Member of Parliament, Brinda Karat, Visits Jamia

[Following is an official Jamia press release dated Nov. 21, 2013]

Smt. Brinda Karat delivered Valedictory Address to the participants of Orientation Course for College & University faculty organized by the Academic Staff College, Jamia Millia Islamia

Speaking at the valedictory function of the orientation program for collage and university teachers at the UGC – Academic Staff College at Jamia Milia Islamia, Smt. Brinda Karat recalled her school and college life and felt nostalgic about the impressions her teachers left on her mind.

Focusing on the deplorable conditions in the Indian universities specially the policy of government to promote contract teachers she lamented that this will not only undermine the quality of education but also the dignity of the teaching community. She brought home the fact that one should not forget the profit motive of the WTO framework be it in business or in education. Privatizing education will only lead to commercialization and denial of opportunities to the marginalized and deprived sections of society. Referring to the government’s move to invite foreign and private universities she argued that this will not only commercialize education but also deny higher education opportunities to the marginalized segments.

She emphasized the need for women to come forward in higher education and felt that the vibrant future of academics lay with the larger participation of women folk. She reminded that it is sacred duty of the teachers to adhere and promote the secular and democratic fabric of India.

Immediately after the valedictory lecture Smt Karat released a book “Pervasive Exclusion and Challenges of Inclusion: Gender Patterns in South and Central Asia” edited by Dr. Sabiha Hussain of Dr. K R Narayanan Center for Dalit and Minorities Studies.

In his introductory remarks, Prof. Mujtaba Khan, Director of the Academic Staff Collage, Jamia Millia Islamia focused on the need for the teaching community to be abreast with the brute realities of politics as only such sensitivity would prompt action and action in turn would lead to reforms.