'Varsities should be free from political interference'

Manipal University former Vice Chancellor Prof B M Hegde strongly felt that universities should be free from political interference. It is unfortunate that the academic and syndicate members of universities are appointed by political leaders these days, he said. 

Presiding over a seminar on “Contribution of Mangalore University to regional development,” organised by Media Alumni Association of Mangalagangothri (MAAM) at T V Ramana Pai auditorium on Sunday, he opined that government universities in the nation had lost autonomy, and called it a tragedy that universities were being controlled by political leaders.

Universities need to shun narrow mentalities and should work for overall development of community. 

Local resources are not adequately used by the universities, Hegde said and suggested carrying out researches on Etho-Botany, to accomplish the rich biodiversity of the region.

Association of Mangalore University College Teachers (AMUCT) president Dr Norbert Lobo said that the Mangalore University had only one PG centre in Chikkaluvara and one science centre in Udupi and there was need to establish more centres. 

Many affiliated colleges, despite meeting necessary criteria, are not been granted permission by the university to start PG courses. 

Also, PhD guideships have not been provided to eligible professors in colleges having PG centres. Hence, university has failed to carry out capacity building and human resource development, he added. 

Member of the committee constituted to submit report on establishment of Mangalore University in 1979, (Dr VKRV Rao committee) and wellknown sociologist Prof Sripati Tantri said that there was a need for MU to ponder on whether it was able to respond to regional aspirations and to what extent it had been able to excel academically in comparison with other universities.  University should strive to become a people’s university in the real sense, Tantri added.

MU VC Prof K Byrappa said University had planned several extension programmes to utilise and to promote indigenous knowledge. Work towards Vision 2030 is also being initiated, he added.

He said that the university was committed for the development of local culture. Several study chairs have been active towards the same, he said and added that Konkani and Rani Abbakka study chairs were expected shortly in the university. 

The university will promote students to take up research activities on the issues related to rural development.

Foreign students were given an opportunity to study in the university for the first time during the current academic year. Next year, 100 foreign students will join the campus. To facilitate knowledge exchange programme, the university has signed 30 MoUs with institutions abroad.

PhD guideship for eligible professors and autonomous status to colleges having PG centres will be granted in due course. Identification work is being done by the university in this regard, the VC said.

Adjunct professor

Earlier, Udayavani Mangaluru Bureau Chief Manohar Prasad was felicitated by the MAAM for 30 years of service in journalism. VC Prof K Byrappa announced that Prasad would be appointed as Adjunct Professor in the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism in the varsity.

Speaking after receiving the felicitation, Prasad opined that though media had excelled in terms of technology, it had failed to fulfill moral obligations. He said that self regulation for media houses was the need of the hour. He also returned Rs one lakh given to him by the MAAM as a part of felicitation. A book ‘Manobinandana’ on Prasad was released by Taranga Managing Editor Sandhya Pai.