A Student of SMIADT
In a bid to cultivate social responsibility among its students, Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design, and Technology (SMIADT) has encouraged us to question prevailing norms when creating artworks or designs. However, a sense of contradiction arises when these same students question their own administration, only to find their pleas falling on deaf ears.
The recent issue revolves around the transportation problem resulting from the sudden campus shift in the middle of the academic year. Previously, SMIADT campuses were conveniently located in Yelahanka new town, allowing students, mostly non-locals, to reside in nearby accommodations prescribed by the college. This allowed us to walk or cycle to our classes. However, the recent move to the larger Manipal, Bangalore campus, approximately 10-12 km away, has created a transportation void. Despite the lack of public transport options, the college administration has shown little concern for the students’ plight. Private alternatives prove prohibitively expensive and unreliable, causing numerous students to struggle
during the recent Summative assessments, where punctuality was crucial to maintaining grades. The
administration’s suggested solution of arranging buses only partially addressed the issue, leaving students stranded at Bagalur Cross, still a considerable distance from their residences.
Repeated appeals to the administration have been met with ignorance, even when faced with the relevant UGC guidelines on the issue. The institution outsourced transportation responsibilities to the aforementioned accommodations that prioritize expensive private vendors, disregarding the students’ suggestion of a more affordable BMTC chartered bus service. This transportation issue has also sparked broader discussions about the utilization of student fees and the lack of transparency and accountability within the college administration. Students are left questioning where their money is going and why the administration fails to address their concerns adequately while not even giving them a platform to participate in crucial decision-making processes.
