Quality Education for Students – Governor ESL Narsimhan

Posted by admin on August 18th, 2010

Governor ESL Narsimhan has emphasised the need for quality education for students in universities.

“Our universities manage to produce a large number of Ph.Ds. But what about the value of these degrees? If we do not fix the problem of quality we will face the prospect of being left behind in a world racing towards a knowledge society?” he said.

He was speaking at the 78th annual convocation of the Osmania University held at the Tagore Auditorium here on Tuesday.

“The great challenge before the universities is to access this knowledge and to mould it in a manner amenable to our societal needs and requirements. If this challenge can be successfully met, India can maintain its intellectual leadership and occupy its rightful place among the comity of nations. I believe that we could together strive to change the things for the better and to make ours a great nation,’’ he said.

Vice-Chancellor of Osmania University T.Tirupati Rao speaking on the occasion focussed on the achievements and initiatives of the university.“The primary focus in our efforts is a shift from teacher-centric teaching to student-centric mode. This is facilitated by interventions and innovations such as choice-based credit system, project work, assignments, seminars, enrichment of classroom teaching, continuous evaluation, student mentoring and feedback.

There is an overwhelming support and positive response to this move from the staff and students. There is discernible improvement in the quality of teaching- learning processes among the students,“ he said.

Rao also informed that the university figured among the top ten universities of the country according to the recent India Today-Nielsen survey.

The chief guest Sukhadeo Thorat, chairman, University Grants Commission, threw some light on the activities of the government in the field of higher education.

“The government of India has taken steps for the expansion of higher education as a part of 11th plan 2007-2012.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, termed Eleventh Plan as ‘Education Plan’. The high priority to higher education is reflected in setting a target of 15 percent enrolment rate which is equivalent to seven million more students by 2012. This is an ambitious target and so far as we have achieved an increase in enrolment rate from about 1% in 1950 to about 11% in 2007,’’ Thorat observed.

Successful candidates were conferred degrees and gold medals were awarded to those who excelled in the examinations.