Collision course

World view
That may be an understatement if one goes by the reactions of BMM teachers like Professor Nandini Sardesai who says, "Outstation students, and we have many, may be deterred from taking the course. It has become regionally communal in nature." The forthright professor added that the accent should be on raising standards of English and giving a world-view to students.

Sardesai says, "The standards are pathetic. Answering a question about gay rights for instance, students have written answers like; 'There are chaddi gays and undie gays,' and 'Being gay is a very bad thing.' "The priority should be how this course is being taught and implemented in several colleges," stresses Sardesai who teaches the Sociology paper at Jai Hind and KC College and ends with, "I see the introduction of an entire module about Maharashtra in the Sociology paper as narrowing a global perspective and the Marathi-isation of the course."

English not God-sent
Ranade scoffs at terms like Marathi-isation and even MNS-isation of the course saying, "These are used because terms like these make news. We are not asking students to learn Hindi and Marathi literature. We are training them to pick up skills like being able to read a circular in Marathi, which may come in from the Mantralaya. My focus is on the reality in media which I understand as a media man, unlike some of these characters." Ranade also said that for journalists to exclaim, "Ooh, I do not understand this circular," (here, Ranade spoke in an anglicised accent) if it comes in Hindi and Marathi would be unprofessional and a smack of arrogance. Ranade hammered home his point that this is about communication and not literature, adding, "It is time we stopped talking as if English is some God-sent language and Marathi and Hindi are subsidiaries."

Bonfires of the inanities
Critics like former principal Jai Hind College, Professor N W Shivdasani, who is overall in charge of unaided courses like the BMM says, "The syllabus revision is ridiculous. Even the teachers do not know this level of Marathi so how can they teach it? In another inane decision the marketing and management papers have been combined, so who knows what their designs are? We will need to involve the Governor (Chancellor of Universities) in this if need be. I learnt that at the meeting with the VC (Vice-Chancellor) it was said that teachers do not need a holiday as they should prepare for the course. We are terribly disturbed. God knows what they are planning. God bless them."
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Shock and awe
Ranade says that the course has been revised after going through Academic Council meetings and a great deal of thought and care, "but it does not mean that it is a perfect syllabus, it is evolutionary. We too are scared we might fall flat on our faces but we are going to give it our best shot." When asked why this could not be implemented a year later, as suggested by some, so that it gives people time to find specialist teachers if need be and to warn aspiring students that they will need pick up a working knowledge of Hindi and Marathi, Ranade said that it is better to implement the revisions using a strategy of, 'shock and awe' rather than wait.u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
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One-third measures
Meanwhile, Professor Vispi Balaporia, the architect of the original BMM course, put together along with a team in 1999-2000, says, the new syllabus smacks of disrespect to all languages English, Hindi and Marathi, with its bits-and-pieces approach. "If you want students to learn Marathi and Hindi, offer an entire BMM paper in the languages. This way, we avoid these one-third measures," and added, that one could only judge by the end product and right now the syllabus seemed hastily put together.u00a0u00a0
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Dangerous lingo?
Academicians stress that they have no problem with Marathi or a Maharashtra component coming in to the course as we live in Maharashtra, but some of the language used at the meeting, like, Ranade saying students must know Marathi if they want to study in Mumbai and do the BMM course, is dangerous lingo. Ranade clarifies, "Those who do journalism in Mumbai must know the Devanagiri script. We are planning to have an orientation for teachers towards mid-June and scouting for specialist teachers too. This is a start, we want people to help us and if they cannot, they should get out of the way." Dr Khole could not be contacted with sources saying he is away in Russia.