UGC wants students to sing Gandhi’s bhajans

BENGALURU: A University Grants Commission (UGC) directive to varsities and their affiliate-colleges to encourage students to sing Mahatma Gandhi’s bhajans, like Vaishnava Jana To, on their campuses from October 2 to 9 has divided the academic community in the state. The occasion is commemoration of the Father of the Nation’s 150th birth anniversary.
The UGC circular says bhajans can be sung in different languages on the lines of “mile sur mera tumhara”. However, a section of academics and students has described the move as shallow.

Varadesh Hiregange, director, Gandhian and Peace Studies, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), said this is a bureaucratised way of celebrating Gandhi Jayanti. “He and his thoughts need to be taken more seriously, than just being limited to plays and singing bhajans on his anniversary. There should have been an intellectual engagement of students. There is a booklet, where he listed out many useful constructive activities, like Swachh Bharat, that could bring about societal change. I would say much more could have been done to celebrate his birth anniversary,” he said.

KR Venugopal, vice-chancellor, Bangalore University, Jnana Bharthi campus, who says he’s a follower of Mahatma Gandhi’s thoughts, however, felt the directive will have some benefits.

“We can’t say whether this will help students or not, but it will surely calm them down and make them think about Mahatma Gandhi and his principles or about some good constructive activities. There might be an impact in the long run.” he said.

The UGC circular said there will be a nationwide competition of plays on Mahatma Gandhi. The best three plays adjudged at the university level will be sent to UGC and MHRD (ministry of human resource development) with YouTube recordings so that 10 of them can be selected for an international convention to be held on September 29 in Delhi. August 25 is the last date for sending the entries.

Very few colleges in the city seem to be taking the UGC circular seriously. “So far, no announcements have been made by our college, but I really don’t know how this is going to motivate students,” said Shailja M, final-year MA student, Bangalore University.

“We are holding our college fest on October 24, which is dedicated to the flood victims and 150th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. We are not staging any play, but will have a message wall for students where they can write about Gandhi’s thoughts. There will also be a festival of poetry on and by Mahatma Gandhi,” said a spokesperson for St Joseph’s College (Autonomous).

“Remembering great men on their birth and death anniversaries is important. Though I appreciate the initiative to observe the birth anniversary of Mahatmaji, it should be an occasion to remember his ideas and teachings. There should be no compulsion on students,” said Ajay Kamath, secretary, All India Democratic Students’ Organisation (AIDSO).