VCs for four-year integrated undergraduate courses

[sajiv]

VCs for four-year integrated undergraduate courses

Government will consider amending Act to facilitate it: Baligar Make higher education more attractive,says Prabhu Dev Mohandas Pai stresses need for research-based education

BANGALORE: The Karnataka Knowledge Commission (KKC) on Friday sought the feedback of the universities on three major issues — establishing universities in every district, outsourcing of examination and evaluation work, and allowing setting up of private universities, so as to enable the commission to make suitable recommendations to the Government.

In his keynote address at the Summit of Vice-Chancellors of Karnataka here, KKC member V.B. Coutinho said the feedback was necessary to increase the reach of higher education. Though Prof. Coutinho was not in favour of allowing private universities as they would be business-oriented, the KKC, nevertheless, sought feedback on that issue too.

KKC member-secretary M.K. Sridhar urged the heads of universities to submit their feedback, including on the proposal to amend the Karnataka State Universities' Act, by May-end.

At the summit, the Vice-Chancellors were to present four ideas each towards achieving global standards in higher education. Heads of many universities pitched for integrated undergraduate courses leading to abridged postgraduate and doctoral studies to attract more number of students towards university education, and the State Government said it was in favour of amending the Karnataka State Universities Act to facilitate the move.

Vice-Chancellors of Karnatak University, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, and Bangalore University advocated a four-year integrated undergraduate course. Responding to the suggestions, V.P. Baligar, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, said the Government would consider amending the Act. Vice-Chancellor of Bangalore University N. Prabhu Dev had an interesting suggestion to make higher education more attractive. Let higher education be offered free of cost for a specified period of time by universities as well as private institutions. This would result in enrolment going up, he said. He also advocated having a flexible policy for foreign students so as to earn more income. Dr. Prabhu Dev noted that the United States earned over $10 billion a year by attracting foreign students. Vice-Chancellor of UAS (Bangalore) P.G. Chengappa endorsed the views, says the funds so generated would lessen the reliance of universities on government funding. Mysore University Vice-Chancellor V.G. Talwar drew the KKC's attention towards the severe shortage of faculty members and said the Government should allow the filling up of at least the sanctioned vacancies. Karnataka State Open University Vice-Chancellor B. Vivek Rai said the Government should encourage distance education.

T.V. Mohandas Pai, Head, Human Resource, Infosys Technologies, stressed the need for research-based education. He urged the Government to earmark at least Rs. 25 crore for the purpose.

KKC chairman K. Kasturirangan asked the universities to set up a professional body to train university teachers even while asking them to fill up vacant faculty posts.

KKC's website: http://www.karunadu.gov.in/jnanaayoga was launched.