Gold medal winners including Riya I K, Soundarya S G, Shashwatha T R, Varsha Sannappanavar, Sneha S, Akshata C N, Sindu K and Bhavyashri S P pose for a photograph with their gold medals at the 12th annual convocation of Davangere University on Wednesday.
Credit: DH Photo
Davangere: Taking exception to the establishment of single-subject universities, biochemist and former director of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc, Bengaluru)
P Balaram opined that universities must become a place where many subjects are available for studies. Establishing universities for only music or Sanskrit or a single subject is not a good idea.
“A university must become a place of intellectual ferment. In the absence of intellectual ferment and academia, very little can be achieved from universities,” he said.
Delivering the convocation address at the 12th annual convocation of Davangere University on Shivagangotri campus at Tholahunase near Davangere on Wednesday, Balaram said many cities in the country like ‘Bangalore’, ‘Madras’, ‘Bombay’ and ‘Calcutta’ have not only changed their names in recent years but also the character of their universities. Today, they have become the shadow of what they were five decades ago.
“When I came to Karnataka five decades ago, universities in Mysuru and Bengaluru were good. But today, they have lost their stature and academia. We can’t blame the Britishers or Mughals or those who had governed the country in the past, except ourselves,” he said.
He pointed out that the number of universities and graduates in the country have increased in the last few decades. Yet, many universities have departments with only two teaching faculty. Many other universities do have a number of people teaching various subjects but they don’t have permanent positions because the governments are not in a state to pay them salaries. This is the situation not only in Karnataka but across the country.
Higher edu in crisis
Lamenting that the sphere of higher education has been in crisis for the last decade, Balaram said the governments that have governed the country have not addressed the issue. If the country’s economy is as good as projected, money must be given to support higher education. Though the governments get a huge sum of money from the people in the form of taxes, they spend very little on higher education. It is the public education system that provides education to the poorest section of society. So, it must be guarded without fail, he urged.
‘K’taka must set example’
Drawing the attention of Higher Education Minister M C Sudhakar and Governor and Chancellor of the University Thawarchand Gehlot, Balaram said Karnataka must set an example in this regard and make an honest attempt towards changing the direction of higher education.
He said, “We have discussed national education policies extensively in the last few years. We don’t need just policies, but implementation and action. All policy documents are written with good intentions but have failed in implementation.”
He told the students that the future lay with them. They have to understand that the older generation failed to protect the interests of universities and higher education. He hoped that students would be involved in activities that would make the country proud.
He also regretted that basic science is being neglected in the current higher education system.
Governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot, Higher Education Minister M C Sudhakar, Davangere University Vice-Chancellor B D Kumbar, Registrar (Evaluation) Ramesh C K and Registrar R Shashidhar were present on the occasion.
As many as 14,048 students of undergraduate and postgraduate courses received their degree certificates at the convocation.
Gold medallists
Lakshmana R has been distributing newspapers to households at Kogunde in Chitradurga taluk for the past ten years. Realising the importance of newspapers, he decided to do a PG in Mass Communication and Journalism two years ago. On Wednesday, his decision bore fruit as he received two gold medals in Journalism at the annual convocation of Davangere University (DU).
Speaking to DH, an elated Lakshmana said, “While delivering newspapers door-to-door, I wondered why people subscribed to dailies and how they helped students. But it was only after I began reading them regularly that I understood their importance. This drew me towards Journalism. I had done my BEd and was serving as a teacher when I chose Journalism.”
37-year-old Lakshmana, who considers age as just a number, even proved that interest and enthusiasm can transcend all barriers.
Lakshmana also ensured his wife, Sumalatha, did her PG in Kannada at the university. Sumalatha, who wishes to be a teacher, said Lakshmana, and she travelled to the university from Kogunde every day while her family members took care of their child. She was happy that both of them completed their PG with flying colours.
Aspiring to be a judge
Raksha V Anand, a first rank holder in BSc received three gold medals. She told DH that she wants to become a judge like her father J V Vijayananda, serving in Bengaluru. To fulfil her aspirations, Raksha is pursuing a degree in law at St Joseph’s College, Bengaluru.
According to Raksha, persistence is the key to success in academics. One has to refer to old question papers and specifically work on repetitive questions as it would boost confidence.
Raksha’s mother Bhavani said Raksha’s hard work paid off, and she has made them proud.
A big surprise
Shashwatha T R, daughter of an auto driver from Chitradurga, arrived on Davangere University campus with her parents on Wednesday to receive a gold medal for scoring the highest marks in MA (Economics). However, she was surprised when she was presented with four gold medals.
“The staff at GR Halli campus in Chitradurga told me that I would get gold medal at the convocation. But they never specified the number of medals. I thought I would get one but I am thrilled to have four of them,” said Shashwatha.
Shashwatha’s father Thippeswamy was happy as his daughter could achieve what he could not. “I wish she gets a government job”, he said with tears of joy rolling down his cheeks.
Topper in English
Sneha S, who topped in MA (English), also received three gold medals. Sneha chose English as she was good at it since school days and wanted to prove that English was not a hard nut to crack. Sneha is now pursuing BEd in Davangere and aims to become an assistant professor. Her mother T Narasamma is serving as a second division assistant.
Governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot presented 87 gold medals to 46 students of undergraduate and postgraduate courses.
Riya I K, daughter of a head police constable, emerged as the golden girl with six gold medals in MCom.
Unable to clear her Chemistry paper in PU I, Riya’s relatives and friends thought it was the end of her academics. But her father H Kuber Naik, a head police constable at Gandhinagar station in Davangere, stood by her and realised her potential in Mathematics.
He encouraged her to pursue PU in Commerce followed by BCom and MCom where she excelled.