Not so surprisingly, when I inquired with our students at Government Medical College Miraj that were they aware of "Internet facilities", most of them replied ' What? Does our college have internet?'.
I was not surprised.. because when I was mentioned about this I too had been take aback about this FACT.
Well indeed the facilities comprise of 10 computers having broadband connection in our Central Library at GMC Miraj Campus.
But the debate starts here...
- Who can use these facilities?
- What is the charge for these facilities?
- Why has this service not been made popular as yet?
- Students..... Faculty..... Administrative staff..... Anybody affiliated to our institution.
- The charges are being reviewed but decision has not been taken.. currently the charges are being discussed with concerned higher authority atGMC office. Earlier proposal when the service was started was being charged at Rs 30. (Can you believe it? Its true.)
- Well the service needs active participation from the students, faculty and all the participants to make it a success but so far since its inception the services are constantly under some technical error which needs reviewing quiet often.
My DEBATE...
I am one of those students who considers, Internet an essential tool for self and Professional development.
There are ample of job opportunity, research opportunity, career opportunity and much more available on the net.
On inquiring students internet usage pattern, I learn that how much more we have to learn and do for our students of GMC Miraj before they can open up to the world and its opportunities to fly high in their career pursuit.
The first and the prime most task is to provide these very students the Internet Access, which seemed to the unaware students "as an additional expense in their monthly bills". Rather than its power to mesmerize them with its fund of knowledge.
Providing this very needed facility our students would start connecting with the world and discover opportunity outside Miraj...
The pricing is a key subject which when considered..... must consider students opinion as they form the bulk of the user group. The pricing policy must justify the cost levied on the students, for if a student is charged at Rs15 at private players close to the campus.. on similar grounds if students are charged 100% more on campus than what they pay outside..... Is it justified?
In any sucessfull administration, the policies are based after considering their consumer prefrences rather than personal prefrences of the implementor...