Well, let’s be honest. Politics is an important aspect of our lives and we all — irrespective of age, gender, status, (or whether we are studying) etc. — need to take an active interest in it. But there is a difference between interest and staying abreast with politics and political issues as compared to allowing politics to dominate and consume you in the process. This is where most people, including I, believe that student politics should ideally be banned from college campuses. Of course, it is one thing to indulge in the rhetoric, quite another to talk logic and sense. Hence, here goes:
College: Academic institution or political institution?
Let’s be honest…the reasons schools and colleges exist in society, is for the sake of imparting education. When politics comes to dominate academics on college campus, education takes a backseat and students become embroiled in issues that truly have no place on campus. After all, you went to college so you could gain education and employment (whether for self or for another). But when you start partaking in petty politics, you defeat its very purpose, which is academic…not political.
Proxy Battlefields
When politics dominate inside colleges, they transform these college campuses into proxy battlefields, where students are expected to pick sides and violence becomes a tool to settle long-standing (and sometimes personal) score. Thus, if we wish to reduce violence inside our college campuses, we need to weed out these political goons from inside these educational shrines.
Divisions on Caste / Creed
One of the most dangerous narrative of college politics came to light with the suicide of Rohit Vemula. Students often are forced to choose sides, which invariably are composed on the basis of individual caste identities. It, therefore, invariably divides our students on caste lines…whether they like it or not. Thus, such political narrative is a serious threat to India’s unity and must not be allowed to thrive and grow.\
No Place for Neutrality or Tolerance
One of the biggest problems that politics poses is — the complete lack of neutrality. You see, you are just not allowed to be neutral…or even have counter ideological positions. In other words, I have to pick a stance and a side, whether I want to or not. In addition, it reduces tolerance for students are forced to fight for their individual sides and not concede to the other side. In fact, you are not even allowed to consider the other side…
Mirrors Big Politics
Most often, the politics inside the college campus simply mirrors the actual political battles that are taking place inside our parliament and state assemblies. That is, the big political parties use these college campuses as their mini training and recruiting grounds. Thus, political parties provide both people, paisa, and power, to these students…in the hope of furthering their own political agendas…without caring two hoots for the students.
Hence, politics has no place on our college campuses. However, if politics deserves any place on campus, it’s only when it is being taught…and not fought!!
Who is more dangerous? A disobedient student in history lectures or a citizen who don’t even know what the people, the society or the democracy. Because his key of those door has been missing.