Chandigarh, Monday, November 16, 1998
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Chandigarh, Monday, November 16, 1998 |
“Oxford has 30 Asian students” By Sanjeev Bariana The very mention of Oxford University triggers images of scholars buried in books. Saroop Purewal, born and brought up in England and an Oxford University postgraduate, talked to The Tribune about her experiences at the university. PU must
be central varsity Officiating Vice-Chancellor for
overhaul of GJU TV replaces guru Schumpeter lecture
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“Oxford has 30
Asian students” The very mention of Oxford University triggers images of scholars buried in books. Saroop Purewal, born and brought up in England and an Oxford University postgraduate, talked to The Tribune about her experiences at the university. Q — What course did you study at Oxford? A — I have completed masters degree in Chemistry (M.Chem). After four years’ stay at the university, I did specialisation in organic chemistry which makes me competent for work on drug molecules and allied fields. Q — What would you say is the highlight of Oxford’s education system? A — One of the highlights is that the university tries to ensure one teacher for one student at the senior level. This promotes the urge to work more. Q — How would you describe the course structure? A — The four-year course is divided into three years of theory work followed by a year’s course in laboratory work. There are certain institutions in England where both courses are conducted simultaneously, but I found the Oxford system better. Q — How would you describe the level of research? A — Things have changed in the sense that only those who can get research funded by the government or are sponsored by private company can pursue a doctors degree. This allows only the deserving to go ahead in their studies and prevent a rat race for degree for degree’s sake. Q — How many Asians study at the Oxford? A — The Oxford has approximately 30 colleges. There are on an average 10 Asian students in each college. Q — In the changing world scenario, has science and economics overshadowed pursuance of arts as a subject for which the university is primarily known? A — No, it would be wrong to say so. The syllabi of literature is still “packed”. The students have to do a lot of reading. The atmosphere resounds with voices of drama students rehearsing their lines. Q — Do Indian youths have fora to get acquainted with their roots? A — There are societies like Asia Society. Even youth born and brought up in England are curious to know about the history of their families. That is the reason why I am here! There are no regular interactive sessions on India as such. The youth have to strike a balance between eastern and western values. Q — What has been your experience about India? A — I came here once earlier but do not remember much about it. I quite like it this time. The first thing that struck me were the roads. They are amazing and I cannot help but be amused at the laxity in traffic rules. Q — Did you experience racism at Oxford or in school? A — No. But that does not mean racism does not exist. It is on the streets but educational institutions of repute do not allow it. Q — Will your race come in the way of your getting a job or will a degree from Oxford overcome that impediment? A — Fortunately multinational companies do not practise colour bias. They are thoroughly professional and merit alone counts. I do
know that many Asians take up Anglo-Indian name which
ensures they will at least be called for the job
interview. But this happens with small establishments.
Multinationals are no problem. In fact (she laughs) my
gender, I feel, is more likely to be an obstacle in the
acutely competitive job market. |
PU
must be central varsity THE recent report on the Punjab Government having written to the Centre for the transfer of Panjab University to the state needs examination. The move is not new. During the earlier government of Mr Beant Singh, Mr Harnam Singh Johar had regularly “interfered” in the affairs of the university under the plea of financial support rendered to it by the Punjab Government. It needs to be recognised that Panjab University continues to enjoy a high stature among the universities in the country. It continues to maintain its reputation. It’s alumni occupy responsible positions in foreign countries and have brought laurels to their Alma Mater. The university is rated high by developing nations who feel it an honour to send their students to pursue courses in the university. The university under the Central Government since 1966, has remained comparatively free from such interference by vested local interests. This has enabled it to pursue independently the best course for its development, and maintain reputation in the selection of teachers. In most science departments it has made far-reaching progress which has been well recognised by national and international experts. Lately it is being pulled down due to frequent interference by the Punjab Government in its affairs. It is only if the university is made a central university that this sort of situation can be averted and the university freed from the financial hold of the Punjab Government. North-west India comprising the states of Punjab, Haryana, J and K and Himachal Pradesh as well as the Union Territory of Chandigarh does not have a central university. There is an urgent need for establishing one in the wider interest of the states which should at least have one university free of narrow local politics. Further, such university would act as a nursery for the selection and training of best brains from these states who would be an asset to the country. Panjab University has mainly been under the administration of the Centre for the past 32 years. Thus, there should be no difficulty in raising its status to the central university which would not involve any major additional funding responsibility. Besides,
Panjab already has a number of universities like Punjabi,
Guru Nanak Dev, PAU, and technical university and plans
to open a few other professional universities. One fails
to understand why then should it be keen to have a hold
over Panjab University. |
Officiating
Vice-Chancellor for HISAR: With senior IAS officer and Divisional Commissioner Hisar, Mr Dharamveer, taking over as the officiating Vice-Chancellor of the Guru Jambeshwar University, Hisar, the university seems set for an overhaul. The university, which was facing a severe cash crunch for the last two years, hopes that with the appointment of a new Vice-Chancellor the things may improve. Even the Home Minister Mani Ram Godara had admitted that things will improve for the university only after the appointment of a new vice-chancellor. Mr Dharamveer told TNS that he was studying the problems being faced by the university to reduce duplication between departments. He pointed out there are two separate departments for the environment — environmental sciences and environment engineering. Similarly, there are three separate departments for computers, computer engineering, computer applications and the information technology. These departments could be merged. Referring to the ban on fresh recruitments in the university, he said he will have to assess priorities. As of now he had set the target of developing infrastructure and a good library. Mr Dharamveer refused to specify what he would do to make up for the 20 lecturers whose appointment was approved by the executive council of the university, but withheld due to the ban. The officiating Vice-Chancellor created ripples when he told a meeting of professors and deans that the university’s academic standards were so low that he would not like to send his son to it. He said, he will ensure that adequate infrastructure for the laboratories is developed and regretted that even after three years there was still no good laboratory. He explained that his emphasis would be on making the university a centre for research and development. He asked the departmental heads to prepare an action plan for the next three years so that the laboratories and courses could be developed in a systematic manner. In a significant move he announced that every faculty member and student of the university should be exposed to computer and information technology. Further it has been decided to set up centralised laboratories apart from providing such facilities to the departments. The
university will also have its own faculty for teachers. |
TV replaces
guru IT is the age of the old, it is the age of the youth. We have a greater number of old folk than ever before; we have a greater number of the young, who-after the lowering of the voting age to 18-promise to create history and threaten to be the rulers in the future. The velocity of history was never faster in human history. Swami Vivekanand said that the present students regard their parents and teachers as fools and hypocrites. And he spoke more than a hundred years ago. The revolutionary changes have come faster as the industrial society has given place to electronic, computer and space society. Every one talks of the daily falling standards in colleges and universities. One of the reasons is that the teachers and students belong to two very different (if not diametrically opposed) mind-sets, objectives and ideals. The TV not the guru or the teacher is the most powerful influence on their lives. It brain-washes them to a set of commercial trivialities, social superficialities, violence, crime, sex, drugs. The quality of the students is better. Notice the near cent per cent marks which a large number of students obtain in many subjects- something unprecedented. Modern students are far more hard working in this terribly competitive atmosphere; more mentally alert and better informed about all subjects than their predecessors ever were. Gandhiji alone did some fresh thinking by proposing basic education (which seemed to be an answer to our poor agricultural society). But it was rejected by professional educationists wedded to deep-seated conservatism though always pretending to be advocates of revolutionary changes. And thus this mega-train of education with millions of passengers moves practically on old rails, having lost direction and certitude, that once were. Control has passed from celebrated academic to the hands of the trade union leaders, who alone all call the shots and whose objective are non-educational, if nor anti-academic. Where do
we go from here? What is the solution? There is no
immediate solution. |
Schumpeter lecture ROHTAK: Dr Bhagwan Dahiya, seniormost Professor of Economics at M.D. University, Rohtak, has got the status of an ‘International Professor’. He has been invited to deliver the Schumpeter lecture in the spring of 1999 in Italy. Since 1995, Schumpeter lectures have been delivered “by most distinguished international economists.” He has also been invited to an international congress to be held in the year 2000 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the death of Prof Joseph A. Schumpeter, the great economist. Professor Dahiya would be delivering seminars and lectures in a number of universities during 1999 as a visiting or guest professor. Some of these universities are the University of Pretoria in South Africa, Tuscia University of Italy, the Vienna University of Economics in Austria, the University of Ghent in Belgium, York University in Canada, and several German Universities at Trier, Bamberg, Regensburg, Tuebingen, Passau, etc. Dr Dahiya has also been nominated for the prestigious Ashley Fellowship at Trent University in Canada. — JS
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MDU faces resource crunch ROHTAK: Maharshi Dayanand University is facing an acute shortage of finances following the decision of the UGC and the NCTE to restrict admission to B.Ed. course to 250 candidates. It still requires Rs 100 crore to create the infrastructure as envisaged in the masterplan of the university. After the introduction of B.Ed through distance education, the university had earned Rs 1540 lakh in 1995-96 as against a grant-in-aid of Rs 818.50 lakh from the state government. These internal resources were utilised by the university on developmental activities. But since the 1996-97 academic session, admission to B.Ed correspondence course has been restricted to 250 seats. Thus, the most important source of revenue for the university has almost dried up. The university is now solely dependent of grant-in-aid from the state government though it has earned some income from Tuition fee, examination fee, development fee, and NRI and industry sponsored fee. The budget estimates of the university for the current financial year are yet to be approved by the government. The university has demanded grant-in-aid to the tune of Rs 3036.24 lakh for the current financial year so that it may be able to meet its expenditure and continue its development activities. * * * The university has made a lumpsum provision of Rs 400 lakh in the budget estimates (1998-99) for meeting additional liability likely to be incurred due to revision of pay scales following implementation of the recommendations of the Fifth Pay Commission and payment of ADA and bonus. The expenditure on account of ‘salary’ has been estimated at Rs 1493.70 lakh (old pay scales), an increase of Rs 137.96 lakh over past year’s budget. This is believed to be due to increase in increments of the employees. During 1997-98, the university has spent Rs 1355.74 lakh against the budgetary provisions of Rs 1411.55 lakh. Though the university regards it as a significant saving, but this was on account of the ban on recruitment. * * * The University Grants Commission has earmarked an amount of Rs 2.86 crore as financial assistance to the university during the 9th five-year plan. The allocation includes a grant of Rs 110 lakh for the construction of a girls hostel, Rs 40 lakh for the staff and Rs 50 lakh for purchase of equipment. The UGC has already released a sum of Rs 28.60 lakh for the purchase of books and journals and equipment. * * * The university proposes to earn Rs 16.64 lakh from tuition fee and fines from students in the university teaching departments, Rs 1.27 crore from examination fee including re-evaluation fee, and Rs 10.18 lakh as charges from hostelers. The income from sale of its publications has been estimated at Rs 1.40 crore, and from various correspondence courses at Rs 3.96 crore. * * * The Registrar, Mr Srikant Walgad, says the loss to studies due to the teachers’ strike in August is being made up by extra classes and by curtailing vacations. He says the academic schedule has been prepared in a way that there are at least 180 teaching days as prescribed by the University Grants Commission. * * * The
Controller of Examination, Dr K.C. Bhardwaj, says the
results of TDC-III supplementary examination held in
October has been declared ahead of the schedule. As per
the schedule, the result was to be declared on November 9
whereas the university has declared it on November 6. The
marksheets have been despatched . |
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