Deemed University

“Sir, we hear we are going to become a Deemed University”. My staff members started the topic in a departmental meeting. “I heard the same. It seems the VC asked the chief to make arrangements to make us a deemed university” I said. “So how do we benefit from this” asked one professor. “It means we do everything on our own, without involving the University of Health Sciences”. “So it is more work!” “The chief said we will improve because we can draw our curricula, syllabi, and design our own courses”. “Wow!” said a skeptic. “I heard we will run our own entrance tests and get our own students, without depending on DMER” I said. “So we can get our children in more easily, what?” asked one professor hopefully. “We will set our own questions papers for all exams”. “So our children can pass more easily, what?” said the same professor with a happy grin. “We will conduct our own postgraduate course entrance tests.” “Easy postgraduation for our children” said the professor. “Are you being sarcastic” someone asked her. “Of course I am sarcastic! You think our children will benefit from any of this? The members of the standing and health committees, additional and deputy commissioners, municipal corporators, the MLAs and MPs, and such are the people who matter. Their children will get these benefits, not ours. We have to work to give them these benefits.” I was stunned. I had not expected such insight from her. “Don’t you remember they wanted the university question paper for one such candidate last year?” People nodded. “Don’t you remember we were asked to pass that candidate?” everyone did not nod, only the concerned examiners nodded. Whether they had obliged or not was not known to me, and I did not want to know it too. “Will there be capitation fee?” someone asked. “These things are not expected to happen, because we are expected to behave with knowledge, understanding and integrity when our college becomes a deemed university” I said. They all looked at me with wonder. “Wow!” said the skeptic.