EDUCATION

Teachers flay degeneration in universities
Our Correspondent

Rohtak, May 16
Leaders of various university teachers’ associations expressed serious concern over the rampant degeneration in the realm of higher learning due to utter lack of democratic ethos in the matter of appointment of key functionaries in various universities in the state.

Expressing their views in a panel discussion on “Governance of universities and appointment of key functionaries in them” held under the auspices of the Haryana Federation of University and College Teachers’ Organisations (HFUCTO) here on Wednesday, leaders of the All-India Federation of University and College Teachers’ Organisations (AIFUCTO), Maharshi Dayanand University Teachers’ Association (MDUTA), Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) among several prominent educationists and citizens stressed that only distinguished personalities having an extraordinary background in academics should be given charge of key posts.

Initiating the discussion, Dr Vazir Nehra, convenor, HFUCTO, highlighted the rein of ‘personal vendetta, partiality and favouritism’ and ‘corruption galore’ in the PCTI deal, printing of cheap books in the Directorate of Distance Education and the scandal pertaining to fake answer books in Maharshi Dayanand University. The present Vice-Chancellor had, he alleged, reduced the autonomous body of the university to the level of a petty branch of a government office. He alleged the Vice-Chancellor did not even care to get the approval of competent university bodies and just acted as a conduit pipe to forward the government letters for instant implementation.

Dr V. K. Tiwari, national secretary, AIFUCTO, held the policies of privatisation, globalisation and commercialisation of education responsible for the degeneration in the standard of higher learning. He also talked of democratic process for the appointment of the Vice-Chancellors as done in Panjab University, Chandigarh. Dr Shashwati Manjumdar, president, DUTA, lamented that most of the energy of teachers was frittered away in pursuing routine matters while failing to address major issues. The MDUTA president pointed out that the ‘deterioration’ in different standards in the university could be gauged by the fact that the Vice-chancellor, Maj-Gen Bhim Singh Suhag (retd), during his three-year tenure could not muster courage to face the teachers.

MDU plans to offer MEd, MLib courses thru 
distance education 
Our Correspondent

Rohtak, May 16
Maharshi Dayanand University is planning to introduce MEd, MLib Science and Bachelor Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication courses through distance education from the current academic session.

The Directorate of Distance Education of the university is currently disseminating education in 24 disciplines, 13 of which lead to postgraduate degree, eight to bachelor degree and three to postgraduate diplomas.

The varied programmes offered by the Directorate of Distance Education range from conventional to management and technical as per the needs of the area and employment opportunities available in the country, claimed an official of the directorate.

He said that new courses were being introduced realising the need of disseminating education to the disadvantageous groups living in remote areas and persons belonging to weaker sections of the society who can not attend regular classes in colleges and the university departments.

The university was providing “meaningful” education to more than 45,000 students at present through distance education. Of these, 29,126 are women candidates, 1,262 Scheduled Caste and 4,569 Backward Class candidates.

From the next academic session, the Directorate of Distance Education is going to establish its study centres for conventional undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in whole of Haryana, Punjab, Chandigarh, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal and Rajasthan. The plans also include setting up of study centres abroad.

The university has already set up about 41 study centres for the MBA/MCA programmes and 30 for undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in colleges affiliated to it.

The official claimed that the network of study centres being created all over the country would help in mitigating the feeling of isolation of distance learners. These centres would prove a boon for them as the programmes were telescopic in nature wherein a diploma/advance diploma is awarded after the completion of each year of training culminating in a university degree.

To provide flexibility and greater choice to students, the directorate also catered to lateral induction of IT courses, the official said.