Together they knelt down to pray and later exchanged bouquets, embraced and stuffed sweets into one another's mouths in a touching display of Christian charity and forgiveness. |
Bowing to academic and popular pressure, Bishop Karam Masih, chairman of the Supreme Council of St Stephen's College, persuaded the college principal Anil Wilson to withdraw his resignation and apologised for interfering with admissions. |
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What appeared to be developing into a full-fledged confrontation between Church and College was stemmed in time. Even if interpreted as turf war, Wilson's triumph was absolute. He played his hand carefully and shrewdly; in any case his position was morally unassailable. The bishop's candidate, the daughter of a Chandni Chowk jeweller, whose case he was pushing long after admissions were over, will have to seek higher learning elsewhere. |
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But the controversy has further tarnished the image of a famous institution in the year of its 125th anniversary. Already St Stephen's reputation for academic excellence has slipped. In a recent national survey of the best colleges in the country, it had slid to the sixth position. Allegations of arbitrary decision-making, high-handedness and even financial irregularity have lately been flung at Wilson by members of the college faculty. Wilson cannot be blamed for wearing a hunted look. |
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And, indeed, it is true that for a few difficult weeks in June and July each year he is among the most wanted men in India. The pressures brought on him by the political, bureaucratic, business and "minority" establishment, not to speak of powerfully placed ex-Stephanians, is enormous. He has some room for manoeuvre (15 per cent above the cut-off marks for admission are reserved for how candidates perform at the interview) but not all that much. |
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Although St Stephen's is a constituent college of Delhi University, as a Christian establishment there is a reservation of a minimum of 20 per cent for Christians (the admission prospectus clearly states that they must produce their baptism certificate "" born-again Christians don't count). In addition there is the mandatory 22 per cent SC/ST quota and another 5 to 10 per cent sports quota. |
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It is not clear how strictly these quotas are adhered to but out of a 1,200-strong student body, a fair number are admitted under these categories. And not just the student body. Not long ago the Minorities Commission shot off a letter to St Stephen's complaining that Christians were under-represented in the faculty. Six Christian teachers have recently been appointed on an ad hoc basis. |
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In his 14 years as principal, Wilson has acquired specialist skills in juggling many balls in the air and his control over the game has grown. There is a chorus of demands for reform. Teachers complain that meetings of heads of department to thrash out issues take place rarely or not at all. Exchange programmes with American universities are dealt with imperfectly. Some teachers have gone to court over the college's inability to constitute committees to look into cases of sexual harassment in accordance with university norms. |
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Students' grievances centre on changing social mores in a co-educational establishment. St Stephen's presents the image of a tightly corseted public school rather than the liberal, gender-equitable atmosphere of the early 21st century. Women students are allowed no visitors in their hostels "" in fact, they are locked up at 10 pm "" whereas men can receive male visitors. Male tutors residing in hostels cannot receive women visitors "" this was certainly not the case in the 1970s when I was a student there. |
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It is no wonder that a radical woman student, Maya John, was elected president of the student's union some weeks ago. She is organised, outspoken and has shown her mettle by fighting for the rights of construction labour at Delhi University building sites. This in itself is a break from the past, when St Stephen's presidents were often smooth-talking charmers. |
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The college establishment should take its cue. Change is essential, even at the age of 125. |
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