Once an institution known for prolific discourse, intellectually developing excellence, and an exclusive institution of Delhi University, is facing turmoil, the issue is non-compliance with filling out a feedback form.
St. Stephen’s is facing fresh allegations of ‘forms or freedom’ by a bunch of Stephanites. It comes in the face of challenges faced by students from the administration, by withholding their documents and processing any certification, if they do not fill out an IQAC form. The IQAC student survey form is a part of a routine survey from the Internal Quality Assurance Cell, which is chaired by Professor John Varghese. When asked about the motive behind this survey, a student tells-
This is the student satisfaction survey that every student is required to fill out. While there is no pressure to fill in good data, the pressure is to fill in the form. Last year as well, students were hounded several times with a reminder to fill in the data. This is because they want to assess each student’s perception of college, and data is the key to control.”
The cell works out in a structured way, as every society consists of these DCS(Data Collection Specialists) who later assess and report the quality of the operations of society and faculty in general, though the data regarding society activities is very minutely accumulated and is followed up by a very anonymous procedure. In terms of faculty, students are asked whether the course is completed timely or not, and how many classes were held for each paper. According to a few students, it is claimed by the authorities that the data helps to augment the academic quality. The movement hence walks a tightrope that if this survey is going at a cost of depriving students of their official documents, then there is some course correction that needs to be followed.
However, it is said that the same tactic was followed in earlier academic sessions too, to fill the feedback form, students never really came through it. But a persistent insistence on filling the feedback form, which should be a voluntary-based approach, is now being used to threaten the students to do the same for processing any academic-related requests. Though students assure that the academic quality is not compromised, the college remains a safe space for them. This matter holds a vital issue to assess the current situation, especially at an institution that is known to dissent and provide a healthy space for discussion. This is still a developing story.
Image Credits: St. Stephen’s Instagram page.
Kinjal Sharma
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