I begin with the disclaimer that no aspersions is hereby intended to be caused to anyone, and hence not to take an umbrage to what you read. In any case, constitution provides freedom to pursue a profession of one’s choice.
Pursuant to the UGC advisory to institutes to be careful regarding some consultant claiming to be an ex- UGC employee, I’m prompted to write my views on this matter.
It is no new knowledge that some ex employees from accreditation and regulatory bodies are going round various higher education institutions, carrying their ex-tag and boasting about their cemented connections with their previous employers. They are in the business of offering consultancy on NAAC and NIRF. In addition to ex-NAAC advisors, even some ex-Section officers of the UGC have thrown their hats in the ring. Low quality institutes are increasingly falling prey to their claims. Some institutes have decided to employ them as regular or on contract with a hope that it would serve their purpose through short-cuts and expediency. I learnt that some former NAAC Advisors working in universities, though well versed with the processes but would tell institutes, all kinds of unethical practices to circumvent the system.
Wonder, why institutes can’t go the ethical way and prepare genuinely, accepting more time but achieving the same or even better objectives on the long-term but not by killing their soft core- the conscious ! Sometimes, I see people sitting with conscious killed by faking, falsifying and misrepresenting but taking pride in what was achieved.
I have come to terms that institutes should go the THE RIGHT WAY. Accreditation and Ranking is all doable by building capacity and competence. If there is an unfair demand and something is not doable, drop it for the time being. If regulatory body is to set the wrong right, approach it but find an ethical way. I’m 100% sure, you can all succeed without getting dirty. Convince the trustees, often the restless brains behind yearning to quickly succeed by hook or crook. Believe in yourself. If required, take on-board a true mentor (ex employee or anyone) who guides ethically. Keep your conscious spotlessly clean so that you can further pass on this purity to your own children and the students who have placed their trust in you.
Prof-JR Sharma : Views expressed are personal
