WHAT UNIVERSITY TAUGHT

I was not surprised when my friend quit his Rs. 40000-a month job for a job in the state government; the reason being our own experience at Kerala university. Ranish got a job offer from Burgan Oil Company in Kuwait and was very excited about that. He had to produce his degree certificate to get the visa. So, he came all the way to Trivandrum to get the certificate. I was working in Trivandrum at that time and that brought me into the mission automatically. I was comfortable with it as it involved just a day's work. but that was what we, and only we, thought.
Procedure for obtaining degree certificate is very easy(in paper).Any student of the university can apply for it after the successful completion of the course. The certificate will cost Rs 500/- and its receipt, a copy of provisional certificate or final year mark list, and completely filled application form are all you need to complete the application procedure. Once it is submitted, you can take rest at home waiting for your call letters or go for a job(if you happen to have one); the certificate will reach home safely(I received it this way). After the final year results are announced, the council will meet and decide to issue the degree certificate. Once the decision is made, it will take just six months for the certificate to reach you. This is owing to the high number of B.Tech graduates passing out every year. For a moment, you would feel that you could have studied in Tamil Nadu instead. Every college there is a deemed university. They can issue it very fast and without all the scrutiny. Now, if you want the certificate on the very same day of your admission, you can . This is the benefit of studying in a deemed university, and thanks to the long list of Union Ministers from Tamil Nadu, almost all colleges are deemed. But, the poultry farm-turned-universities is not my subject.
Now, Ranish does not have six month's time and wanted to obtain it as soon as possible(that means 1-2 days). So, on a fine Monday morning, we reached the university by 9 a.m. But that was totally unnecessary. University, like students, is late to wake up and that meant we had to wait till the office hours. Our wait went past the official office hours into the unofficial office hours. By 11 am, university was alive and business resumed as usual. We went into the information centre to enquire about what can be done. The angry man send us to the arrogant man and after his fast speech and advices, we were send to the pleasing man for a detailed explanation. But everyone ended up at the same point. It would take 2-3 weeks for "fast issue" but can be brought down to 2 days if we have acquaintance in the university. Now, we didn't have such a person in the university and we couldn't wait for three weeks also. With no other options alive, we decided to make acquaintance there and thus began our search for a suitable person. Our search ended at a tall, dark man. Ranish went to this person with all the papers he got from the company and the consultancy. He was explaining his situation to this man and his body language was that of a flood victim. Their situations also matched. It was a question of survival for both of them. The man was happy to help and he, Dixon sir, was more than happy to help. He opened the doors of the B.Tech dept. for Ranish, which would otherwise remain closed till 3 pm.Ranish searched for the person to whom he had to submit his request but found only an empty chair. Now, it was difficult to say whether the person had gone for tea or to speak in the union meeting and that made him wait. It was tea break because the person came back after half hour. But he was about to leave for the general body meeting and had come in just to collect some papers. He was furious at Ranish for not acting according to his situation but couldn't show that. He collected the papers and asked him to come back at 3 pm. The meeting was soon followed by a grand feast and he returned to his chair by 3.30 pm. He went throught the papers, asked few questions and kept the paper back in the file. He was in a hurry as his tea was getting cold in the cafetaria.
We were standing at the university gates next day, thinking what to do. The file was not moving and had to be pushed hard. Our decision to involve student politicians was soon taken back. Comrades have forgotten the language of requesting and their arrogance makes them command things. This does more harm than good. Dixon sir, who was passing by that way, remembered us and he enquired about the progress. He felt very bad to know how we were treated and apologized(he had done a big help and here, he apologizes for the ill-treatment by his colleagues). He came along with us to the office, took the file past every table it ought to travel and got it ready within the little time they had between teas and the certificate was ready.
But that was just the draft. It has to undergo verification at five different tables before reaching the VC's table. First person was on leave, second on duty, third delivering keynote address at the union meeting. It was hard to get all these people together and on the same day and thus, after four days and many tea sessions, the file reached the Vice Chancellor. It took just five minutes to get signed by the VC. We had high respect and regard for the new VC. His administration and decision- making is praised by many; students and teachers alike and he didn't disappoint. And the certificate is ready.
So you think. But, that's not the case. It needs hallmarking and that took just 4 hours and it is ready to be delivered. But there came another problem. University dispatches degree certificates only by post and not in hand. That would mean another four days in postal delay and time is what he didn't have at that time. A university rule came to our rescue and they said they could give it to the person if someone gives in writing that he/she knows the person for a minimum of five years. Dixon sir came to our rescue again and the certificate was received. Visa followed and Ranish left in two weeks.
In Kuwait, he had to work on a 12-hour shift and twelve hours was twelve hours and on most occasions, felt more. He was not given a moment's break in between and his senior would shower abuses if found resting. An employee was send back home for questioning the authorities. The only occasion they showed mercy on Ranish was when he lost a finger while working in the oil-rig. He was given first aid, taken to a hospital and asked to rest at the base till his next shift. After 70 days, he got a month leave and he decided not to go back. He is appearing for state govt. job tests now. If he gets it, life would be peaceful. He need to reach only by 11, can go for tea at 11.30 till 12.15; lunch from 1-2 which can be extended to 3 even and another tea break from 3.30 to 4.15. If you go back home after the tea, nobody would question and your job is secure as long as you are a member of any of the 1001 unions in the state. They protect you from any rule that threatens your tranquil office life(the state wide protest against punching is a proof in this regard).
My friend, I completely agree with your reasons and support your decision but I have only one thing to remind you. We need more Dixon sirs to help poor Ranishs.