‘Academic activity on the decline in varsities’
Staff Reporter
CHENNAI, June 20, 2018 00:00 IST
Governor and Chancellor of Anna University Banwarilal Purohit presenting a degree certificate and gold medal to a graduate at the 38th annual convocation of Anna University, Guindy in Chennai on Tuesday.B. Jothi Ramalingam
38th annual convocation held at Anna University
“We seem to be obsessed with rankings of our institutions, an obsession that may catalyse further decline as institutions optimize irrelevant parameters,” said P. Balaram, Former Director of the Indian Institute of Sciences, Bengaluru. He was speaking at the 38th Annual Convocation of the Anna University on Tuesday.
Stating that there had been a systematic and accelerating decline of academic activity in major universities, he said that while many new institutions were created, old institutions have been neglected and in decay.
“The depths to which our higher education system, both central and state, has sunk is evident in the inability of the governments to appoint vice chancellors to lead our institutions. Even when appointments are made, controversies and charges follow,” he said. Mr. Balram emphasised the need to stem the rising tide of neglect of the sectors of higher education and said that future generations of teachers and students deserve better conditions.
“It is important that we leave education at the hands of educationalists and prevent political interference,” he noted, while recalling how a case had been made for eliminating topics such as evolutionary principles from textbooks.
Through the course of his convocation address, Mr. Balaram further spoke about the need to promote a broad public understanding of science and why science merited public support.
Governor Banwarilal Purohit presided over the convocation and Minister for Higher Education K.P. Anbalagan was also present. A total of 1,304 Ph.D scholars received their degrees and 64 students who secured the first rank from the Bachelors programmes for Engineering, Technology and Architecture received their degrees as well as gold medals.
Speaking on the occasion, M.K. Surappa, Vice Chancellor of Anna University said that the university would soon have an incubation centre with Central funding to promote start-ups. “We are also in the process of receiving a major grant under RUSA scheme towards research and innovation, and for introducing a National-level curriculum for computer science education,” he added.
Staff Reporter
CHENNAI, June 20, 2018 00:00 IST
Governor and Chancellor of Anna University Banwarilal Purohit presenting a degree certificate and gold medal to a graduate at the 38th annual convocation of Anna University, Guindy in Chennai on Tuesday.B. Jothi Ramalingam
38th annual convocation held at Anna University
“We seem to be obsessed with rankings of our institutions, an obsession that may catalyse further decline as institutions optimize irrelevant parameters,” said P. Balaram, Former Director of the Indian Institute of Sciences, Bengaluru. He was speaking at the 38th Annual Convocation of the Anna University on Tuesday.
Stating that there had been a systematic and accelerating decline of academic activity in major universities, he said that while many new institutions were created, old institutions have been neglected and in decay.
“The depths to which our higher education system, both central and state, has sunk is evident in the inability of the governments to appoint vice chancellors to lead our institutions. Even when appointments are made, controversies and charges follow,” he said. Mr. Balram emphasised the need to stem the rising tide of neglect of the sectors of higher education and said that future generations of teachers and students deserve better conditions.
“It is important that we leave education at the hands of educationalists and prevent political interference,” he noted, while recalling how a case had been made for eliminating topics such as evolutionary principles from textbooks.
Through the course of his convocation address, Mr. Balaram further spoke about the need to promote a broad public understanding of science and why science merited public support.
Governor Banwarilal Purohit presided over the convocation and Minister for Higher Education K.P. Anbalagan was also present. A total of 1,304 Ph.D scholars received their degrees and 64 students who secured the first rank from the Bachelors programmes for Engineering, Technology and Architecture received their degrees as well as gold medals.
Speaking on the occasion, M.K. Surappa, Vice Chancellor of Anna University said that the university would soon have an incubation centre with Central funding to promote start-ups. “We are also in the process of receiving a major grant under RUSA scheme towards research and innovation, and for introducing a National-level curriculum for computer science education,” he added.
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