QAU evolving or devolving?

Islamabad:This has become a ritual in Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) that the administration closes the university prematurely before the start of Spring Semester Terminal examinations. It precedes students’ clashes between themselves or their strife with the authorities over some demands.

This year, the students closed the campus on May 12 by not letting any bus to leave the Transport Section. More than a week passed and then the Registrar suddenly issued an order, of course, with the approval of the competent authority closing the university for Eid holidays. Students were asked to immediately leave the campus. It will obviously save some money ‘wasted’ on fuel and electricity by this funds-starved seat of higher learning and research.

But the notification had strange points. It was assumed, I don’t know how, that most of the faculty has completed course work or about to complete. It advised the teachers to complete their course work, assignments, if left any, etc., during holidays through on-line classes or any means of their choice.

It happens where ‘competent authority’ prioritises securing the job and seeking appointment in another university to repeat the deeds giving two hoots to improving the teaching and research or ameliorating life at the Camps.

It is interesting to note that improving Internet service was one of the major demands of the striking students. When this is state of affairs in the Federal Capital, how a student sitting in Shiggar, Chitral, Taunsa, Khuzdar, Daudkhel, Pasni or Thar could have state-of-the-art Internet facilities to interact with a teacher or the vice-versa.

Indirectly, the notification is saying that forget about the syllabus or course, just take the exams after Eid. What happens with the standard of education, to use Sher Afzal Marwat’s lexicon, ‘woh to warh gaya.’

Students also complain of safety and security situation including drug paddling. Rather, it is a worry of campus community including teaches and employees working or living at the campus. Despite security staff now having wireless sets, vehicles, etc, dacoits looted house of a female teacher in Shahdara Colony recently and two dacoits on a motorbike fired at police in front of the B-Type colony on QAU-Bari Imam Road and fled towards Diplomatic Enclave a fortnight ago.

After that a battalion of monkeys has started patrolling in the A to D Type colonies and teaching departments. One of the faculty commented that seeing the inadequacy of its security outfit, the QAU administration has appointed new security guards fitting in the Darwin’s Theory of Evolution also. A teacher quipped that if the experiment succeeds, the responsibility can be entrusted to hanumans. The Faculty of Biology has a Primate Facility also where rhesus monkeys, Guinea pigs and rabbits are bread to test different medicines and solutions. What about appointing a new head of QAU security force (Resident Officer) from Faculty of Biological Science to have a better liaison. Devolving may be a missing link. After all the QAU is also evolving. Or is it evolutioning?