'Premier institutions should produce job providers, not job seekers': Battu Satyanarayana

Central universities should be model for state varsities, the Central University of Karnataka VC said

Battu Satyanarayana, who was recently appointed vice chancellor of Central University of Karnataka (CUK), Kalaburagi, says central varsities should become role models for state universities in imparting quality education and taking up research works.

Teaching and research should go together to achieve academic excellence. Students who pass out of premier institutions like central varsities, IITs and IISc should become ‘job providers,’ instead of ‘job seekers’, he says.

Satyanarayana, a retired chemistry professor from Osmania University, interacts with Gururaja B R of DH about his plans to develop the young central varsity. Excerpts...

What is the purpose of establishing central varsities in all states when we have state varsities?

Central Universities (CUs) have all-India characteristics and are centres for the creation of national dignity.

Students from different corners of the country come together and interact with each other, exchange their views and work for nation building. IITs, IIScs and NITs are providing providing a platform for this. The CUs have been established to make them centres of academic excellence.

Your vision for the development of the university

I am planning to develop CUK with a vision for at least 20 years. Teaching and research should go together to achieve academic excellence. We need to make the teachers work hard for high quality research. The knowledge creation leads to development of skills. It will eradicate poverty and resolve unemployment problem. We will create conducive atmosphere and provide required infrastructure, provide WiFi facility to all stakeholders of the varsity. We will take up outreach programmes and will tie-up with industries to motivate the students to go for startup programmes.

You have challenges ahead to implement National Education Policy(NEP)-2020 in the varsity...

NEP is student friendly and emphasises on providing vocational and skilled based-education at all levels. Choice-based education system is the core of the policy. Certificate will be given based on students’ learning. The NEP focuses more on research. Every higher institution should carry out research activities apart from teaching. Every college should become autonomous college in the future. The affiliation system will go away gradually. It can’t be achieved in one or two years. The NEP will be implemented more effectively in the CUK as it should be a role model to state varsities.

What is your opinion about generating own revenue for the varsity

It will be possible only if industries come forward to invest in the varsities and if teachers get an opportunity to take up some consultation work. If the industries look towards the varsities to strengthen their research and development (R&D), the varsities will definitely become self-sufficient. The teachers should work to support R&D of the industry. Every industry needs inputs like new technology or knowledge. They want more profit with less investment. That is possible with high-level technology and higher education institutions should support them.