A University

A university is a community of scholars working with the universe of knowledge, i.e. discovering, refining, preserving, and disseminating the knowledge. At a university, scholars are divided by their specialisations but united by the purpose of integrating and advancing knowledge at any level of human existence. Each specialisation contributes to the knowledge, its methods and purposes. And, being a community, the members of the university learn from each other even by their most casual interactions. Thus, the knowledge advances more in an informal manner in a university. A university is above all an association for the mission: the collective good.

A nation's state and the people's life depend on the quality of universities. Greater goodness has no other means to itself. It must not be missed that university at its core is not an administrative unit or a specialised institution of learning. And, great universities grow supported by nourishing soil. The issue is to allow universities to take their own shape organically. They must be fully autonomous and largely self-sustaining and guarded against any influence which inhibits the faculty of any member in a negative way.

The functional universities where knowledge is alive and speaking sustain societies in their goodness. It's not the other way round.

Niraj Kumar Jha

Celebratism

Social media activities betray a grave social evil: celebratism. The obsessive desire of being feted, though it remains elusive for the most, is turning out to be pathetic. Part of this malady is that if people have nothing to represent or express, they post content about 'celebrities' and wish to be seen in the reflected light. Fine, but it's not exactly fine. One neglects the issues and persons really affecting his or her life, and does harm to self and society. And very tragically compromises one's dignity without realising this. One must represent purpose and relevance, and speak of his or her existential space on the main.

Niraj Kumar Jha

Education Online

Education is now heavily online. It creates great opportunities as well as poses grave threats to the education sector. Education is now truly international as students seek multiple skills and certifications. Institutions and organisations would compete for students globally. The prospective learners would also scout for the most suitable courses/additional courses internationally. And the great race would have its winners and losers in which the size, reputation, and efficiency of an entity would be the determining factors. The process would have a homogenising tilt too. We also must get ready to make the best of the opportunities and ward off the threats.

 

Niraj Kumar Jha