At SCMC, students have always been encouraged to question ideas, present unpopular opinions and form their own views
We live in the dangerous age where students are fed with ideas that are presented to them as the absolute unquestionable truth. Through my years of schooling, I unfortunately feel victim to this system of education and it limited my ability to form my own opinions.
At SCMC, initially, I was taken aback because some of my peer’s beliefs, politically and otherwise seemed blasphemous. The process of un-conditioning was a slow and tedious one but the reward was all worth it. Professors in our college would often leave the floor open for students to present their ideas which would occasionally lead to heated debates. Initially, it all seemed very overwhelming but as time passed, it only added value to my experience.
Studying in a Mass Communication College often meant that discussions would revolve around current affairs from across the globe. Some of the topics were tabooed but none of the professors or students would shy away from talking about it. For example, in one particular lecture back in my first semester, our Language Skills Professor, Ms. Bidisha Bahaduri created a panel like simulation in class which was divided into two halves- for and against, and the topic given to them was to deliberate about the legalization of weed in India. In a country which has often separated issues into bags of black and white, here was a classroom where you were allowed to explore the greys without fear of retribution.
SCMC also hosts its annual Literary and Cultural Festival called Maadhyam which provides the students with a platform to present our views and opinions & discuss it with others. This happens to be one of my favorite events of the year since it’s not only informative but also very entertaining.
In conclusion, SCMC has not only given me the invaluable gift of thinking for myself but also how to convey my thoughts to the world around me in an effective and efficient manner.
Article by: Pari Sankhala (Batch of 2018)
Photograph by: Nairika Lodhi (Batch of 2019)
