Bajali College, Pathsala established in 1955, August 16 has been upgraded into a State University named Bhattadev University after the doyen of an illustrious son of Assamese prose literature Baikunthanath Bhagawat Bhattacharyya, popularly known as Bhattadev which received the assent of His Excellency Governor of Assam on October 16, 2017. However, the university formally came into being with the joining of Professor B. K. Das, a former Head of Chemistry Department, Gauhati University, a scientist with impeccable integrity on June 24, 2019 as its first Vice-Chancellor. Accordingly, the University Day was celebrated on June 24th last in the university premises by unfurling the flag and by maintaining all COVID-19 protocols. The Bhattadev University Mirror was also unveiled on the occasion by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor B.K. Das. The erstwhile Bajali College, incidentally the first rural science college in our state has already traversed more than six decades of its glorious existence and this institution occupied a unique pride of place in the annals of higher education among the contemporaneous institutions of its kind in our state. The establishment of the college in the fifties of the last century as a co-educational institution was the culmination of a protracted movement by the unstinted support of the agrarian community of the entire Bajali area under the dynamic leadership of rare visionary Kameswar Das, the first Assamese Chairman of Assam Public Service Commission and a gold medalist in Mathematics in those days. Incidentally, Das became the founder principal of the college (1955-1961). The upgradation of this college into a university is in fact, the culmination of the prophetic vision of the founding father of the college of its gradual transition into a rural university. The opening of postgraduation in two major subjects such as Zoology and Geography started in the eighties of the last century during the tenure of the second principal Rajendra Nath Sarma. Postgraduate programme in Assamese was started during the tenure of the principal Dr. D. N. Sarma in the year 2007 and postgraduation in Mathematics was started in 2017 during the tenure of the principal Dr. M. K. Mahanta. The primary mission of upgrading all departments to postgraduate programme has been initiated with the introduction of postgraduation in Physics in 2019 during the tenure of the present Vice-Chancellor Prof. B. K. Das.
In a truncated state like Assam many universities have come up. The university is still in its nascent stage. Now, a question arises -- what does a university stand for? Long time back, delivering the convocation address at Allahabad University, Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru remarked, 'A university stands for humanism, for tolerance, for progress, for adventure, for ideas and the search for truth. It stands for the onward march of human race towards ever higher objectives. If the universities discharge their duties adequately, then it is well with the nation and the people'. Another great thinker of English literature Cardinal Newman in his epoch making book 'Idea of a university' remarked, 'A university by its very name professes to teach universal knowledge'. In a university a student is to break a transparent atmosphere of thought though he specializes in a few subjects out of the many. It is for this reason that his education is called liberal. Already accredited with 'B++' in its first cycle in 2004 during the tenure of the principal Dr. K. K. Patgiri and 'A' in its second cycle in 2016 by NAAC during Dr. M. K. Mahanta's tenure, this institution was one of the best institutions in the state with an avowed thrust in science and women education. The emblem of the new university has been designed by slightly modifying the emblem of Bajali College following addition of a sloka from Bishnu Purana's vidy y vimuktaye' with the meaning 'knowledge is that which liberates'. The ear of paddy corn originally inscribed in the college emblem implies rural prosperity and growth. It is worthwhile to quote Edward Shils from epoch-making book 'The Calling of Education', 'knowledge languishes and fades if it is not cultivated by research. Teaching too languishes if it is not sustained by research.' Teachers in the universities are members of a large intellectual fraternity. In our new university, we are passing through a great transition. We have greater responsibilities not only towards one another within the university, but also the world outside. The 12th Five Year Plan has summed up the strategy for future development of higher education in four 'Es' - Expansion, Equity, Excellence and Employability. Our expectation is very high. We are to maintain the academic standard of the new university by retaining the glory of erstwhile Bajali College in the annals of higher education in Assam. In a knowledge driven area and an increasingly global environment, we need to pursue the goal of quality and excellence with a missionary zeal. It is our firm expectation that the new university will pioneer schemes such as research sharing and collaborative teaching and research programmes in the days to come. The new university must not merely be transmitter of knowledge, but should also be the active centre of creation of knowledge in this knowledge based society. As higher education is the catalytic tool that can mould our society and the nation, so our university which is the realization of a dream will definitely meet the changing dynamics of the requirement of society with regard to quality education, innovation and research. The new university will make our society the knowledge superpower by equipping with necessary skills such as life-skills and knowledge under the leadership of the Vice-Chancellor who is at the pinnacle of academic and administrative establishment. Let us hope that the new university will muster adequate confidence by yielding prospects to cope with the changing times as we are in the midst of a changing mindset and it will retain its halcyon days of undergraduate education and then only Bhattadev University can gallop ahead with its uncompromising futuristic vision with the new millennium as a centre of excellence not only in the state, but also on the national level. The university has just started its journey. It is to be borne in mind that nothing can be achieved unless we are prepared to take risk. So the active cooperation from all concerned is of vital importance. In fine, we would like to quote Robert Frost,
"The woods are lovely, dark and deep
But I have promises to keep
And miles to go before I sleep
And miles to go before I sleep."
Mr. Deba Prasad Misra
Dr. Jyotishmoy Bora
Dr. Akshay Kr. Haloi
Assam has become a hotbed of high political drama for last few months. Many parties are taking birth to serve us. But the question remains for common people like me is "Who will serve our interests or the State's interests?"
Assam, as it seems, is a State of divide and rule policy which got engrained in our bloods since British rule. We hesitate to be identified as an Assamese lest our ambitions get crushed. We prefer rather to be known as a Brahmin, Kalita, Boro, Kachari and so on. We do not feel comfortable to stand inside one umbrella. That is our sorry State.
Other people following different mother tongues do not seem to suffer from this dilemma. They are quite comfortable in their own skin. A Bengali is a Bengali whether from Silchar or West Bengal. Likewise, a Marwari is a Marwari whether from Rajasthan or other place. Though they might again have some sub categories, they are quite comfortable with it. That's why they can remain united even amidst severe crisis. Helping hands abound in plenty for them. The sense of belongingness is there.
But, for us, the rulers and the ruled always are made to suffer from much insecurity that has resulted in mistrust amongst our greater Assamese society i.e. 'Borakhom'.
We need leaders who eat, drink and sleep politics everyday with a burning zeal to serve the State. The concept of politics should be to lead from the front taking all branches and sub branches together, binding them just like beads of a necklace and making a garland where everyone feels secure. This will serve as an example for all of us to see.
We, the North Easterners are already way ahead as a society since caste, creed etc are not dominant factors in our region. Here, women are also a respected lot.
But the time is ripe now to see firebrand leaders who can deliver. Identifying them and giving them their due is a must.
A common citizen,
Guwahati.
The Union Government has relaxed the rules for divorced daughters to receive family pension and now a daughter will be permitted to obtain the family pension even if the divorce does not finally take place. But the divorce petition had been lodged by her during the lifetime of her deceased parent employee/pensioner. Likewise, the orders have also been released for grant of family pension to a Divyang child or sibling, even if the disability certificate is produced after the death of the pensioner parent but the disability had occurred before the demise of the parents. This is a praiseworthy move that ensures the pension for dependants and will empower the divorced women and Divyangjan.
Amit Singh Kushwaha,
Satna (M.P.)
The BJP Government which took several steps to root out corruption in the State administration failed miserably to notice the weeds of corruption fast growing under its feet. The question paper of the written examination for 597 posts of sub inspector of the Assam Police was leaked.
A high retired official, Pradip Dutta as well as a BJP member Jiban Deka are allegedly connected to the scam.
It is highly condemned. Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has directed the police administration to detect the culprits. Early action is solicited.
Putul Sarma,
Biswanath Chariali.