We are indicating below some main causes of student unrest:
1. Defective Education System:
The present education system does not fulfill its proposed aims and nor does it give the students any practical skill which can make them capable of taking up any job after their education.
As a result, the students do not find themselves capable of fending for themselves. Passing of examination has become the sole aim of present education.
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2. Aimless Life and Uncertain Future:
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The present education does not give the student any such qualifications which may assure to them a certain future. Now- a-days, there is great unemployment in our country. The report of the Employment Directorate tells us that during 1965 and 1970, the number of unemployed persons has doubled.
During 1970 and 1972 it was one and a half times. In 1965, the number of educated unemployed was about 850,000′. According to the Director of Employment and Training, in 1972, the number of unemployed had raised upto 2,500,000.
This situation makes it clear that unemployment in the country is on the increase. The young generation is the victim of this unemployment. Consequently, student unrest and indiscipline has touched it peak.
3. Economic Difficulties:
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Our economic difficulties have become so complex, that we do not know as to what will be the economic situation in the future. Most of our students come from families that are economically poor. Such families cannot easily give higher education to their children. Sixty per cent of our students generally do not get education after high school.
Out of the remaining, 20 per cent students who go to colleges or university, come from middle class families and 20 per cent from upper class families. The present higher education has become so expensive that the students find it difficult to bear this burden. So it is natural for students to agitate.
4. Excessive Number of Students in the Class:
Generally, the number of students in every class is so high that the students and teachers are unable to establish contact with each other, that is, the teachers are unable to understand the difficulties of individual students.
Likewise, the personality of the teacher has no impact on the students. There are several colleges and universities where class-rooms, laboratories, libraries and teachers are not available for several departments. In such a situation, unrest and indiscipline amongst students is not surprising.
5. Defective Teaching Methods:
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The teaching methods in our schools, colleges and universities have become defective. They do not arouse curiosity in the students for new knowledge nor do they increase knowledge. The result is that the students do not find the classes interesting nor are feeling of respect generated towards most of the teachers who have an indifferent attitude.
Consequently, students pass the examination by hook or by crook, such as, cramming or on the basis of guess papers sold freely in the market or on the basis of copying in the examination-hall by terrorising the invigilators.
6. Indifference of the Family-Members:
The influence of the family members on the students is negligible to-day. Parents, elder brothers or sisters pretend to be so busy that they do not hesitate to say that they have no time to attend to the studies of their wards.
The results is that the students wander about unbridled and they ruin the conduct find character of others also and thus bring dishonour and anguish to themselves and their family by their indisciplined behaviour.
Needless to say that so long as the responsible members of the family do not fulfill their responsibility towards their wards, the indiscipline prevailing amongst students will not end and nor will the unrest and discontent calm down.
7. Unsuitable Teachers:
To-day in our schools, colleges and universities, we find many such teachers who have no interest in their teaching work. All concerned persons know it well that in every department of colleges and universities, there are some teachers who do not go to teach in the classes even for a day.
They are either engaged in petty politics or in manipulations. Such teachers present a wrong example by their behaviour and conduct. As such, the students coming in contact with such teachers learn nothing but roguery.
Besides, many teachers suffer from different types of inferiority complexes. Due to this, some undesirable elements remain inherent in their behaviour and many students who come under their influence are inclined to follow suit.
8. Student-Union:
In our various educational centres, the students naturally are eager to organise unions and generally they are provided adequate facilities to do so. But in the process of organisation and elections of these unions, various political parties and teacher-politicians try to serve their vested interests. The interference of the political elements vitiates the nature of the student unions in various ways and generates a sense of indiscipline in the students.
9. Lack of Co-curricular and Creative Activities:
The function of an educational centre is not simply to prepare the students for examinations. In fact, the aim of education is to develop the entire personality of the individual harmoniously. This development is not possible only through the curricular teaching.
For this, various co-curricular activities such as games, sports, contests, competitions, dramas, music, magazines, collective social service, etc., are necessary because through them the different aspects of the personality of a person manifest themselves and attain the high state of development.
10. Defective Examination System:
The examination system is such that the teaching process has become dependent on it. The passing of examination has become the sole aim of education. Due to this examination system, the students have begun to think that there is no need of studying throughout the year and only a little study near the examination time will be sufficient.
So rest of the time may be spent recklessly. As a result of this tendency, the students are left with a lot of unoccupied time which they spend in indisciplined activities of various types.
11. Elements of Indiscipline and Anarchy Prevailing in the Society:
The elements of indiscipline and anarchy prevailing in the society, in fact are reflected in the indisciplined behaviour of students. Generally, the students may be divided in three categories. The first category consists of those students who are interested in studies and after finishing the studies they become engineers, doctors, administrators and other Civil Servants.
The second category is of those students who take admission in colleges and universities simply as a matter of fashion. Such students mostly come from traders, contractors and other business class families.
Their aim is not to imbibe the cultural or real nature of learning. They consider the classes as picnic spots. The third category is of the student politicians. They are connected with different political parties and at their instance they indulge in various kinds of indisciplined activities.
The Eighth Five Year Plan is to begin in our country shortly. But targets fixed regarding education in the first seven Five Year Plans could not be achieved. Hence our schools, colleges and universities have not become constructive, cultural and social centres in the real sense.
Under such a situation there is little wonder that our younger generation is standing on a cross-road, little knowing in which direction to move. As a result, it is aimless, dissatisfied and misguided. So long as we are not successful in giving it a right direction, it will continue to remain discontented and indisciplined.