ABOUT US:
Asthra was inspired by the efforts of students and alumni of NIT Warangal who strived to make NIT Warangal a transparent and accountable system. The trials and tribulations they encountered led them to believe that consistent efforts are needed to change the system. Out of this desire for truth, Asthra was born.
Mission:
- To make use of Right to Information (RTI) extensively to make all Institutes of National Importance (INI) transparent and accountable. To expand the same model to all educational institutes.
Vision:
- To make the present Indian education system free of corruption through Citizen Action and a role model for transparency and accountability.
TEAM:
Rakesh Dubbudu rakeshdubbudu@gmail.com 9885419012
Rajendra Lingam orca.nitw@gmail.com 9885789908
How Asthra works:
Step 1 : Educate the students and interested alumni about RTI
Step 2 : Explore various issues in the college
Step 3 : Students and alumni file RTIs for each of the issues identified, properly prioritized by Team Astra
Step 4 : Publicize the findings (answers to the RTIs filed)
– Asthra team
This page has the following sub pages.
good initiative guys.. I ll be with U, all the way towards corruption free NITW.
@ mahesh
Thank you very much.We do need all of your support in this regard.
cheers.
ASTHRA, NITW
g8 job done…everyone NITWian should be informed about this platform as it can make our insti to be at its best..Congrats asrtha team.
Thank you Harsh.active participation from all the students will definitely make this attempt fruitful.
I am so happy to see that there still are in the world of NITs students who dare to fight corruption. I wish other NITs take a little cue from your efforts!
Good to see such initiative by student body. I am alumni of NIT Durgapur and with you guys,
Asthra is no more initiative open only to or by student body.Its open to everyone to join for the cause and bring transparency and accountability in educational system.
SERIES – I ( CASE AGAINST COLLEGE ADMINISTRATION)
1. Working against the aim of national unity and the institution:
College administration has been well aware of the fact that students inside campus are divided in groups based on states, regions, districts etc.
This system of division of students directly violates the aim and demeans its existence itself. It even violates the ” rule -13 of rules and regulations guidelines for students in hostels”.
No concrete policy in this this regard and complete failure of the system to overcome this evil even after a decade it questionable.
2. No academic standard:
Barring a few, departments lack all kinds of infrastructure and support to produce world class engineers/ provide facilities up to their abilities / teaching infrastructure is not up to A.I.C.T.E./ or any such organization’s criteria.
The Departments have an acute shortage of faculty, out of which many teachers are not competent to teach. Good teachers are generally thought of as good administrators and being a deemed university, these teachers have to divert their attention from teaching activities, making the aim of imparting quality education really challenging.
Departments such as department of biotechnology are not even able to inspire the students leave alone giving good exposure to the field or quality education, nearly 90% choose to work in /to struggle with fields other than their expertise.
3. Irresponsible behavior, bad decision/ policy making related to grades harming national interest:
Hundreds of students are/were having different grades on their grade sheet, internet portal & record kept by college itself.
In past 4-5 years a lot of policies related to eligibility, examination, promotion has been changed leading to a sudden increase in number of students failing by thousands of percentage and sustaining nearby it.
Considering the fact that hundreds of students had grade misprints the policies could not be changed as it would lead to corruption.
Increasing no of failing students putting additional burden on Govt./ banks/ parents etc. considering such a big increase in number, the burden is huge.
4. Teachers not having knowledge of grades to be applied/ being irresponsible/ corrupt.
Many students got grades they were ineligible for leading to passing of ineligible candidates and some times failing eligible ones.
Leads to corruption.
5. Rules related to promotion, eligibility to appear for exam not adequate. Harming students’ interests and right to equality.
The recent rule change has/had given undue advantage to some students while harming the mass interest just to support its inefficient policies.
Since equal rules doesn’t apply to all the students the right to equality has been & shall be violated.
In turn giving rise to corruption, instability, passing ineligible candidates/ giving them undue advantages. Promotes volatility in the system.
6. Hostel rules applied with partiality / as inefficient/ inapplicable rules/ no supporting mechanism for uniform application of rules.
Rule no. 7, 9, 20, 21, 29, 34 of hostel rules for the institution are violated either by students or institution itself on daily basis.
Leads to differences between people.Promotes hatred, suppressed mentality, unproductive environment etc.
Students show no respect for such rules leading to a bad perspective about law and order.
7. Passing ineligible candidates:
Students passing without writing exams/ impersonation in exams/ without adequate marks.
Those not eligible to attempt exam being made to write examination and being passed just to hide policy deficiencies.
Sends wrong message, promotes corruption. people trying other means to pass examinations.
Causes more harm when more people depend on it / when attempted to set it correct.
8. More inclined towards creamy developments and neglecting basic study infrastructure, departments not up to A.I.C.T.E. criteria.
If compared, the living infrastructure in the institution is undoubtedly the best in the country but it also says that maximum effort has been given to those areas where there can be more leakages of resources.
As there has been a neglected focus on skill/ character building spending needs to be handled with more calibrated efforts as ” no spending is better than unproductive spending” considering the economic state of country.
9. Unable to discharge daily functions:
Rules 14, 16, 24, 34, 37, 44 , these are rules related to general living of students being violated daily.
Wastage of electricity, playing loud music/videos, using pirated/illegal videos these are common practices followed and promoted by everyone.
Thievery, fights, uses of banned/ illegal intoxicants, ragging etc are/has been a part of system.
This promotes negligence towards law, morality and character building, a grave danger for country’s future.
10. Promoting/shielding criminality, unable/unwilling to take correct measures, not establishing a transparent and effective mechanism to check on criminalization of students .
The ratio of person involved in criminal activities is much more inside the campus as compered to outside.
The percentage of cases reported to any law enforcing institution is negligible.
Thievery, fights, ragging, bullying, eve teasing, usage of drugs, some time cases as serious as attempt to murder is shielded.
Criminal/ bad morality/character of students can lead to devastating results.
11. Colossal waste of resources of prime importance. food, money,time, human resource.
Lack of productive environment and qualified leaders leads to wastage of human resource
Messes provided to boarders waste thousands of plates of meal. NO concrete planning.
Huge loss of time and money is borne on the part of students in daily life activities due to lack of proper system.
Charging 1,000 rupees if u lose your institute identity card on examination day, which otherwise is 100. presents a worse example of opportunistic capitalism while the fact of the matter is very few students/parents shall be capable of paying such amount on this count.
12. Violation of ” Right to Information” act.
R.T.I. receipt No. NITW/R&CPIO/2012-13/47/2508 dated 18-10-2012;
R.T.I. receipt No. NITW/R&CPIO/2013-13/46/2509 dated 18-10-2012;
R.T.I. receipt No. NITW/R&CPIO/2013-13/48/2506 dated 18-10-2012;
Information sought are
(a.) How many students passed without writing examination,
(b.) How many students got grade misprints,
(c.) Year-wise list and details of students getting year backs from 2003-2012.
The information sought is very useful in proving allegations but i did not receive the information til now. It needs to be in public domain as soon as possible in social interest.
I solemnly affirm that all allegations/ charges are true and correct to my knowledge. Giving examples of all the allegations would be a tedious task although if anyone seeks examples for other allegations i shall be happy to provide. Although I am providing example of one case where college has taken wrong/no action, and there is a serious need of investigation:
(a.) Joe Prasen of department of biotechnology was caught with marijuana in classroom, the teacher referred the matter to Mr. Devapratap sir and being head head of department of biotechnology Mr A. Venu Vinod was also informed. The head of department directly complained with police and Joe was sent to jail and everything.. But Mr. head of department was sacked for taking a decision out of his bounds as the matter was needed to be reported to some authority related to student affairs.
(b.) Ravikant of department of metallurgy and materials was caught by police possessing huge quantity of marijuana in city grand hotel by police, only later being released by writing a letter that he would not repeat it in future on request of college authorities .
(c.) Tanvi Rana of department of chemical engineering was given year back as punishment of allegedly being found with marijuana by teachers. But when Tanvi approached court she got relief as the institution couldn’t produce supporting evidence, may be because it would had been illegal on college’s part itself for not reporting the matter in the first place.
Many highly serious question arise which ought to come in public domain needing a detailed investigation into the allegations.
– INSTITUTION’S HOSTEL RULES AND REGULATIONS ATTACHED HEREWITH.