HYDERABAD: Instead of expecting empathy from university administrations, student groups must take it upon themselves to create a campus culture that’s inclusive and sensitive towards the marginalised, said Dalit student Prajwal Gaikwad, a day after being elected the student union president of University of Hyderabad (UoH).
Speaking to TOI, Gaikwad agreed with Chief Justice of India, D Y Chandrachud‘s observation on the need for an empathy-centric education model, but said it’s rarely offered by educational institutions. The CJI made the remarks in light of multiple students from marginalised communities dying by suicide in premier institutes.
Sharing his own example, Gaikwad said he managed to survive administrative issues during his initial days, only because of support from his parent organisation – Ambedkar Students Association (ASA). “It isn’t the universities, but the campus culture cultivated by student organisations like ASA and Ambedkar reading circles that offer support to the marginalised.
Had I not found empathy from fellow students when I joined the campus in 2019, I would never have become a student leader. I did not get a campus hostel room for one-and-half months and if I did not have the backing of Dalit organisations, my engagement with campus would be very different,” said Gaikwad, whose parents work as government school teachers.
But, he’s worried that the ever-changing structure of examinations and semester patterns is threatening this empathetic environment. “Take the example of new batch.
Because of CUET exams, their semester shrunk from five to three months without a semester break. In such circumstances, a student who’s not from an elite academic background is forced to spend time in reading rooms and classrooms and has no time to adjust to campus. This reduces their engagement with campus, leading to many issues,” he said.
Speaking to TOI, Gaikwad agreed with Chief Justice of India, D Y Chandrachud‘s observation on the need for an empathy-centric education model, but said it’s rarely offered by educational institutions. The CJI made the remarks in light of multiple students from marginalised communities dying by suicide in premier institutes.
Sharing his own example, Gaikwad said he managed to survive administrative issues during his initial days, only because of support from his parent organisation – Ambedkar Students Association (ASA). “It isn’t the universities, but the campus culture cultivated by student organisations like ASA and Ambedkar reading circles that offer support to the marginalised.
Had I not found empathy from fellow students when I joined the campus in 2019, I would never have become a student leader. I did not get a campus hostel room for one-and-half months and if I did not have the backing of Dalit organisations, my engagement with campus would be very different,” said Gaikwad, whose parents work as government school teachers.
But, he’s worried that the ever-changing structure of examinations and semester patterns is threatening this empathetic environment. “Take the example of new batch.
Because of CUET exams, their semester shrunk from five to three months without a semester break. In such circumstances, a student who’s not from an elite academic background is forced to spend time in reading rooms and classrooms and has no time to adjust to campus. This reduces their engagement with campus, leading to many issues,” he said.