In contemporary era, most of the people (educated/literate/privileged)
in our country are talking about Debate and Discussion in every field. They
wants to debate everything including, politics, media, academia, economy,
judiciary, agriculture, education etc. Debating everything is a positive sign
for the change, debate and discussion must take place in our campuses. In every
university across the country students are debating range of issues as
mentioned above. Vibrant debates are taking place in many campuses. Indeed, the
debate and discussion became the culture of many universities. The university
campuses are place where diverse ideas are respected, where agreement and
disagreements can discussed, where, every idea can flourish. But I have different
opinion about debate and discussion, especially in Academia, in our
Universities, Institutions and Colleges. We are debating everything in our
campuses, and all the debates are being politicized. What I feel is
that, there is a need to differentiate between Academic debate and Political
debate, if we want to make our universities places of higher excellence, if we
want to place our universities in the list of world’s best universities. What
is happening is that in every academic debate, blame game takes place,
prejudice comes in the debate, ideology comes in play…. this way the debates
are being politicized, and ends with no outcome. Both academic as well as
political debates have equal relevance, but it need to be separated. The
academic debates required discussion beyond preconception and ideologies. It
requires unbiased, independent and rational discussion. There is an urgent need
to start a serious, independent, and pure academic debate. At the same time,
the other debates also must take place in our universities.
