Dinesh Kamath's Editorial (Attempt to discipline the students?) that was published in Newsband

Attempt to discipline the students?

In a bid to make its students serious about attendance, the management of Mahatma Gandhi Mission’s College of Engineering and Technology in Kamothe, Navi Mumbai, had asked those with less than the mandatory mark to submit an undertaking on a stamp paper.

This was the first time that a college, at least in Mumbai University, had done this. While most colleges let students off with a warning, some debar them from taking the final exams.

Students across nearly 10 departments at the college with less than the requisite 75 per cent attendance were asked to take an undertaking on a non-judicial Rs 100 stamp paper.

The undertaking states: “If I am found to be a defaulter in the future, I am liable for any sort of action taken against me as per the university norms.” The move, which will only affect the students’ internal markings, is applicable to students from all four years.

Of the institute’s 2,500 students, 800 were in the defaulter’s list. While students queued up outside photo copy shops to buy stamp papers, most didn’t approve of this disciplinary measure.

Most students’ attendance is in the 70-75 per cent range. This was for the first time that the college had taken this step. The college was not prepared to accept these students’ assignments if they didn’t give this undertaking. Since that would impact their internal marks many students had already given it.

The college had also asked defaulting students to solve question papers of the last three years and submit it along with the undertaking.

Initially, the college wanted to fine the students but decided not to go ahead with that as many of the students protested. The students feared that they might get detained in the future for no reason if they took this undertaking. Most of the students were not comfortable with this proposal.

The college’s principal Santosh Narayan Khedkar compared the measure to a Supreme Court order last year which asked students and parents across institutes to take an undertaking on anti-ragging. It appears that the college was following the same analogy. The objective, according to the principal, is to implement discipline among students. The college authorities want to make the students to understand how important lectures and practicals are and that this step was for their long-term benefit.

Now, there is no guideline that asks defaulting students to take an undertaking on a stamp paper. The university should ask the college as to what prompted it to take this step. The university authorities should also meet the principals of all engineering colleges to look into issues faced by them and bring in uniform rules for them to follow.