A recent press release for the inauguration of a new campus in the country, reads, ” The new state- of- the- art campus provides all the facilities keeping in mind the studentsalt39 convenience.
From wi- fi connectivity, RFID cards for iss
ue of library books and other activities, modern living quarters for students and faculty, conference rooms and fully airconditioned class rooms with the latest technology to aid teaching, the new campus does not compromise on quality and features that will ensure a wholesome learning environment.” Read the brochure of any residential school in India, and you are promised a alt39 well- equippedalt39 library, cafeteria, a playground, gymnasium, a multipurpose hall and even perhaps a swimming pool. Its almost as if students are being lured in by these facilities, not by the academic programmes.
Five star facilities have become common place in any institution now.
” The scene of education has changed drastically over the last decade, mainly after the private sector entered the field with a big bang. Corporatisation of education has led to such changes, and why not, I ask?” says Prof Arun Nair, who teaches finance. Of course, he is not of the opinion that institutions should turn into five star hotels, but he does want a certain degree of comfort. ” Digitisaiton has become a necessity now, to keep up with the times. Without digitisation, an institution would seem like a swimmer without hands and legs,” he offers his analogy.
He also roots for the basics, which now include air conditioned classrooms for the benefit of the students as well as faculty.
But all these are a given. Why call a campus alt39 state- of- the- artalt39 if that is only what you offer? ” Its not about that. Many residential campuses need these facilities since the programmes are so demanding, that literally, everything else has to take care of itself. In that case, if there are certain provision which make living easier for the students, why not?” says Tejas Khara, and alum of the Indian School of Business in Hyderabad.
” Any institution, be it educational or official, needs to have a good ambiance and work atmosphere so that the people involved in the work will be enjoy doing their work and this will in turn increase the output in long term. However, these institutions should not provide luxurious atmosphere to the people as this might make them relaxed and this might result in lesser output. Hence, I personally feel that though a good atmosphere is necessary for the students in the schools and it does not necessarily mean they have to turn into luxurious spaces,” offers Kalyani Hardesai, alum of IIM Bangalore.
According to Khara and Hardesai, if the students have to spend important learning years at the colleges, they can afford to pay a little extra for facilities. According to Nair, the problem arises when the facilities become bigger than the progamme or the curriculum. ” You do not see anyone complaining about the IIM or IIT campuses.
They are not even considered when admission time is around the corner.
This is because of their proven academic record. The debate arises only when institutes try to fill in classroom with promises of funky campus features rather than curricular promises,” he adds.
According to a senior educationist, ” Colleges and schools are places for enlightenment and knowledge. How this knowledge is imparted and shared in a matter of choice of the college, and the students attending it. There is no reason to harp too much about what is and what isnalt39t on offer in terms of facilities. Importance should be laid on what is happening within the walls of the classroom, not the beauty of the wall.
Five star comfort Trends From lush green lawns to five- star accommodation, there are a plethora of facilities that many institutes promise their students. However, a few students feel these are overboard.
Where is the line drawn? NEHA SHAH finds out
