Winston Churchill

At the faculty lounge one recalled the famous quote of Winston Churchill: “I like to learn but don’t like to be taught”. Immediately another pointed out that Churchill might not have studied where attendance was compulsory. Had he studied in our institute, he would have been the number one student if not in CP (Class Participation) certainly in DCP (Desperate Class Participation).

In reality, all students, if not all at least most of them, consider that attending class is a waste of time and energy. I too as a student firmly believed that sitting in a class is nothing less than a third degree of torture. But now as a faculty I have changed my position and increasingly believe in students attending classes (It is called the employment loyalty).

Even if the faculty is boring and the subject is lousy, minimum you learn that some things in life are boring and lousy, so one can never say that he has wasted time.

Witnessing the lack of interest shown by students towards the subject called “Business Ethics”, I announced that the attendance for this course is not compulsory. In the next class less than 40% of students were present. After interacting with students, it was clear that students had their own priority in focusing and choosing subjects. As of now, ethics is the least of their concern, making a mark in career seems to be major obsession. Of course, I do not agree with them, but at this phase of their life, they can assimilate only this much only.

At the age of 50 plus, priorities will change, ethics and morals will appear paramount import, that is the reason most of the CEO talks are nothing but reflections on ethical behavior. So I recommended the management to make the ethics course as optional and advertise it as a course for future CEOs. But unfortunately we do not have Churchill kind of people to make a bold decision. Sounds like a human right violation, we need people like Anna Hazare to go on fast to make the necessary changes. You might ask why I can’t take that step. If I declare fast, people might perceive that I am fasting to reduce my weight, let’s wait for a thin guy to take up the cause.