“Welcome to the Army Institute of Law, where the seeds of ambition find fertile ground to flourish and thrive.”
This is how the prospectus greets new students who join the esteemed Army Institute of Law. The statement promises that these “seeds,” given a fertile ground, will be allowed to grow to expand, to learn, and to thrive. And why shouldn’t they? A 27-year-old institution, AIL boasts deep roots and a rich culture, so much so that within a few months, a once-unfamiliar campus begins to feel like home.
But for those who believe that this growth happened overnight, it is important to clarify that the Army Institute of Law has climbed this ladder slowly and steadily, through years of consistent hard work and dedication. That effort has yielded tangible results, placing AIL among the top 15 law colleges in the country according to India Today and earning it the title of the Best Private Law College in Punjab. So, we should all thank the Chairman of this Institute who, through his singular hard work and boundless dedication, has, quite remarkably, won innumerable moots, secured countless placements, topped the University, published research papers, and excelled in every extracurricular activity across cultural and sports fests. It is, evidently, his hard work alone.
Sounds a little absurd, doesn’t it?
Yet, that is precisely how things appear to be portrayed at AIL today. The contributions of students, faculty members, the Registrar, and even the Principal seem increasingly invisible, as though the institution’s accomplishments exist independent of their effort.
Since its establishment, the students and faculty of AIL have, quite literally, worked tirelessly to bring the Institute to the position it occupies today. Every achievement is carried forward as a legacy, and standards are set for future batches to meet and exceed. Even the fact that a single company chooses to recruit from AIL is the result of, yes, “consistent hard work and dedication”. But the question before us is, whose hard work and dedications is this? The Chairman? The one who gets changed every 2 years. Or does that credit belong to the students and faculty who constitute the permanent backbone of the institution. This institution is built on the commitment and collective effort of its students, yet those very students are repeatedly denied meaningful opportunities.
We are denied participation in moots on the ground that they are “too far away”. We are denied access to resourceful databases and books because they are “too expensive”. We are denied additional attendance condonation for internship on the pretext that attendance requirements cannot be affected. We are denied our sports ground. We are denied our hostels. We are denied fests. We are denied funds. Our student body, ladies and gentlemen, is denied the very right to represent us and speak in our interests. Yet, when someone manages to succeed despite these constraints, the college is quick to claim that success, proudly displaying their photograph on the saamoohik television installed in the atrium showcasing their pride in their students.
This pattern of denial is neither incidental nor isolated; it is systemic. Support at AIL is conditional. It is extended only so long as students remain compliant, unquestioning, and invisible. The moment one seeks transparency or participation, that support quietly recedes. What remains is a carefully maintained illusion of institutional benevolence, withdrawn the instant it is tested.
The college is there for you, until you need a little extra attendance for internships
The college is there for you, until you start asking where the college budget is being spent
The college is there for you, until you want to celebrate ethinic day/ Halloween day/ Ganesh Chathurthi.
The college is there for you, until you start asking for hostel rooms
The college is there for you, until you start asking questions about the Sports Day
The college is there for you, until an anonymous mail is sent against you.
Ours is a law college and in this law college on the night of 19th Jan, 6 students from the 5th Year, 1 from the 4th Year, and 3 from the 3rd Year were accused of ragging first years, so much that the student was ready to commit suicide. This aggrieved helpless plea was from an anonymous mail. The student had filed a complaint under UGC attracting police force the next day to college. The Punjabi University took the necessary steps by ensuring that cameras being installed in the boy’s hostel. Representatives came to college from the university enquiring about the incident. The Ragging Committee was called at 9 PM to commence the enquiry.
One might wonder that the alleged abuse that was supposed to be meant for the 1st year students, yet somehow found ample room for the Registrar, curiously, the only authority figure in the college known to back the students. Smells fishy (Seems like someone knew whom to target)
Some may say that we are against cameras in hostels. No.
Some may say that we are against the enquiry. Not at all.
We understand the pressure under which the College operated during that time. What we stand against is far simpler. We stand against the absence of respect and trust.
When teachers passing by ask you “Kyu Karte ho aise bache” you know they don’t respect you anymore. When the institute replies with “Ham bachane ki koshish kr to rahe hai” you know that they don’t respect you anymore. And when the Chairman looks you straight in the eye and says, “I’ll set an example out of you,” you just know that respect was never on the table to begin with.
The college called in all 1st year boy hostelers and recorded their statements. testified that nothing of such an extreme nature had occurred in the hostel. While the contents of the original report were never made known to us, it is evident that whatever was written in it did not please the Chairman result of which was him humiliating the committee members in front of students, staff, and the Principal without regard for dignity or decorum. In that moment, he made his position clear by declaring, “This is my institute.”.
Now, you will witness droplets coming together to form a wave, one that you may never have imagined would rise. If the college believes that it can humiliate and insult our faculty and our prefects and still continue to function smoothly, then it is time to make one thing clear: THEY CANNOT.
It’s time the authorities understand that it’s our college more than it’s theirs. These are our achievements. They are built on our hard work, our sleepless nights, our dedication, and our labour. It is our efforts that bring pride and recognition to the institution. So, if this is truly our college, then we deserve to feel that sense of belonging. We deserve respect, acknowledgement, and a voice in matters that concern us. Ownership is not just about rules and authority but it is about trust, inclusion, and mutual respect as well.
We understand how important it was to conduct an enquiry, and we also recognise that once the UGC came into the picture, the College was no longer in the driver’s seat. However, nothing justifies ruining the lives of six 5th year students merely to “set an example.” An example is the installation of over twenty cameras in the hostel. An example is the prompt initiation and conduct of an enquiry. But an example does not extend to punishing students for acts they did not commit. Corrective measures and accountability are necessary.
Scapegoating is not.
–This article has been written by Alankrita, 3rd Year.
