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.