The international relations department of Jadavpur University has inscribed the Preamble to the Constitution on a wall in the corridor of the department “to remind students what the country stands for” — the liberty of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship.
Iman Kalyan Lahiri, the head of the department, said at a time when the country was witnessing a sustained attack on the liberty of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship, it was time the students were reminded how the founding fathers had envisaged India.
The Preamble has been inscribed on the first floor of the PG arts building, outside the office of the department head, on Wednesday.
On a giant decorated board, the Preamble written in metallic golden on a black surface reads: “WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC….”.
The ethos of plurality and diversity that India stands for stems from this Preamble and the young minds are required to be nurtured on these guiding principles, said Lahiri.
“They must manifest these principles in their conduct with their batchmates, fellow citizens. Our university promotes this grand idea.”
NIT Durgapur had also thought on similar lines and decided that BTech students will have to study the Constitution from this July. The tech school feels that an engineering student must have an idea about the ethos of plurality and diversity to grow themselves into conscious and responsible citizens.
Maidul Islam, an assistant professor of political science at the Centre for Studies in Social Sciences, Calcutta, who has been approached by the NIT to teach the course as a visiting faculty, said it was encouraging that the academic institutions were stepping forward to make the students aware about the inherent values of the Constitution.
“I believe, for the secular-minded space that is still left in India, the last refuge is the Constitution. In a few years time we will be observing the 75th years of the adoption of the Constitution. Therefore, the Constitution becomes a relevant and only document for those who want to assert the secular as well as democratic liberal vision of India,” said Islam.
“It is encouraging that the institutions are coming forward and reminding the young minds about the inherent values enshrined in the Constitution.”
Arup Maity, a student of international relations at JU, said the initiative would help them follow and practice the constitutional values in every sphere of their life.