Edu doyens push for MGR policies to spur growth
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Chennai: Prominent leaders and some of the biggest names in the higher education sector of Tamil Nadu, came together on Wednesday and batted for MGR’s policies to be followed by the governments, to further educational and economic growth. Several government and private institutions’ leaders had gathered at the Vellore Institute of Technology’s Chennai campus, to celebrate the 101st birth anniversary of former chief minister and late film icon M G Ramachandran.
Stating that Tamil Nadu was the leader in higher education today, especially in private sector because of the foundation laid by MGR, founder-chancellor of VIT University G Viswanathan, urged the state and central governments to follow his policies and pitched for the privatisation of institutions to promote growth.
The chancellor was speaking during the unveiling of a bronze MGR statue, of 7.9ft height and weighing 360kg, in the campus. The chancellor recalled the invaluable contributions of MGR to Tamil Nadu, such as the midday meal scheme and the setting up of self-financing colleges in 1984.
“Unless we follow MGR’s policies, we will not be able to make much progress. We are lagging behind many countries like China and Korea, who once had per capita income similar to that of India. Unless we strengthen higher education, the desired economic development is not possible,” Viswanathan said.
Quoting figures from the last census, the chancellor said that among the 14crore students eligible to pursue higher education, only 3.5crore children had access to higher education through 40,000 colleges and 800 universities. “Rest of the children are waiting outside the gates of educational institutions. If this has to be made possible, it can be done only through privatisation of institutions,” he said.
He expressed the hope that the Kasturi Rangan Committee looking into the National Education Policy, would get into these details and suggest various means in which private sector can play a role to improve access to higher education.
Paramasivum Pillay Vyapoory, Vice President of Mauritius, who unveiled the MGR statue, said there is a lot of emphasis on education for social progress and is seeking to develop Mauritius as an education hub for Indian Ocean and Africa region. He also invited higher educational institutions in the state to open branches in the Mauritius, and also to provide seats for students from the Republic of Mauritius to study in Tamil Nadu.
Stating that Tamil Nadu was the leader in higher education today, especially in private sector because of the foundation laid by MGR, founder-chancellor of VIT University G Viswanathan, urged the state and central governments to follow his policies and pitched for the privatisation of institutions to promote growth.
The chancellor was speaking during the unveiling of a bronze MGR statue, of 7.9ft height and weighing 360kg, in the campus. The chancellor recalled the invaluable contributions of MGR to Tamil Nadu, such as the midday meal scheme and the setting up of self-financing colleges in 1984.
“Unless we follow MGR’s policies, we will not be able to make much progress. We are lagging behind many countries like China and Korea, who once had per capita income similar to that of India. Unless we strengthen higher education, the desired economic development is not possible,” Viswanathan said.
Quoting figures from the last census, the chancellor said that among the 14crore students eligible to pursue higher education, only 3.5crore children had access to higher education through 40,000 colleges and 800 universities. “Rest of the children are waiting outside the gates of educational institutions. If this has to be made possible, it can be done only through privatisation of institutions,” he said.
He expressed the hope that the Kasturi Rangan Committee looking into the National Education Policy, would get into these details and suggest various means in which private sector can play a role to improve access to higher education.
Paramasivum Pillay Vyapoory, Vice President of Mauritius, who unveiled the MGR statue, said there is a lot of emphasis on education for social progress and is seeking to develop Mauritius as an education hub for Indian Ocean and Africa region. He also invited higher educational institutions in the state to open branches in the Mauritius, and also to provide seats for students from the Republic of Mauritius to study in Tamil Nadu.
CELEBRATING AN ICON:
Chief guests stand next to the MGR statue inaugurated by Mauritius VP
Paramasivum Pillay Vyapoory at VIT Chennai campus on Wednesday
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