Sikkim University: From classroom to field- Sikkim students study tradition and trends

Gangtok, Jan. 4.TT: Over 400 undergraduate and PG students of Sikkim University are taking part in an inter-disciplinary field work where they will get to do research on topics ranging from traditional games to modern trends in fashion.

The students from 10 colleges across Sikkim will be guided by 60 faculty members for the compulsory project named “Winter Sojourn”. No marks would be awarded for the project.

The findings of the study would be analysed during a group presentation and the final reports have to be submitted to the varsity. Students would get a chance to publish their work and pick up some of the topics for further research.

Vice-chancellor Mahendra P. Lama said the objective of the field work was to send students outside the classrooms and give them training in field research.

“During field studies, students observe, interact with people and later make reports that they can present in the classrooms. The students also communicate with the people about the university. The broad objective is to link the society to Sikkim University,” he said.

The programme was introduced during the last academic calendar and seven teams consisting of around 250 students had conducted field studies on topics like cardamom, tea and water across Sikkim, Siliguri, Darjeeling and Kalimpong last year.

This time, the students can choose any of the 18 topics ranging from earthquakes, games, monuments, fashion, forests, women vendors, hydel power projects and migrant labourers.

One of the topics given to the teams this year is amliso, a plant used to make brooms. Students opting for this subject will conduct their study at Soreng in West Sikkim and Gangtok and Siliguri in the third week of January.

“There is not much information on the commercial aspects of amliso brooms. Our team will also be looking into the sociology associated with the topic,” said Lama.

He added that the students could also study women vendors. “We have a theme on women vendors and students will be studying those who sell tea, snacks and vegetables along the highways and roads of Sikkim,” Lama said.

The VC said the field study would also be done on traditional games that had lost out to modern activities like video games and games on cellphones and internet.

“There were different games 20 years ago in the hills. Our fathers used to play them actively and we also have some knowledge about them. But the younger generation has no idea of such games. Our team will study and document the games that have now become history,” he said.

Another theme that can be studied this year is fashion.

“Our children are very bright. If a new fashion develops in places like Tokyo, Bangkok or any other big cities, our children quickly come to know about it and follow it. We want to know how they do it. We want to know about their communication channels and how the fashion trends are followed,” Lama said.

He added that two groups working on earthquakes and games had already left for their fields.

While those studying earthquakes are in Dzongu in North Sikkim, the others are at Yuksom in West Sikkim.

Each group consists of 20 to 35 students and is accompanied by faculty members.

Officials said field work during Winter Sojourn would be spread across different parts of Sikkim, Darjeeling, Dooars, Southern Bhutan and Eastern Nepal.

The group studying hydro power will visit project sites in Sikkim and Punatsangchhu-I hydro electric project in Bhutan.

Those studying human trafficking will focus on Siliguri, Dooars and Eastern Nepal.

Sources said the winter holidays are from December 11 till February 3 and the field studies that started in the third week of December would be over by February 3.

After the field work and documentation is complete students will prepare a presentation during which the findings would be analysed.

Officials said reports of the last Winter Sojourn were published in local newspapers but this time the varsity would have its own publication for the findings of the field study.

Sikkim University would be bear the project cost that would range from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 3 lakh for each group depending on the location.