Admissions to the Polytechnic: I had joined Jodhpur Polytechnic in July 1962. The process of admissions for that year was over by then. At that time, there was tremendous rush for admissions in the polytechnics and a large number of students from neighbouring states of United Provinces and Punjab had applied for admission to Jodhpur Polytechnic. Since, the spread of education in Rajasthan was very limited, a substantial number of seats were grabbed by students coming from outside the state. Moreover, 20% to 30% seats remained unfilled due to lack of sufficient publicity in Rajasthan about the newly established polytechnic. Consequently, with the concurrence of the state government, we inserted a clause in the admission circulars of the following years, providing first preference in admissions to students qualifying in their secondary or higher examinations from Rajasthan. We do not know, whether, it was legally or constitutionally correct, but, that helped us, in optimum utilization of the available facilities of technical education for the benefit of the people of Rajasthan.
Publicity: During the following years, advertisements were issued in all local language papers and were supplemented by posting individual letters to all eligible students of secondary and higher secondary schools of western districts of Rajasthan, in the months of May and June, detailing full information about the courses, number of seats and the process of admissions to Jodhpur Polytechnic. It ensured, that, we were never short of applicants in the following years.
Separate section for SC and ST candidates: In the beginning, the number of applicants from scheduled castes and scheduled tribes was extremely limited. Publicity in local language papers and posting of individual letters changed that trend and we were able to admit scheduled caste and scheduled tribe candidates, against all seats reserved for them. The next problem was, that, the qualifying marks for the admission of SC and ST candidates was low and therefore, bulk of the SC and ST candidate were at a much lower academic level than the students of the general category and they found it difficult to keep pace with them in the classes, leading to large number of failures of SC and ST candidates in first year examinations. Consequently, we started segregating SC and ST candidates, alongwith some weaker students of the general category in a separate section. We do not know, whether this type of segregation was legally and constitutionally correct, but, that helped us in providing to them, specific attention in accordance with their needs and skills and imparting all teaching in their language and at their academic level. The result was that most of them were able to clear first year examinations of the polytechnic in first attempt and that built up their confidence and ultimately, they were able to complete the Diploma Course of the Polytechnic and became available for appointments against reserved categories in the state services.
Separate wing for SC & ST candidates in hostels: In those days, the room rent and electricity charges for students living in the hostels were nominal. Even then, most of the students of the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes used to live in shared rented accommodation outside the polytechnic. When I met some of those students, I found that their main problem was food. In private rented accommodation, they cooked their own meals from rations which they brought with them from their villages. Living in the hostels, they had no option, but to join one of the messes. Since, the messes were dominated by Jats and Rajputs, the charges were heavy and due to discrimination, the students of the upper communities did not allow the SC and ST students to share the meals with them. Looking to the problems of students of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, we earmarked one wing in the hostels, exclusively for the students of SC and ST and converted one of the end rooms of the wing into their kitchen. They were told that cooking in living rooms was not allowed. However, they could cook in the kitchen, either individually or in groups, in almost the same manner as they were doing in outside rented accommodation. We provided a proper flue in kitchen and placed a set of cooking utensils and also provided the services of an attendant. In course of time, they started pooling their rations and started taking the help of the attendant for cooking. Thereafter, a number of students of economically weaker sections of the general category, started approaching them for permitting them to join their mess.
A rainy day in the polytechnic: That was sometimes in 1966. All classes in the institution were going on as usual. There was no cause for commotion or agitation. The days were hot and some of the students were raring to go out for a change. Clouds were gathering and the intermittent blasts of cool air did the rest. Before the commencement of the last few periods, some students started slipping from the classes. Other students gradually followed. They made a bee line for Mandore Gardens, which lay about 10 km away from the polytechnic and enjoyed the outing. Next day, in the early hours of the morning, all students of the polytechnic were assembled in the triangle, outside the main building. Each student was provided a piece of paper and was required to give some thought to what they had done and to record, whether their action in leaving the classes, without permission or information was the right thing to do. The students sat there silently for about ten to fifteen minutes, scribbling something on the paper, in a state of guilt consciousness and were waiting for the confessions to be collected. It was a moot scene. We had no intension to collect the papers. We did not admonish them and almost without a word, we signalled to them to go back to their classes. Feelings of disbelief, soon turned into heaves of relief and the crowd melted.
Inter Polytechnic Athletic Meet at Alwar in January 1967: Impact of mass participation of students in games and sports was written in bold letters, during the inter-polytechnic athletic meet at Alwar during January 1967.
The meet included sixteen individual items:
( 1 ) Eight track items: 100 metres, 200 metres, 400 metres, 800 metres, 1500 metres,
5000 metres, 110 metres hurdles and 400 metres hurdles.
( 2 ) Four jumps: Long jump, Hop Step and Jump, High Jump and Pole Vault,
( 3) Four throws: Shot Put, Hammer throw, Discus Throw and Javelin Throw
And three team events: 4 x 100 metres relay, 4 x 400 metres relay and tug of war.
Every Polytechnic had the option to enter two participants for each of the individual items and one team for each of the team events. All eyebrows were raised, when the students of Jodhpur Polytechnic started getting into the first and second place in each of the individual items and won all the three team events, ending with sixteen gold medals and fourteen silver medals for individual items and three gold medals for the team events.
There were no tricks or magic. The students of Jodhpur Polytechnic were used to mass participation in games and sports and therefore, there was no domination of star players. None of our students was participating in more than two individual items and therefore, there were fresh legs in almost every item. The other institutions depended heavily on star performers, who were individually very talented and the institutions had allowed them to participate in four to six individual items, in addition to participation in team events.