Call to protect universities from political, bureaucratic meddling

A noted scientist has stressed on the need to protect universities from political and bureaucratic meddling.

Delivering the 33rd convocation address at Mangalore University on Wednesday, Goverdhan Mehta, National Research Professor, School of Chemistry, University of Hyderabad, said the autonomy of universities should be safeguarded.

He urged the Chancellor of the University and Karnataka Governor, who chaired the convocation, to be the protector and promoter of quality in higher education institutions in the State.

Fall in standards Although ensuring quality education is the primary responsibility of the university, the breakneck speed of the expansion phase during the past decade has severely compromised their ability to maintain and enhance quality, he said.

Endemic shortage of faculty and learning resources, mindless proliferation of courses, dwindling infrastructure, inadequate budgetary support, indifferent leadership and governance deficit in general had a crippling effect on quality education, he said.

Stating that templates are available to enhance and maintain the quality in higher education, Mehta said with effective policy intervention and active involvement and commitment of university stakeholders it can be achieved.

It is important for universities to position themselves not only as consumers, disseminators and generators of knowledge but also as aggregators of knowledge to build intellectual capital and global leadership in the knowledge-driven era, he said.

Focus on research Academic institutions must value, recognise and place a premium on research. It is not a luxury but a necessity, Mehta said.

Every faculty in a university must cultivate a research idea, make a bid for competitive merit-based research funding, and must harbour a yearning to supervise a doctoral research, he added.

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