Jawaharlal Nehru University

Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) carries a rich history and a unique culture. It loves to regale in its glory. It's past glory.It is disconcerting to notice that JNU is gradually slipping into a time warp.Here's why:

• The University lacks diversity of disciplines. Programmes in medicine, chemistry, engineering, architecture as well as other areas doesn’t exist leaving students to a limited, narrow choice of subjects. 
• The library isn’t fully digitized.
• Only some pockets of the campus are wi-fi enabled.
• The scholarship/ fellowship sum awarded to the candidates are very little.  For instance, Ford Foundation scholarship of Rs 700 per month made available to students of M.A. Programme of the School of International Studies could hardly cover cost of two books if personally-owned books .
• The placement records are nothing to write home about. Students either join NGOs, turn mid-level social entrepreneurs or struggle to secure a middle-level corporate job.
• Political slogans dominate the campus walls, giving an immediate feel that beyond political history, other disciplines contribute little in the life of students. Expressions related to environment, Information Technology, culture, physical sciences find little or no space on the wall.
• For a campus that engages in high-minded debate, it is ironical to note that a feature as elementary as public space cleanliness doesn’t strike the youths. I noticed a tea stall littered with plastic tea cups despite four trash bins installed at the venue. Students casually tossed the cups after finishing ‘intellectual’ talks over tea.
• A run-down Teflas (canteen), with poor maintenance and questionable hygiene greeted me with passable food. That’s pretty much the state of all canteens; chipped walls, energy-consuming primitive tubelights and rickety fans.
• Availability of vast expanse of space provides thought ground to academically ruminative minds. However, barring a few select pockets of  manicured greens, other stretches lie neglected, looking dead screaming for some green beautification.
• From the entrance to the administrative block and thereafter there are no signboards to guide a first time entrant to his/her destination in the 1100 acre campus
• I noticed students are generally not able to integrate well with evolving corporate culture. Not that they need to, but understanding the dynamics of a certain aspect is useful in presentation of any thought ideology.

Shouldn't a university be free of these fundamental shortcomings?