Kolkata :
Ratan Lal Hangloo has shown that things can be done in Bengal. That real change is possible. Kalyani University is undergoing a remarkable transformation under him – a revolution of sorts that can be a role model for not just academic institutions in Bengal but every sector to pull the state out of this morass.
Hangloo, a respected historian with roots in Kashmir, has been at the helm of Kalyani University for just nine months but it has been like a rebirth for the varsity that had sunk into a cesspool of indiscipline, employees’ agitations, corruption, nepotism and neglect. He has survived Bengal’s political minefield so far with a blend of toughness and pragmatism (plus skills with a camera) and shown great skill in handling explosive controversies like the Bhaktabala BEd seat scam.
At first sight, Hangloo hardly comes across as a disciplinarian. With a quick smile and ready wit, he looks every bit the charming professor he is. But beneath the exterior lurks an administrator with a mission.
He recalls that he joined on a Friday (November 8, 2013) and instead of spending a relaxing weekend, he picked up his camera and went scouting, clicking every part of the campus – from laboratories to lavatories and classrooms to hostels. He has all the images stored in his office computer as evidence of what the campus and its buildings looked like nine months ago.
He ordered an immediate clean-up drive, along with a bold bid to “secure the campus”. He first got the breaches in the university’s boundary wall sealed to stop trespassing, which was common. Locals living on the periphery of the 300-acre campus fiercely opposed it but he wouldn’t budge. There is now a sense of order and security on campus, which looks clean and green.
But more important than these cosmetic changes are the systemic transformations he has brought about. He has introduced rules where none existed. When he took over, the university did not have a leave register for employees and faculty and not even something basic as an academic calendar. There were no records of equipment worth crores of rupees. “I got leave registers made, had a teacher audit all equipment. This university has received a lot of funds since its inception in 1960, but most of it was not spent properly. All the construction has been very shoddy and I have asked engineers to carry out structural evaluations and undertake repairs. In six months, the campus will look much different and all buildings will sport a new look,” Hangloo told TOI.
Hangloo has displayed rare courage in taking on troublemakers. For instance, his predecessors used to live in fear of a casual employee, who used to bully and dictate terms to senior officers. “This man was the leader of a politically-backed employees’ union and had even ransacked varsity offices, including the VC’s chamber. A few months ago, I got to know he was inciting security guards. I sacked him summarily,” said Hangloo, who also evicted the unions from their rooms in the administrative building.
He has asked every officer to prepare a ‘PSO (problems, solutions, outcome) Report’ every month and introduced a docketing system to keep track of files. For the first time in its history, KU now has a prospectus and an academic calendar. Regulations governing PhD admissions were framed and a half-yearly newsletter (another first) is being published.
The new VC has constituted 22 committees comprising teachers and non-teaching staff to deal with various activities. There are, for instance, committees on purchases, security, and upkeep of vacant land. This has brought in a lot of transparency and efficiency and no one can now bully officers into doing anything wrong, say officials.
The go-getter sets a personal example through hard work and diligence. He’s at his wood-paneled office at 9am sharp and continues working till 9.30pm. The varsity is on the cusp of other physical changes also: construction of a new administrative building, auditorium, staff and faculty quarters will commence soon. Three new centres for women’s studies, cultural studies and for studies on the Bengali Diaspora have started functioning at KU. Hangloo’s immediate plans include upgrading of courses, two new smart classrooms for every department, upgrading technology in the campus and enabling cutting-edge research in every field.
Hangloo, who relaxes with a burst of badminton and a dose of music (he has Pannalal Bhattacharjee’s ‘Shyamasangeet’ loaded on his phone) every evening, deals with problems and opposition with equanimity. He recalls a quote from Vivekananda: “You’ll be ridiculed, opposed and then accepted at any new place”. Hangloo is keenly aware of the legacy of Kashmiri Pandits’ contribution to Bengal: “Pandit Sambhu Nath Bhatt, JN Sapru and Jolly Mohan Kaul had rich associations with Bengal. I, too, would like to be remembered for doing my bit for the cause of higher education in Bengal”. Going by the work he has done in Kalyani over the last nine months, Hangloo seems all set to live up to that legacy.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Kolkata / TNN / August 07th, 2014