If someone asks ‘what is hypocrisy?’ the perfect example would be VIT. The university’s web portals state that VIT is a ‘progressive’ educational institute dedicated to the pursuit of excellence and providing world class education. This seems impressive, however when one steps foot into the campuses, it becomes evident how modern India functions with ample amount of fraud, sexism, regressive thought and corruption.
A few months ago, a note was published which spoke about how bad the situation is, considering even student suicides, outright sexism and taking law into one’s own hand are covered up by political clout in the top echelons.
This post however, deals mostly with the issues of attitude and in particular the problems faced by female students. True, male students too deal with the regression; however, in comparison, what the women students go through is a case for unparalleled outrage. So, whenever I say students or we hereafter it implies women students, unless stated otherwise.
The Game Of Sylbo
Even though VIT claims it’s a ‘progressive’ institute, truth is that for all reasons, it’s stuck in the past. Over the years, campuses across India have become more liberal and open, in fact acting as a catalyst for change in society. VIT, though, takes pride in going in the opposite direction altogether.
For example, over the years, most campuses in India have done away with the idea of ‘in-times’ at hostels. Many insist that students remain inside the hostel once classes are over, however, VIT has switched into reverse. Instead of keeping up with the times, the institute enforces stricter campus rules and hostel in-times.
While most campuses in India have done away with gender segregation that belongs in the 8th century, at VIT it is unimaginable. Women are not allowed in an area that is almost half the campus – the men’s hostel. Before you judge anyone for wanting to enter the men’s hostel, note that this restriction cuts off access to the outdoor stadium, the parks and lawns as well as multiple food outlets on the other side, etc.
No one has even asked for access inside the hostel blocks. Campus events and concerts have strict barricading with the Sylbos on both sides. This extends to a ridiculous level even in auditoriums where for comedy shows there is a segregation and Sylbos on both sides.
The university instead of focusing on ‘world class education’ and ‘welfare of students’ in general, spends heavily on maintaining age-old regressive attitudes. At precisely 6 p.m., the university begins to play a game of Sylbo.
Sylbo is a whistle language spoken in the Canary Islands. In VIT, dot at 6 pm, the university’s creepy and sickening guards who’re ordered to uphold and be the foot soldiers of the regressive attitudes of the top brass start whistling at pretty much any girl who is not engaged in behaviour that is ‘appropriate’ by their standards.
If you sit at the various food outlets for a while and god forbid with a male friend, get ready to be whistled at, be stared at and have your character questioned.
Got out of class at 7 pm and wish to catch a meal at Dominos? Get ready to be whistled at and forced to stand separate from your friends and even go back, never mind that it’s more than an hour and a half away from your in-time.
Any place where people may sit, be it badminton courts or pathways, are barbed and fenced. To give you some context, for almost 8-9 out of 12 months in a year, it’s not even dark at 6 pm! Students are treated worse than cattle.
Anything deemed inappropriate including holding hands, an elbow (let alone arm) over the shoulders, is enough reason for slut shaming and humiliation.
Attitudes Towards Student Concerns And Slut Shaming
A few years ago, two female students created a survey, supported by an American visiting professor. They simply asked for in-times to be the same, lock downs to be stopped, and the curb on weekend outings for women students to be lifted.
Their argument was simple. As part of an NGO, they used to spend one day of a two day weekend teaching kids at a nearby school. Their 6 hour deadline meant their male counterparts got credit of most of the work done and it left the women students with no time to catch up with work or enjoy for the rest of the weekend.
Guess what the response of the institute was? “Go to IIT Bombay, there girls are allowed into boy’s hostels as well.”
This is outright slut shaming which in any modern and ‘progressive educational institute’ would’ve been a case for dismissal. Instead, the two girls were suspended for a short while and the professor’s contract was terminated abruptly. The police and bureaucracy of Vellore was used by the politician turned chancellor, his sons and yes-men to raid the homes of associates without any reason.
The professor alleged that university officials tried to stop him near the airport to purposefully make him overstay his visa. An alumni who supported the two girls publicly later alleged that his employer was pressurized to sack him.
Another American visiting professor explained how such legitimate concerns were laughed at and dismissed by the management. Till date, the VIT management reserves the right to arbitrarily suspend or terminate students/contracts at the wishes of the top tier which incidentally is all-male and dominated by one family.
The culture of loyalty to the family mimics the ways various political parties in India function and therefore even the academics turned Pro-VCs, VCs, do not wish to replicate the liberal atmosphere of their alma mater of India and abroad. Any concern/protest/disapproval publicly, online or offline of the university rules or the system in place and students are made to choose between their degree or the voicing of their concerns.
Culture Of Objectification
Such a culture of disempowerment leads to everything that modern day women are fighting against or have fought against the past century. The atmosphere on campus is reflective of an inevitable sense of superiority of the male sex, and lack of confidence in the women students.
For example, while most male students are allowed to eat at various food outlets that pop up during fests, women on campus are herded off to their hostels in a flock. Instead of focusing on making the campus safer, and providing girls the confidence to speak out and fight for themselves, the idea is to shut them down in their hostels.
The walk from the library to the women’s hostel is barely a few hundred meters, yet they must wait for buses to ply every few half an hour to drop them off. During various concerts, girls are made to stand in queues for hours to be herded into buses and brought to the outdoor stadium (in the men’s hostel) and taken back a few hours later in a similar fashion. God forbid, you fall sick or want to attend only the latter part of the show/go back early. There is no system in place for you.
The university and its top management considers, even in this day and age, that women are the weaker and fairer sex and proceeds to objectify them to all extents.
It was ironic when, irrespective of the conditions on campus, last year The Print conducted their ‘Free Campus’ initiative here and spoke on issues like #MeToo. Around the same time Hon’ble Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman visited the campus for convocations. Both events were nothing but exercises in PR.
While male students are allowed to roam about in the campus in their shorts, the rules for girls are outright sexist. A cold shoulder dress, or visibility of the last quarter of the leg, leads to being reprimanded by a supervisor on duty at the hostel gates. Here, judgments on character based on clothing comes quick, reinforcing every prejudice that should be forgotten in modern day society. Never mind if people are supposed to be dressed in western formals at MUNs, one has to confirm to the age old stereotypes.
Why Women Are Underrepresented In Success Stories
The idea of soft skills being part of education and therefore impacting careers is something which the regressive minds running the institute cannot process. One may then, consider the direct impact it has on careers.
That international debate championship that you wished to participate in? Never mind, you may not be allowed to attend that if your parents don’t come to escort you there, while your male friends may go. The only option left is to lie, and watch with embarrassment the amount of drama unfold over a simple career choice.
Wish to write exams? Instead of focusing on preparation and calming your nerves, get ready to be shouted at, questioned and pass various hassles to write those. Wish to attend some conference? The same will repeat.
While the university claims that it does all this to ensure safety in absence of parents, the idea is ridiculous when even parents who’ve granted approval are sometimes called and asked ‘not to be so liberal.’ In fact, the regressive mindset of the university was on display few years back when instead of hosting an event like a panel discussion, the university decided to host a cooking fest to commemorate Women’s Day.
Should you wish to build a resume by working for an NGO, or anything else, you should forget that as well.
So, every time someone asks why women who are half the population of the country are so underrepresented amongst famous alumni boards, exam toppers, etc. it’s because such regressive minds running modern day institutions consider it their responsibility to make women ideal homemakers rather than bold voices. An alumni notes how if instead of diktats every now and then on how to dress and moral policing, had the university focused more on career development, it would’ve been better.
Attitudes To Dissent
Why hasn’t there been any protest? The reason being every time there has been a hint of dissent, all muscle power available has been used to harass commoners. Here, the town is ruled by the university, even the police are powerless.
Being mostly from the middle class (considering VIT offers it’s degrees at almost the same rate as government run engineering colleges), students and alumni are bound to choose bread over human rights. It is important to note that grievances include legitimate issues such as students who haven’t consumed alcohol being suspended for drinking (and surprisingly found drunk by internal medical tests. VIT has a complete ‘torture and quarantine room’).
The superficial image of a happy campus, a research oriented place with student welfare and counselors to take care of the rest falls apart within a few days of entering the place.
A few years ago, Papa CJ, a stand up comedian was invited for a fest. He used humour to highlight genuine concerns about the university and was instantly banned by the campus after his performance.
The Government’s Role
While most private universities and colleges aspire for government funding for projects and infrastructure and do receive it, it’s surprising how regressive they can be as institutions. Given the status of VIT at this point, it can be said that the government at both the state and center either do not conduct an efficient background check on how universities awarded ‘autonomy’ or ’eminence status’ are functioning, or decide to support the regressive ideals.
The irony was deep-seated when Nirmala Sitharaman addressed the gathering in a place where even she would be ‘shown her place’ and forced to bow to patriarchy.
Note: We contacted VIT Vellore for a comment on the above realities and have received no response. This post will be updated once we receive a response.