. The
University uses every means possible to collect fines from students, almost
giving the future lawyers of the country an illusion that your pocket can bail you
out of any misdemeanour.
If one looks at the appointments (academic and non-academic alike) one can
clearly comprehend that people belonging to certain Regions have always been
given preference in this institute. Whoever has the authority of appointment
makes good measure to fill the vacancies with their kith and kin. One fails to
attach any logic behind the appointment of a native of Varanasi as the Caretaker
of the Boys Hall of residence, who ironically lives outside the premises of the
University, is available only from 10 AM to 5 PM, a time period when most of the
residents of the Hostels are or are supposed to be in the academic block.
A National Law University is supposed to produce the best legal minds in this
country. But the way these NLUs are understaffed and that too with undeserving
faculty shows us the dark glimpse of the future of legal profession in this country.
Also, it should be highlighted that these students are staging a protest just to
seek the attention of everyone in this country. And what these students are doing
right now is completely justified because if nothing is done now then it will be too
late for anyone to do anything in future. We have already lost the prestige
enjoyed earlier by Indian educational institutions to colleges from other emerging
nations. Its all being done in stages. The HRD Ministry is seemingly doing
nothing to ensure a quality education for us Indians, and on the top of that, the
ministerial and political interference by the government and opposition parties
alike has added more taints than cleaning the old speckles. It is the high time we
all raise high our voices against the malpractices and political interferences in
Indian Educational Institutions and call for a nationwide student solidarity to the
ongoing protests in NUSRL-Ranchi. #SaveNUSRL #SaveEducation
#SaveStudents