Gov inaugurates VCs’ Conference
By OUR STAFF REPORTER
DEHRADUN, 20 Dec: Governor Baby Rani Maurya inaugurated the Vice Chancellor’s conference at Rajbhawan, here, on Thursday. The Governor said that research and employment must be at the centre of all decisions and activities of the universities. Original research work and the number of patents enhanced the reputation of universities. State universities ought to strive hard to be in the top fifty universities in the National Institutional Ranking framework.
While addressing the conference, the Governor said universities are not just degree providing institutions, they had a bigger role in society and nation building. She directed the Additional Chief Secretary to resolve all pending issues related to universities at the government level in 3 months.
The Governor added that each university had been established with a view to achieving specific goals. The universities ought to function as Centres of Excellence in their chosen areas of research. Universities should assist the government in policy making also. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had resolved to double the income of farmers by 2022. To achieve this objective, the Universities in the field of Agriculture and Horticulture ought to work on increasing the income of the farmers in the hill areas of Uttarakhand. The Technical University could work on developing models for Start-Ups in the state.
The Governor also stressed on paying special attention to the quality of PhDs. The subject of research could be related to any social, economic or cultural aspect of the state. Through research work, efforts should be made to resolve long-standing problems of society. She added that the curriculum of the universities must be employment oriented. Courses had to be designed according to the needs of the industries.
She revealed that a committee had also been constituted under the chairmanship of Secretary to the Governor to report on the quality of research work. Vice Chancellor, Sridev Suman University, Prof US Rawat, Director General, UCOST, Dr Rajendra Dobhal, and Additional Secretary, Higher Education, Dr Ahmed Iqbal have been included as members of the committee.
She emphasised that the selection and appointment of teachers had to be fully transparent, which was the responsibility of the VCs. Proposals for the affiliation of institutions should not be sent to the Chancellor’s office without ensuring basic required facilities and standards.
The Governor also stressed upon the use of solar energy and rain water harvesting in the buildings of universities and colleges. It could be started in a phased manner. Universities must contribute to the cause of environment protection and conservation through research and labour.
She also expected the universities to work for social and economic uplift of rural areas by contributing to primary education, health and skill development sectors through students and teachers.
She directed the Higher Education Department to give necessary permission to Sridev Suman University for the creation of new posts, at the earliest. She instructed universities to provide training in disaster management. Progress reports of the work done by the universities on social awareness have also been sought by her.
The Governor said that all the Vice Chancellors must complete the goals set by their universities in a time bound manner. Universities ought to submit a summary report every month to Raj Bhawan. She directed creation of a common web portal for all universities. A School of Health Care Administration would be started soon by the Medical University, she announced.
During the conference, the calendar of examinations, results and convocation ceremonies were discussed. Along with this, admissions and appointments in universities, activities related to the social obligations of the universities were also discussed. Especially, efforts of universities in preventing migration from rural areas, collaboration with farmers, initiation for environmental conservation programmes for adopted villages, were reviewed. Issues related to curriculum, quality research, affiliation of colleges were also discussed in detail. Secretary to the Governor, RK Sudhanshu conducted the proceedings.
All the VCs, Additional Chief Secretaries Dr Ranbir Singh and Om Prakash, Secretaries Amit Negi, Nitesh Jha, D Senthil Pandiyan and Indudhar Baudai were present at the conference.