When tradition ends at 256 kbps

MUMBAI: In the years gone by, if you were pained or hurt by the teacher’s reprimand, you had only a few options available; prattle to a few select friends, swallow the insult, be glum and imagine the revenge when you grow up, or ask for celestial intervention to judge in an unbiased and benign manner.

Apart from this, there was hardly anything else one could do, as they were homework to contend with, there were exams, Bahadur and Phantom comics and off-course the ‘dabba ice-spice’ or good ol’ hide-n-seek games. And torrent of life ebbed on, rather merrily and at times not so merrily.

For then, Guru, the teacher was God. Generations of Indians have learnt and chanted the shloka:

Guru Brahmaa, Guru Vishnu,

Guru Devo Maheshwara;

Guru Saaksaat Parabrahma,

Tasmai Shri Guruve Namaha.

Things have much changed in the 256 kbps world that we exist now. These days, if a student is miffed by the educator, all he or she does is to log on to one of the numerous websites, like Orkut or MySpace and start a forum.

This is precisely what a few students from Bombay Scottish School in Mumbai did a few moons back. Angered over a few things, one of the student, started a discussion, “All those who hate DPN” (DPN here are the initials of the principal DPN Prasad). Many students seem to have a grouse against the authorities and the post flourished with quite uncharitable comments. The school authorities notice and the students were made to apologize and delete their offensive posts.

Quite on the heels of this incident, another similarly unpleasant incident was reported in the papers in Mumbai. A few Students of MMK college in Mumbai started a forum, ‘Give your opinion about the principal’ on Orkut.

In the forum, reportedly, five students posted comments that were not only uncharitable but also derogatory and slanderous in nature. This time as well, the college authorities made the students apologize and edit their posts. But that was not the end story. The incident was printed in the paper under the heading, “Students debarred for criticizing college on net”.

Noted Cyber law expert Pavan Duggal believes that the students got off quite lightly and gives kudos to the college authorities. “They could have faced criminal action under Section 79 of the IT ACT. I am very happy in the manner the college authorities dealt with this case in particular. It was very mature recourse.”

Ironically, the case is close to two years old and the principal against whom the posts were published has recently retired. The new principal, Ashok Vanjani, is saddened by the way the media has portrayed the case. “I was saddened by the way the case was presented. The posts were quite vulgar, and all we did was to discipline the students. We took care that their careers or their future was not spoilt by this incident. The report in the newspaper cast aspersions on the management, whereas we have dealt with this issue with kids glove, after all these are our children.”

“In this day and age, children go on to the Internet and write anything. They need to be aware of the consequences, it could harm their future,” says Vanjani.

Meanwhile, Duggal also feels that educational institutions need to increase the awareness on such issues. “The youngsters need to be made aware of the consequences. They need to be told that they are liable for the all the comments or blogs that they published and can be taken to courts for the same. The onus lies on the school authorities at large to do this. They need to have special programs that make their students aware.”

The advice seems to be working, as the Bombay Scottish Schoolrecently had a special presentation for the students done by the Mumbai Cyber Cell, to make them aware of their rights and liabilities. Even MMK principal seemed to be exploring the idea. But he is heartened by one thing, the attitude of the parents. “Through the whole incident, the parents of four students understood and empathized with us, and that was very heartening. After all in Indian culture we venerate our teachers, how can say such things against them,” he wonders.

Cultures or traditions are often brushed away in the frenzy of technology. Is this the beginning of the end of the Indian tradition of holding guru equal to the Supreme Being?

© CyberMedia News