Uniform syllabus for all state universities being hotly debated

The state government's move to introduce a common syllabus for all degree and post-graduate courses offered in state-run universities is being debated intensely. The argument against the move is that if the uniform format is adopted, universities will lose their autonomy and diversity in the subjects they teach. Even BJP's student organ Akhila Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) has opposed the move.

Higher Education Minister C N Ashwath Narayan held a meeting on this topic recently. He was advised by Nasscom and certain other foreign entities that communalising the curriculum would be beneficial to students in getting jobs and building careers. The move to go ahead with the idea was endorsed at this meeting.

Nodal officers

Tumkur University VC Prof Y S Siddegowda for Arts, Prof G Hemanth, VC of the University of Mysore for BCA and MCA, Prof Ramachandregowda, VC of Rani Chennamma University at Belagavi for Commerce and Management, Belagavi VTU VC Prof Karisiddappa for Engineering, Karnataka State Open University (KSOU-Mysore) VC Prof S Vidyashankar for all the courses offered by the University--have been appointed as nodal officers for the process to commanalising the syllabus for various streams. They have been asked to present the new common syllabus by June 10, so that it can be brought into effect from 2021-22.

'No compromise'

The remark made by a well known academic was that the Higher Education Minister was trying to uproot a tree, place it on its head to water it. "If a common syllabus is introduced the Board of Studies in the universities will become redundant," the person added.

Reacting to this development, writer Bargur Ramachandrappa remarked that the move was detrimental to the autonomous growth of varieties in the state. He added that it would prevent universities in offering courses that have a local flavour. "There should be no compromise in the autonomy granted in the education sector," he added.

However, Prof Y S Siddegowda, VC of Tumkur University said a uniform syllabus would help students in acquiring knowledge and skills, getting jobs and building careers.

"Theory and internals marks calculation is different in different universities as of now. If a uniform syllabus is adopted, this will provide students a level playing ground," he opined. He also pointed out that students can switch between universities mid-course-- for example, a first-year Gulbarga University student can continue with his second year in Bangalore University because the curriculum is uniform.