Finally, a roadblock for Sable!

Vishwanath Sable, who executed many a ‘meaningful’ jobs instead of teaching in J J, has had his measure of wrongdoings full. AICTE’s recognition has become such a terrible mess that even the Higher and Technical Education Department, which has been deliberately ignoring all of Sable’s antics for so long, has been forced to act. Read the complete sequence of events behind this action from Satish Naik’s article.

At last, the officials of Higher and Technical Education are out of their deep slumber. I have been writing about the problems at J J for many days now. Besides, giving and taking interview (for Chinha’s YouTube channel), I have also been involved in many debates, and openly pointed out the mismanagement at the institution. Despite having exposed them at many public forums, the officials kept neglecting the issue.

What did I not write about? I almost washed the dirty linens of J J affairs in public, but while doing so, I would be deeply hurt as J J is my alma mater. But Sable’s brazen mismanagement and audacity about being invincible left me with no choice but to continue to expose his wrongdoings. And at last, the AICTE gave him a reality check. They were clear, show the documents, you will get what is due!

It was only when the future of 400-450 students studying at J J was at stake that the higher and technical education department woke up. In the 166-year-old history of J J, such a terrible situation has never befallen J J. If there is no official recognition of the students’ education, what should they do? The fate of all the students studying at J J lies in danger.

This situation at JJ has become so complicated that it is not likely to be resolved soon. The officials of the Higher and Technical Education Department felt that by merely sending an officer like Rajiv Mishra to Delhi would resolve the problems for them. But the AICTE officials sent back Mishra empty handed. The mess created is so big that no other than the committee can now decide the fate of J J.

From the information that has reached me, it seems AICTE committee concerned meets again in November and a decision about accreditation will be taken only then. This means till then no one knows if the education at J J should be considered certified or not. Even if we suppose that J J continues the efforts to advance its course even after that, and in case the AICTE committee decides in November that the accreditation should not be given, one can imagine how serious the situation can get.

Sadly J J has become an art college with the worst of combinations like a college that almost lacks permanent professors (Deputy Secretary Satish Tidke is in a ‘huge rush’ to remove those who are), where there is dearth of teachers for subjects like art history, aesthetics, and despite having over 55 percent female students, does not have women’s washroom and students have to go on strike for this basic requirement. The condition of the boy’s washroom is no different either.

The computer lab built in 2008 at the cost of lakhs of rupees is almost closed in 2022-23, with the Mac laptops missing. (No one can trace it.) Over Rs. 1.25 Cr were spent on simple drainage line put in the premises and this monsoon it has already choked and overflowing. Besides, as there are no permanent teachers, there is no control on the contract art teachers. The contract teachers come anytime and leave anytime. (Most of them call themselves ‘Professor’ and have printed so on their visiting cards.) Most teachers are perennially absent from classes but come only for signing the muster roll. (A few months ago, due to the increase in students’ complaints, the author of the story had complained directly to the Education Secretary Vinay Rastogi via WhatsApp in this regard. But I do not know what happened to that! Probably the Education Secretary did not get time to look at the complaint).

As if all of this is not enough, there are teachers doing assignments worth lakhs and crores of rupees and yet continue to teach. (I will soon write about that in detail). The space at J J School of Art is used as a mere ‘table space’ in the name of giving students ‘work experience’. But, in reality it is the ‘monetary benefit’ for the teachers. (The stories about this will soon be exposed too). In an institution par excellence, childish activities like ‘Kalavedh’ are run (whose expenses are not revealed) and the AICTE rules are flouted openly. Think about it, which central body will want to give accreditation to such an organization?

In case the accreditation is not given in November, what will happen to the future of 400 to 450 students studying at J J? Where and how will they study further? Will they have to shift to a private college? Will they get admission there? If not, then what? And what about the hefty private college fees? These and many such questions are likely to arise.

However, the higher and technical education department officials did not dare to take any action against Mr Sable, the man behind all this. Hence, Sable started believing he could be a lawmaker too. Mr Sable has been working in that position for more than 12 years and yet he did not implement any educational reforms in J J or make any changes in the curriculum.

As for education, the same is for the management. Well known painters like Srikant Jadhav, Anant Nikam, Anil Naik, who became famous as artists (all of them were Sable’s teachers) are forced to work under Sable, till they retired, and all because of a government notice. After working for 30-35 years, these art teachers retired from the same position as they were during their joining at the J J. How terrible is all this? But this is a fact. Sable as Dean did nothing for his teachers. Instead, he gave them as much trouble as he could. He did nothing to ensure that one of teachers, who survived a serious ailment, got his retirement salary on time. The author has experienced this very closely.

But the time has come, and Vishwanath Sable’s mistakes can no longer be ignored. The AICTE recognition has become such a terrible mess that the Higher and Technical Education Department, which had been deliberately ignoring all of Sable’s moves for so long, has been forced to act. If they had not initiated action, the government would have stepped in and acted against officials handling JJ affairs at the Higher and Technical Education Department in the Ministry. That’s probably why the department issued a show cause notice to Mr. Sable. He will have to reply to this notice now. Sable’s blunder is so terrible that even the officials in favour of Sable will not fall into the trap of saving him now. And if they fall prey to temptation, “Chinha” which is closely watching them will expose them. Let’s see what Sable Saheb replies to this notice.

We will make more sensational revelations in this next article. Do read….

Satish Naik

Editor, Chinha Art News

www.chinha.in