Retributions  

St Stephen’s Principal Reverend Valson Thampu has finally responded to criticism directed against him for reserving 40% seats in his college for Christians with a sub-quota for Dalit Christians. In his response, Thampu has made two points. First,

If Deenabandhu Andrews were alive today, he would have been appalled by the college as a hot ‘brand name’ accessible only to the economic and social elite.

Academic excellence in St Stephen’s in recent decades has almost become a smokescreen for masking the privileges of the socio-economic elite. Vis-a-vis St Stephen’s, ‘merit’, for those who are clamoring about it, is anything but ‘academic excellence’.

This blogger remains unpersuaded by this argument. First, while St Stephen’s alumni definitely constitutes the social elite of this country, is it necessarily true for its students? While there is definitely an element of snobbery and elitism associated with the college, having known quite a few Stephen’s alumni, I can say safely that they come from all walks of life. In fact, Thampu is discounting his own college’s contribution in shaping the lives and careers of some of India’s finest! His argument reduces Stephens merely to a finishing school.

And pray, how will reservation of seats for Christians correct this perceived elitism? Are they the most persecuted community in India? If Thampu felt so strongly about Dalit Christians, then why has he reserved only 10% seats for them? What is the guarantee that the rest of the Christian seats will not go to the same elite whom Thampu loathes?

Second,

There wasn’t the slightest uncertainty or embarrassment in the minds of the founding fathers, or their illustrious successors like Deenabandhu, that the college was to have a “Christian foundation”. The motto of the college is, ‘Ad dei Gloriam’, or ‘for the greater glory of God’. The college prayer talks about preparing students for ‘citizenship alike in heaven and earth’. The vision of education that under-lies the greatness of St Stephen’s is committed to ’sound religion’ and ‘character building’.

Rev Thampu’s welcome candor leaves no one in doubt that he sees St Stephen’s as a quasi- religious school devoted to preparing good Christians. If that is the whole purpose of this exercise, then why talk about elitism and assume the mantle of a fighter against socio-economic injustice?

Abhorrent as I find Thampu’s Bible thumping evangelical attitude, I would condone it as as long as Thampu’s community was paying for his college. But it is not! St Stephen’s which has re-discovered its evangelical roots under Thampu’s watch has no qualms in accepting tax-payers money for its Christian agenda in a country which is officially secular, and where Christians comprise only 2% of the population. While Thampu’s position may be legally tenable, surely, there is something inherent immoral in a religious institution run by the money of non-believers.

Finally, India’s education institution must revisit the topic of administrative leadership. Far too many times, they are led by non-educationists: retired and serving bureaucrats, political appointees and other non-professionals. This has caused incalculable damage to many fine institutions which are now only a shadow of their former glorious self. St Stephen’s seems well on its way to join them.