I recently came across posters published by some teachers of Islamia College of Science and Commerce, Srinagar, in some local newspapers, gloating over the status of ‘potential for excellence’ status granted to the College by UGC. What is there to gloat over this status?  An educational institution always strives for excellence as there is no end to knowledge and information. In today’s hi-tech world there is boom of knowledge and information.  New knowledge and information, theories and discoveries are pouring in at an alarming speed.  Concepts and theories which are current today, nay this moment, become obsolete the very next moment.  Sobriety and gravity are the hallmark of a great teacher and so of a great institution.  You cannot gloat or boast over somebody telling you that you have potential for excellence.  That is with every one; more so it should be with a teacher who is the builder of the nation.  There is always room at the top.  That is the maxim of research.  Having potential is not sufficient.  Important is its harnessing and channeling in right directions. You could boast if none of your teachers resorted to private tutoring; you could boast if you hold tutorials besides your regular class work where you would remove difficulties of students and groom up the weak ones, so that they do not need to go to any private tuition shops; you could boast of new knowledge and information, new concepts and theories generated in the laboratories of your College, if you could do so. You could boast about your quarterlies and research journals. Constructing huge structures do not make a great educational institution. It is the quality product, that it produces, which will speak for itself. 
Prof. Abdul Gani Bhat
Ex-director Physical Education,
Islamia college of Science & commerce,
Srinagar.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 27 Apr 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
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