Mangalore: Seminar at Besant College Stresses on Quality in Higher Education

Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (DV)

Mangalore, Dec 28: A two-day seminar on 'Quality: The Key Factor in Administrative Reforms in Higher Education' was inaugurated at Besant Women's College here on Friday December 28. The seminar is being held in collaboration with the Internal Quality Assurance Cell.

Inaugurating the seminar, Rajya Sabha MP Oscar Fernandes said that the seminar topic was an important subject which required apt discussion before the bill on reforms in higher education was passed in the legislature.

"The nation is heading towards the concept of 2020, that is the year declared by thinkers and scholars when India would be a Superpower. On that day our country will achieve greatness and will be strengthened economically, educationally. India will be equal to other world powers," he said.

He also added that education is bedrock to our culture. "India had great mathematicians like Aryabhatta who contributed a lot to the field mathematics. Our Indian Panchanga (calendar) can predict occurences such as solar eclipses. We had the concept of flight during the time of Arjuna, we had the concept of mobile during the time of Draupadi in Mahabharatha. We Indians are surrounded by a pool of knowledge. We have abundance of resources, chiefly the youth of the country, but institutions have failed to give proper education due to lack of facilities. There are 200 universities in the world but unfortunately we are not in the top position due to lack of importance given to research," he said.

"Universities must give prominence to research. Many commissions like Radhakrishnan commission, Kothari Education Commission, Yashpal committee and Sam Pitroda committee threw light on the insufficient research in universities, which is the cause for shortcomings in higher education," he said.

"In education, we should grow vertically and horizontally equally. Presently we have 13.4% of the gross enrollment ratio, the gross ratio in universities by 2020 will rise up to 30% which will finally be equal to western universities. To achieve this 30% gross ratio in 2020, every child should attend school and children should be provided with free education," he added. 

Presently in India 10 crore students get free mid-day meals and scholarships for their education.

"For this purpose an appropriate bill must be passed keeping in mind aspects like proper education, adequate research facilities, accreditation and grading to school and colleges. With the grading system, students can easily identify the college they want to join," he said. 
 
H A Ranganath, director of NAAC said, "Earlier we did not have good facilities but the teaching method was good and qualitative. Presently, there is no dedication or commitment in education."

He further added, "Every college should be autonomous. The system of autonomy helps the college to maintain itself financially and academically. Every institution should try to obtain autonomy and enhance its potential with excellent grades. 

"Education institutions should strive to imbibe two aspects of education - high quality, and secondly, structural changes and modification in the education system."

Kudpi Jagadish Shenoy in his presidential address lauded Besant Women's College and said strategy and plans should be chalked out to improve the quality of education.

Dr Manjula KT welcomed the gathering, professor Shirlay Rani, coordinator of IQAC presented the theme of the seminar.

Manel Annapa Naik was present on the occasion. Aima Sherina compered.