Professors at JIPMER need to change

As in every other college in the world sometimes at JIPMER too some students get into trouble. They might have varying reasons ranging from acceptable to outrageous. But once they do and they want to get back to their studies, it would be good to have some support from the teachers and help to get back on track.

The aspect of studies given the most importance in JIPMER is the attendance. Of course attendance is important in a medical college. But let's face it, everyone cuts classes sometimes. But then we invariably get back to their classes. It's not like we abscond the whole year.

I don't know about other colleges but this getting back to the routine has it's own obstacles at JIPMER. For instance if one student cuts a few classes and then shows up one day. Instead of encouraging his return he is met with jokes and ridicule by the professors. So, many a time, the student feels apprehensive about facing the profs. So he/she ends up cutting even more classes.

And these jokes are of the worst kind usually involving ethnicity, state of origin (Bihar being a favourite for jokes and Bihar students among the most ridiculed) or religion. If it is a Christian student it's a joke about the church or Jesus and if it's a Muslim student it's a joke about the Taliban or Al-gaeda.

If this had been a more civilised and developed nation in the west, these kinds of attacks would have lead to lawsuits.

It's time you old-timers learned something about students and started encouraging them. It's time you started helping these students who are lagging behind for reasons of their own. Unlike western colleges, Indian colleges do not have chancellors and as you can see, the professors are not the kind who give a shit.

A change would be nice to see.