Life at Madras University

Our university campus is a splendor when watched from the marina road side. Its ancient architecture which stands majestically even after so many years is a treat to watch. The main conference hall which stands right at the entrance catches my attention daily as I pass by it. The huge pillars are so adorable that I wonder daily as to how they would have built it.

But as I walk down from the main gate to my department (which is at the end) I find a clear cut difference between the buildings which were built by the British and us. Those built by the British have a manly look on them whereas ours lack those adorable looks. I find that trees in and around the campus is not sufficient. I find the campus so small that its borders can be covered by a mere 20 minute walk around it.

As usual and not to my surprise as all the other government offices are, this campus is so very dirty and the restrooms stinks as I have to walk pass two bathrooms every day to reach the department. After passing through all these things, I find it so difficult to even enter my class room as it in the size of my bedroom in which we have a music system, a computer, tables and chairs which are used by the thesis books submitted by former students, and the rest of my classmates standing like guards for those lifeless things.

The instruction for us on day 1 was:

1. You have to be present in class exactly at 10

2. Classes will be conducted daily between 10 and 5 O' clock

3. If u come even a minute late, attendance will not be given

4. One of our professors says: even if we ask you to die, you should say ok and go. Then u can come later on and ask WHY? (It means we should be so obedient and willing to do anything they say) (Government illa…. Adha than….)

5. Every week you should do a presentation on some book. Everybody should take a book from the library and read ..... and so on......

So I thought to myself that these people will do accordingly and I started coming to classes regularly at 10 sharp everyday. But there were no signs of anybody taking any class for a few days. Suddenly a professor comes to our class one day in the afternoon and asks us to arrange the thesis done by the previous year students and jolt it down category wise. He wanted us to write a summary for each book and make a data base on the system. He said that it was our assignment. Suddenly as we were doing that work, another professor comes in after a few days and tells: Why do you have to do these things? It’s not necessary and most of these thesis don’t carry any good. So confused again, we stopped doing anything.

The one who gave us this assignment came to our class only twice n spoke nothing but only about assignments. The other class is (I think film studies) its not in our syllabus and we are forced to watch movies which I have watched it over and over again both in my UG days as well as in my PG days which was then a part of my curriculum.

I miss heaven, my MCC days. Never will those golden days come back in my life.

Now after all these things we squeeze back into our tinny little room (our class room) and breathe some fresh air, a student or some Professor comes in and tell us: why are you all making so much noise? Can’t you keep quite? (“finger on your lips” treatment would be better).

But still life goes on and should go on for a year more.

East of West “MCC” is the best always…..