Human nature to abuse power when there is no accountability; Vice-chancellor and Registrar positions in Indian academia are particularly vulnerable
A slightly modified version of a quote I read elsewhere today in some other context:
'If we allow an office to have no limitations, no boundaries, eventually, the (constitution) framers understood this: It is human nature to abuse power and to ultimately use it against regular people.'
Ravi: I think this is very true. And that is why I am a big supporter of accountability and democracy.
In Indian academia, the offices of vice-chancellor and registrar of a university, are particularly vulnerable to succumbing to abuse of power, as Indian academia has very little accountability. Those people who get into such positions should be very careful not to fall into the trap of abuse of power, as they may get away with some amount of abuse of power against persons who are not in a position to challenge them, but there is always a danger that eventually they will encounter a person who challenges their abuse of power and exposes them. Some such abuse of power can even be a criminal offence under the Indian Penal Code!
So anybody who becomes registrar or vice-chancellor of an Indian university should be on their guard against the seductive temptations to abuse power and dominate over staff under them, so as to finish their term as registrar or vice-chancellor without major controversy.
'If we allow an office to have no limitations, no boundaries, eventually, the (constitution) framers understood this: It is human nature to abuse power and to ultimately use it against regular people.'
Ravi: I think this is very true. And that is why I am a big supporter of accountability and democracy.
In Indian academia, the offices of vice-chancellor and registrar of a university, are particularly vulnerable to succumbing to abuse of power, as Indian academia has very little accountability. Those people who get into such positions should be very careful not to fall into the trap of abuse of power, as they may get away with some amount of abuse of power against persons who are not in a position to challenge them, but there is always a danger that eventually they will encounter a person who challenges their abuse of power and exposes them. Some such abuse of power can even be a criminal offence under the Indian Penal Code!
So anybody who becomes registrar or vice-chancellor of an Indian university should be on their guard against the seductive temptations to abuse power and dominate over staff under them, so as to finish their term as registrar or vice-chancellor without major controversy.
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