Exodus en masse

Ranchi, March 25: Adios or adieu, goodbye in any language means the same. The foreign hand has done the vanishing act from Ranchi University (RU).

Around three years ago, 12 foreign students, mostly from Southeast Asia, had enrolled in Ranchi University. But this academic year, the university has none.

Foreign nationals are drawn to disciplines like anthropology, sociology, political science and tribal and regional languages. But vice chancellor A.A. Khan or pro V-C V.P. Sharan couldn’t recall the genesis of foreign students coming to the university, saying that keeping track of records was a tedious task. Khan only added most foreigners came to study anthropology, followed by political science and tribal languages.

In the recent past, four Japanese students studied anthropology, but today there is none. Three Thai students pursued political science. Recently, one from Bulgaria had approached for registration, but after that didn’t turn up.

The varsity gave no-objection certificates to four students — two boys, one each from Libya and Thailand, and two Romanian girls — keen on pursuing PhDs in political science and anthropology. But then all four disappeared.

“We try to clear the decks by issuing their no-objection certificates as soon as possible but ironically, students don’t turn up,” Khan rued.

Reasons behind it aren’t too far to seek.

Khan himself pointed out that the lack of a state-of-the-art hostel was a main culprit. “For foreign nationals, hostel of international standards is a must. But we don’t have the funds,” admitted Khan.

“The university doesn’t offer any sops to woo foreign students. Forget sops, the university doesn’t boast basic infrastructure like a foreign students cell,” said Ravi Ranjan Kumar, a first-year law student.

A political science student from Egypt, Nazir Mustafa, pursuing research under the guidance of political science department head J.P. Singh, went back home after submitting only one academic paper of the two required. The varsity is yet to hear from him.

According to Singh, technically a university should provide accommodation to foreign nationals. “But the Egyptian youth stayed with me at my home. Our hostels are so ill-maintained that foreigners hate to stay in them,” said Singh.

Leave aside hostels, there aren’t proper seating arrangements. “I’ve seen students studying under a tree or in garages. How can you expect them to return?” asked Singh.

Especially when the global student is spoilt for choice.

Meanwhile, the varsity approached National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) headquarters in Bangalore. But accreditation will prove elusive if there aren’t enough teachers, “among other things”, worried Sharan.