A frust campus life!

"KGP has been no 1 for three consecutive years. This IIT is blessed with an amazing campus life, you know, with hardly any IIT close to it in the range of activities here. You must put KGP as your first option." This was my usual self during the counselling session in my first year. I still have to face the music when i face any of my conuselling's victims. Another feature of the counselling duty was my constant argument with Arunabh Kumar, a senior who seemed to me as a completely 'frust insaan'. Whenever he used to find me in conversation with parents and their wards, he screamed-"Kitno.n ki life barbaad karega be!", after they were gone. Standing at another end of the spectrum, i find that his words did carry some meaning. I find the explanations of having just one or two of top 100 JEE ranks in kgp, every year.

Where is the root of the problem?

A campus life that suffers a lot due to the 'cholbe na' attitude of everyone, right from the rikshawwalla to the restaurant waitors, it has been bearing the brunt of the increasingly frust attitude of the campusites. A campus that is suffering from a host of problems, some of which being so basic as good food, transportation facilities, good hang-outs, faces the student body as its biggest problem. Usually graced with the biggest stupids on the campus, who 're nominated by the lesser stupids, they 're busy the whole year fixing the forthcoming elections. Its noteworthy that as soon as a month after the election results are out, the battlefields are drawn for the next year's elections. The only agenda for the whole year remains- the elections! I know, that for most of us, it sounds crazy. But, yes, this is the only job all these 'active' folks in the campus are interested in. Next, they work day in and day out to deny merit its chance in the GCs. The saying goes in kgp like this- "Pally matters more than cali.". And, everyone in the student body works very hard to retain its validity. The subcommittee meetings which were meant for the under-secretaries of TSG and the lesser mortals from respective halls, are frequently attended by the VP and the G Secs nowatime. The institute security committee, which has the responsiblity of reviewing the campus security and send its recommendations, hasnt met in the last academic year.

Irresponsible student body

Shortly after the 'Spring Fest' issue of Awaaz was out, one very important member of TSG asked me-'the student body here is very weak. Nobody listens to us. Why are you making it weaker?' I just ask all the people with this opinion to count the initiatives they have taken for the student community here. The whole year around they are busy in all kind of games, which they unfortunately call 'politics', and creating bigger 'gods' out of themselves having played the game! I feel sorry when some publication in the campus finds it pleasing to publish the achievements of these office-bearers(sometimes even with their pics!), without even finding out the truth behind the achievements they claim. I dont know why they are provided a full-page of interview space specially when you dont have any space for letting them realize what they have to do in lieu of finding a good job with 'VP/G Sec" written on their CV. My idea is not just about criticising this framework of stupidity, the idea is about creating a pressure on the body which makes them feel that they 're here to serve. The idea is to destroy the myth that its all over once you have won the elections. Having worked for a few problems that people face here and having been around the institute bureaucracy for quite sometime, i found the lack of initiatives on the students' part as the biggest problem. I believe it to be the primary job of the student body.

How can things get better

With the sub-standard restaurants in the campus, and absolutely no other place to hang out, i find the frustness level of the campus considerably high with people finding it pretty exciting to visit a place like '90 degrees'. Few clubs to chill-out during the weekends, few quality restaurants and parks which can serve as hang outs are few things which are despearate calls to counter the dullness that envelops this campus life. I know it might sound funny to you with the kind of administration here, but, take my words, more than the administration the problem is lack of initiatives by students. I just dream of the days when there will be less focus on GCs, so that people find enough time to work on things like this. With a more vibrant campus life, i believe that we can do without one of the GCs or may be smaller no of Inter-hall events. Having noted the general exciting air in the festive month of January for five years, i personally feel that this campus needs more fests, and evenly distributed over the year. Illumination is something which has been a constant controversy all these years. To the supporters of Illumination, i 'd just like to say- its not mandatory to carry on the traditions. India has done miracles in past decades, having shed the mentality. Anyways, we dont have a longer tradition than the nation. Moreover, there are better ways to enhance team spirit. I apologise for the sentiments i 've hurt, but i feel that we can find better alternatives of Illu.

To all those who find kgp campus life absolutely rocking, please take it as a suggestion for a better campus life. I feel this campus to be decent, but has lots to do before it can sustain a real good campus life. Actually, there are many things that were required to be covered, but, i didn't wish to test the reader's patience any further.