Technology Student Gymkhana: The reality

Hey Folks, This post relates to my experience with the administration of Technology Students Gymkhana.

I can bet on anything that majority of students of IIT Kgp do not know what exactly happens inside gymkhana, as in how the administration works. The main reason being we never ask questions. Questions we ought to have asked and the questions we should ask. We have simply taken the administration for granted. There might be a section of students who think why should I even care. My only advice for them is that, every year you contribute a sum of Rs. 200/- to Gymkhana. You may not care about community interest, but how can you ever be disinterested about your own hard earned money?

Being a student of IIT Kharagpur and hence a member of Gymkhana, one particular day I visited gymkhana with some general queries and suggestions. The first thing I noticed was that there is no forum whatsoever and no proper channel to entertain student queries and to address student suggestions and grievances. Maybe the answer lies in the fact that we have always had a laid back attitude and we never demanded for a proper information dissemination forum in Gymkhana. We have always remained contended with a vague oral answer from the administrators and we never bothered to put anything on paper. Anyways I managed to find some officials and put some questions to them. All I wanted was some information and this is the reply I got:-

Mr. S….. , Officer in charge: What do you know about gymkhana..? Do you even know how much work we do day in day out?
Me: What gymkhana is doing to motivate players to perform better in Inter IIT?
Mr. S…..: What we can do? It is up to them, they should come and play. We cannot do anything.
Me: What gymkhana is doing in order to provide incentive to players who won medals for Kgp..? Till now they have not been felicitated…?
Mr.S….: You do not know anything related to gymkhana activities. We have so many important works.
Me: Sir, if you could please inform me about those ‘works’ which is more important than motivating players and providing them recognition and incentives?
Mr S….: Errrrrrrrr…Mmmmmm.
Me: What are your plans to conduct Inter IIT sports meet this year..?
Mr S….: We are very experienced. We will conduct it properly.

Now if this is not disheartening, then what is? Ultimately I managed to get something out of the conversation but was after much persuasion but it was one of the most disgusting experiences I have ever had.

Even the office bearers (Student representatives) have their hands tied as they have become victims of the rotten administration in Gymkhana (More on this in the next edition).

Before I sign out, all I would say is NEVER accept administration as it is. Ask questions and demand answers. If they do not respond pester them until they give a satisfying answer. Whether they are elected or nominated, they are bound to answer simply because of the reason that there sole responsibility is to serve the entire student community of IIT Kgp and they are answerable to each and every concern of yours.

Wished to be a Candidate-TSG 2011

As I am getting a lot of queries regarding me not being a candidate for the current Technology Students Gymkhana – 2011 elections for the position of General Secretary Sports and Games, I wish to state the entire sequence of events to clarify on the speculations and to avoid assumptions by anybody who is interested in knowing about my candidature.

I wished to be a candidate for the Technology Students Elections - 2011 contesting for the post of General Secretary Sports and Games. Pursuant to the I got the nomination form and was diligent enough to fill it but I did not fill in the row number 5 stating - “Have you been ever been punished by the institute? If yes, provide details.” and row number 6 of the nomination form relating to seeking information stating “Have you repeated any academic year” as I was not subject to any punishment by the institute and also have not repeated any academic semester I did not fill in the details.

After that I came to know that my nomination form has got rejected because of the above reason stating my nomination form was incomplete. Considering the kind of hard work and the continuous effort I have put in for contesting for this position I gave an application to the appropriate authority requesting to reinstate my candidature and also seeking apology for the mistake I have committed. Pursuant to that the appropriate authority was very kind enough to admit my application subject to the condition that all the Halls and the candidates should agree by signing a ‘No Objection’. The other candidates Abhishek Negi from R.P hall, Pratyush Phatak from M.S. hall contesting for the same position objected for signing the No Objection failing to have a minimal courtesy of sportsmanship, but Nitesh Balal from Nehru Hall was very kind enough to sign the No Objection.

Adding to that except for R.P., R.K., M.S., Azad and S.N. halls and one more hall all the other halls signed the No-Objection.

Pursuant to that because of the objection raised by the above mentioned halls and the candidates my nomination form was rejected finally and I lost a chance of having a fair contesting opportunity. I wished that the persons who have objected for my contesting would have at least considered the true spirit of ‘Sports Man Ship’. But I promise that I shall strive to work hard for the cause of sports and games in the institute.