With Increase In Number Of Cases Of Violence In Educational Institutions, Experts
Point To Lack Of Guidance & Counselling
The police are investigating the death of Thanikaivel, 21,
a student of Nandanam Arts College whose body was found in the Adyar river on Tuesday,
but eyewitness accounts suggest it was a case of campus violence. The number of
cases of student groups getting violent, sometimes with fatal results, is increasing
and virtually nothing is being done to curb the trend.
The college authorities and police admit there were at least four cases in one year
on the Nandanam Arts College campus, but when it comes to corrective action, they
pass the buck. The police say they send detailed letters to the college authorities
who dont act on them, professors says there is a disciplinary committee which cannot
take action unless the police give an FIR copy. Nandanam Arts College principal
S. Venkataraman said the disciplinary committee was willing to take action if the
police cooperated. We have not received any FIR filed against Nandanam college students,
he said. A senior college official said that everyone in the college knew that Thanikaivel
had quarrelled with another student of the college.
This student who is accused never attends classes and he consumes liquor inside
the college. The authorities are scared of taking action against such students,
said the official. Student groups here are also known to have rivalry on the lines
of the bus routes they take. The strongest group, insiders say, are from MTC bus
routes 23-C and 41-D.
Experts point to lack of monitoring, counselling and corrective action on campus.
Bernard D Sami, senior professor with Loyola College, said colleges should have
active expert cells to attend to such problems and deal with behavioural problems
in students.
A senior professor with Nandanam Arts College said many students in his college
needed indepth interviews and interactions with experts to resolve their problems.
There is no system to address the psychological problems and lack of tolerance of
students with criminal mentality. Many of these students are creative and some of
them are good at studies too. A majority of these students come from economically
and socially backward sections are face family problems and uncertainties. That
finally leads them to serious crimes and gang wars, he said.
Courtesy: Times of India
