Career-Oriented Education has made Students Self-Centred

ASHFAQ AHMED SHAREEF, President Students Islamic Organisation of India, talks about the reasons for insignificant presence of the organisation in metros. In an interview with ZAID ARIF, he delves in to the philosophy of education and unearths the reasons that have made the students self-centred and inactive in standing up and solving the problems facing the society.

Give us a brief introduction about yourself.

I am from the city of Manglore, a coastal area in Karnataka. I completed my schooling from native place and joined the zonal office of SIO in Bangalore as office secretary in 2002. That time I was in first PUC and decided to continue my study in Journalism through correspondence. I hail from a Tahreeki family. My uncle, late Ibraheem Sayeed, served as Ameer Halqa of Karnataka. I joined SIO in my childhood but the sense of organisation developed when I was at the zonal office.

SIO is a student-oriented organisation. But we find its presence inadequate in most of colleges and universities. For example, its presence in three major universities of the capital—JNU, DU and JMI—is surprisingly low. What according to you are the reasons?

There are some peculiarities for each state and every organisation has some regulations which are meant to be followed. To establish an organisational setup and creating an atmosphere are two different things. As far as the establishment of organisational setup is concerned, we did not succeed enough but we are very much successful in transforming the atmosphere in favour of the organisation. We organised a lot of programmes in different universities in the capital and will try to resume the same this year. We will soon organise a discussion in the University of Delhi on the growing atrocities on women in the country. It is right that SIO could not make a mark in the cities like Delhi and other metros despite its constant endeavours. But we are coming this year with some special strategies for metros to penetrate in these cities. We will try to initiate healthy discussion on ‘some special issues’ in universities.

What are these ‘some special issues’?

We want the students to be aware of societal problems and act for the betterment of the society. If you go through the world history, you will find that the students have played a pivotal role to sort out the problems in society. But as of now the spirit of struggle among students is fading away. The core reason behind it is the educational system which has become career-oriented and does not help build character of students. It makes them self-centred. We want to address the existing educational system and moral degradation among students simultaneously. We want the students and others to work for educational reform and thus all the societal problem would be solved easily. We will focus, during the current term, through the series of lectures and symposiums especially in Delhi, on faults within educational system and introduce the philosophy of education.

The mission of SIO is ‘to reconstruct the society in the light of divine guidance,’ however it usually works like other NGOs. How far is the statement true and how do you find it reconcilable?

SIO works only in the light of divine guidance and our whole activities belong to the mission. Our sole enthusiasm is to present the message of Islam before everyone through different types of programmes. Sometimes, it comes very clearly and sometimes it does not, as per our policy. We take up all the social activities to introduce Islam. It is not fair to say that SIO is a mere organisation like others. Rather it is an ideological organisation and this identity of ours will remain forever.

What is your policy about Students Union elections especially in the perspective of AMU?

Union elections help create democratic atmosphere. But this is not the only solution. What we want is to create a democratic atmosphere in academic institutions. As far as direct participation in the elections is concerned, it depends on the time and situation. We have both policies to contest the elections directly or to work as a pressure group as per the need of the hour.

We find a big gap in the activities in the north and south so much so that some people in AMU call SIO a Kerala Organisation. What are the special strategies to fill this gap in the current term?

The reason behind this gap is the socio-political educational scenario of Muslims in both regions. We have special plans for north India this time. As of now, we have organised some conferences and public programmes to penetrate in the region. But we find it not working. So we have planned to start a term-long campaign with focus on education in these regions as it seems they are very backward in educational field. Our educational movement will continue in north Indian region for two whole years.

SIO and GIO are two different organisations and JIH has allowed no link in between the two in the past. But we see girl students participating in every programme of SIO. Is SIO thinking to give its membership to female students in future?

JIH has established both the organisations and put them separate, keeping an eye on their individual problems and in order to make them more fruitful in their respective fields. They will never be merged. As far as SIO is concerned, we address the students community in general irrespective of their classes, sex and religion.

What is your opinion on co-ed as JIH has indicated it among one of the reasons for rape in its proposals to Justice Verma?

I cannot comment on the stand of JIH. I think JIH has said that this might be one of the reasons for rape. But the media misinterpreted it. We should take it seriously and find out loopholes to plug these. Also the objectifications of women through advertisements and films should be stopped and there must be a single rule for both the poor and the affluent.

Your message for students.

Students are the symbol of change. They have played a pivotal role in every movement. The recent crisis in the society is the result of their turning a blind eye to the society. Students are insensitive nowadays and the main factor is our educational system which makes them slave of their career which prevents them to think of as to what is happening in the society. I request all the students to adopt sensitivity and social services. You will solve all the issues and problems provided you spare a little of your time for the cause of your society.

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Let EC Come Forward to Contain Paid News Syndrome

The Election Commission has decided to go public with the names of the politicians found indulged in paid news violation by uploading their names on its website. The decision comes in the wake of swelling numbers of such cases with the latest report revealing 276 cases in Gujarat and 104 in Himachal Pradesh in the recent Assembly polls where the politicians themselves have confessed that they had paid some dailies for publishing some news articles and so in their favour. Buying a news space in major dailies especially by politicians during election period is nothing new. There are 902 such cases—136 among them are accepted ones— recorded in the last Assembly polls of West Bengal, Assam, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Uttrakhand and Uttar Pradesh. The 2010 Bihar polls too witnessed similar cases. Moreover, who is unaware of Ashok Chavan’s story which was published in three different dailies, during 2009 state polls, with same words and same structure of the sentence?

The Election Commission of India, on 15 January, served notice to Narottam Mishara, a Cabinet Minister in the Government of Madhya Pradesh, over 42 election advertisements of his in the garb of news which were published during state election in 2008. The EC also named four newspapers—Dainik Bhaskar, Nai Duniya, Aachran and Dainik Datya Prakesh— in its notice. It is no surprise to hear the name of some local dailies or the newspapers with comparatively low readership like Udyog Vyapar Times, Purvanchal Ki Raahi and Dainik Aaj found guilty of selling news spaces to politicians against cash or a kind of consideration. What comes as a great shock is the announcement of the Press Council of India adding the names of some leading dailies like Dainik Jagran, Dainik Hindustan, Hindustan Times and Rashtriya Sahara in the list.

Paid news is defined as “any news or analysis appearing in the media (print and electronics) for a price in cash or kind as consideration.” Though it is considered an offence yet the government seems not serious to incorporate it into the list of punishable ones despite repeated demand from the Press Council of India and others. In the case of all above mentioned newspapers found indulged in malpractices, what PCI could do was only to censure and admonish them. Subsequently, they were left with a simple ‘it should not be repeated’ warning in the absence of any provision to punish the guilty.

“What is bad about paid news? One is free to take a ride on media to advertise his achievements. You don’t have any objection on purchasing even front page of a leading daily for some corporate advertisements. Then how can you talk of prosecuting someone on the charge of paying for a little space in order to get his news published,” argues a friend of mine. Another one jumps in support of him saying, “You can easily divide a newspaper into two: news and advertisements. One cannot get 18-20 blank pages either against a petty Rs. 4-5. Ads are the place where the dailies compensate their loss from. Besides, all organisations advertise their achievements through dailies and the latter demand a heavy amount of cash in order to give a space to their news.”

Well, one should not have any objection on publishing even full page advertisement against an awesome amount of money. But, when it comes to the payment for publishing a piece of self-promoted news, it must be considered condemnable because there is a difference between a news story and an advertisement. One is free to pay to advertise his achievements through advertisements and no one would dare censure him for his act. But the question is ‘Why a person, after expending money, is reiterating on publicising his deeds in the garb of news and not in the form of advertisement despite the fact that the latter is catchier than the former?’ Media is supposed to be neutral in conveying news to the public. It must cover the same with utmost honesty and sincerity— without inclining towards any specific sect and party. “In a democracy, the media has the responsibility to report news honestly...We feel betrayed by the media that is supposed to play an important role in nation-building,” says Sahil Yadav of New Delhi.

In fact, the dailies are the best and shortest way to reach a common man and shape his mind. That’s why the politicians use this tool to attract more voters based on their self-promoted paid-news. They knew that a news item shows that they are actively involved in social activities while the ads are mere allegations of theirs. They think if they managed to get their activities covered ‘positively’ in media, though they have done no activity other than befooling public, it would speak of their devotion to work for betterment of the society while urging public to vote them win so as to continue their ‘public work’.

“Paid news-ads point to the unholy nexus between political parties and media... Besides censure and disqualification, a hefty fine should be levied on those who misuse the media,” suggests MY Shariff of Chennai. Besides prosecuting ‘those who misuse the media’, the PCI should punish those media persons as well who work only to earn money without knowing whether it comes by a hook or a crook. It should also issue some strict guidelines for correspondents travelling here and there to cover different programmes and direct their respective organisations to make arrangement for their lodging and food and not left them on the mercy of the organisers of the same programme so that they may be able to cover its ‘different dimensions’ neutrally. That’s what P Sainath referred to in his article in The Hindu (29 January) saying, “Who funds journalists and channels from India at that World Economic Forum event each year is worth looking at.”

Simultaneously, the Press Council of India should come up with some changes in its legislation and punish the guilty. In case of the guilt proved, both the media person and the politician should be banned from their respective professions: the Election Commission should disqualify the candidate for next two polls while the PCI should restrain the concerned journalists or the dailies for at least a term of five years.

Well, money plays an important role in every walk of life. But, how can one deny being media one of the most important pillars of democracy. Based on that, some media persons, at some places, have been seen bluffing others on the ground of their attachment with media. This writer knows a journalist who blew whistle upon a businessman while the latter refused to give share to the former in his illegally earned money. Both the attitudes are condemnable especially among journalists as they are holding a responsible position in the society. Media persons as well as public should show some responsibility and serve the nation in a better way. Money matters a lot but not more than the service of the nation. Pushing the nation towards destruction and harming its democratic status only to make more and more money cannot be justified at any rate.

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 http://www.radianceweekly.com/346/10161/is-aimplb-on-a-redefining-mode/2013-02-17/paid-news/story-detail/let-ec-come-forward-to-contain-paid-news-syndrome.html