Pubdate: Sun, 25 Nov 2012
Source: Hindu, The (India)
Copyright: 2012 The Hindu
Contact:  http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/874
Author: Vijetha S. N

'UNDUE HASTE SHOWN IN EXPELLING IIM STUDENTS CAUGHT SMOKING MARIJUANA'

The swift expulsion of three students allegedly caught smoking
marijuana in their hostel rooms at Indian Institute of Management,
Indore, this past week has led Delhi's student and teaching fraternity
to believe that the Institute acted in undue haste and failed in its
moral duty towards the students.

'ALLOW IMPROVEMENT'

"An educational institution is supposed to help students resist
temptation and allow them to improve themselves. Instead, by expelling
these students and ruining their careers, it has assumed the role of a
judicial or criminal body. They have failed as an academic institution
by coming down on them hard and washing their hands off any
responsibility towards these students," said Maya John, a resident at
Delhi University's hostel for women.

Many others said the swiftness of the expulsion was uncalled for.
"These students were much older; the authorities should have made a
proper inquiry into the level of abuse instead of indulging in such
knee-jerk reaction. Some substances such as bhang are embedded in our
culture and openly sold across the North on festivals," said Vibha, a
Ph.D. student at Jawaharlal Nehru University and former head of her
hostel.

Her sentiments were echoed by fellow Ph.D. student Anaga who said no
one approved of such moral policing and that expelling students did
not solve the issue. "Of course, it's illegal, but throwing them out
is not going to help matters either," she said.

Hindu College Principal Pradyum Kumar said he completely disapproved
of any sort of drugs or alcohol, however mild, but he would have dealt
with the issue differently. "We have a duty to guide and counsel and
not criminalise these students. We have to save them while we can so
that they are not completely lost. Expelling them and making them
outcasts will only intensify their need to indulge in such acts," he
added.

However, some others felt that the issue is not that simple. "Once a
habit, always a habit, you do something, get away with it and you
continue doing it long after you leave college, all the while thinking
you are never going to get into trouble for it. We need to prevent
this," said Tanvir Aeijab, who spent several years dealing with
hot-blooded boys as a former warden at Ramjas College here.

'A VERY THIN LINE'

He said there was a very thin line between saving a student through
counselling and invariably installing a sense of impunity in him.
"There should be counselling, seminars and workshops regularly in
colleges to prevent students from indulging in such activities from
peer pressure or whatever, but repeated offenders should also be dealt
with strictly," he added.
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