This document discusses the decay of institutions and neglect of institution builders. It describes the author's experiences transforming schools and non-profits by empowering teachers and staff, but having to leave when faced with political pressures or a lack of support. The author reflects on how founders built great institutions to serve the masses, but over generations the spirit was lost as newer administrators lacked the same commitments. One longtime staff member who worked diligently is given as an example of an institution pillar who faced unjust questioning and left silently. The author sees both the decay of institutions and neglect of builders, and hopes corrective actions can be taken before it is too late.

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ANOTHER PILLER GIVES WAY : THE SAGA INSTITUTIONAL DECAY OF A GREAT
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COLLEGE
AN ARTICLE ON MY EXPERIENCES IN INSTITUTION
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BUILDING
6/29/2012
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DR. TRILOK KUMAR JAIN
JAIN.TK AT GMAIL.COM
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2. ANOTHER PILLER GIVES WAY : THE SAGA INSTITUTIONAL DECAY OF A GREAT COLLEGE
I have written thousands of times by now that institutions are not built by bricks but by the institution builders. What I
haven’t yet written is that institution builders are often (and mostly) neglected, dejected, relegated and even asked to
leave the institutions. I have written thousands of times that institutions are important and institutions need to play
their role, the role of change agents , the role of creative social framework. What I haven’t written is that the society
should reflect upon its attitude and its approach towards institution builders. How long the society will continue to
cherish the neglectful role towards institution builders. The institution builders are not the donors, but the workers
(faculty members, staff and other employees) who create the spirit of the institution. They work for the basic purpose
for which the institution has been set up. I have witnessed many institutions in different stages of their growth or decay.
The management of the institutions take decisions – which either make or mar the institutions.
Many people consider me a good institution builder, but they probably don’t know about how I went ahead and
transformed institutions. When I was trying to transform a school (as a member of the academic committee), the focus
of all my initiatives was on organizing teacher development programmes and on giving the teachers required freedom to
execute their innovations. I used to talk to the teachers only about the possibility of innovations and on the possibility of
creating a truly learning environment. During my speech in the school I talked about the amazing capabilities that the
students can have if they get proper guidance. I was only a small part in the entire team doing our work and the result
was amazing. Soon my requirements were over and I realized that I need to leave. I left silently. When I was working in
an NGO trying to transform itself, I gave full freedom to the functionaries and made them feel that they can do amazing
things. My words and my role worked and the organization really started doing amazing work. The NGO started doing
what it was supposed to do. However, I soon realized that there was no need of myself any more. I got indirect
messages and realized that there were some people who gave more importance to coming on time and leaving on time
and on procedural aspects. I decided to quit silently.
I now talk about another institution which I built from the scratch. I stressed on raising standards and keeping to those
standards. I insisted on building capabilities in every person. My ideas worked, although I had to quit. I couldnot sustain
the pressure of the system and couldn’t convince people, but my ideas brought results (though long after I had left). The
students of that institutions brought ranks in merits and the required momentum was instituted. I left silently.
Most institutions have politics and pressure groups. There are different issues - whether to give more stress to the
fundamentals for which the institution has been built or to give stress on procedural aspects. There are many
institutions which have died out (or their spirit has died out), but there are hardly any person taking lessons from this.
New Institutions are growing. Old ones are decaying. There is no one to give the required momentum to the old
institutions. The new ones fail to address to the masses. They focus on their BEP analysis and don’t come down to the
common students. Old institutions have been built on the pillers of benefits for the masses and therefore inspite of all
the decays they are facing, they continue to survive. They continue to remain popular among masses.
I am talking about an institution that was built by those who wanted to spread education among the masses and for that
they took one rupee from each household, added their toil and perspiration to that money and went ahead to built
great (once upon a time) institutions. As the times passed, the founders were replaced by next generations of persons,
who didn’t have the same spirit and commitments. Even next generations lacked the commitment to fundamentals and
thus the spirit withered away slowly.
Any principal could trust him and could depend on him. Yes this person was one of the pillers of this college. If the work
would be incomplete, he would come even on Sunday and would stay late evening to ensure that the work is
completed. He would not have to be told about the work. He took his initiatives to ensure that the work is complete.

3. When there be a long queue of students to fill up the forms of private examinations, there would be one person for
which the principal could be sure. That person would ensure smooth working. (in Rajasthan, the number of students
appearing as private candidate is more than the number of regular students, even regular students also mostly remain
irregular, thus there is not much of difference between private and regular students). Being handicapped, he cannot lift
weight and cannot do physical work to a substantial extent. However, his zeal never died. I went with him on a few
official tours and realized that honesty and commitment of that person was beyond comparison. However, even that
person was put to questions and questions of integrity. Ultimately that person decided to quit silently. He was quite, but
I was disappointed. He didn’t get the type of response that he should have got, he didn’t get the types of increments
that he should have got. He had a few colleagues, who were sycophants and were able to get quick increments and
benefits just for being sycophants (without making any contribution to the institution)
I can see the decay of both the institution builder and the institution. Both needed each other, but probably the society
or the so called decision makers don’t realize this. It will be too late by the time my message is taken in proper
perspective and some corrective actions are taken.
Those who know me, might have understood the entire saga that I am narrating within my limitations as a civilized
person (not quoting the names of those persons who are trying to destroy institution, nor giving the names of the
person, who has been victimized). Yet I understand that none has the capability to do something on one’s own. We need
a collective sprit, a collective voice, a capability to speak out in the public and change the public opinion. Let us built
truly democratic institutions. Let us built truly human centric institutions.
Author :
Dr. Trilok Kumar Jain has devoted his life to institution building, social entrepreneurship and in promoting spirituality. He
can be contacted at jain.tk@gmail.com or 09414430763