Table Of Content‘Science Education ix:
Universities
‘Bagur Deo
Legitimate Aspirations of
the Peepls
—Convocstion Address
Tom bla
Issme
Greetings from Secretary General AIU
The AIL over the past 78 years bas heen shouldering the constant challenge
Of remzining true routs origmal mission, whilst adapting to a fast changeng
environment With the profound changes coursing through the stream of higher
education, the yeut 2004 is going 10 be a period of mayor transition. Obviously,
the year is going to be 2 vibrant year of activities and challenges for ATL
Wut our new dynam Prosident (ATU and sianding Conumiticz, we expect the
year 2004 10 be all the more eventfat for AIU. It has to play a
1m addressing some of the burning issues being contznnted hy the higher
education system Ike Prevatisanon, Globalsation, Internationalisatian ete. in addition te the
impending issue of GATS, which need iramediate and serous attenbon,
nificant role
Today we need to interact with stake-halders 10 formulae a definete poley oa these issues
and faculizare best possible way to promoty lugher education in the eousley Sonte at the
tamanives were already taken ay ALL an these matters hy bas ongsmzed national seminars and
oymnposra on the themes ‘ike Threats and Opporturtses in hgher Eduewtun i dre Cantsat at
GATS
have placed different programmes on sumlar themes i our agenda of acon
and 'Prvate Inmianyes in Higher Educa ‘To enntenue the debate, ths yea alse we
Among the other important sssues particula-ty concerning to Indian higher education whieh
need serious thinking, issues like ‘Adnmssinny -- Professional and: Non-arofessaonal Courses
and Umit Cost of Higher Education’ have reached the forefront of the prunny actin ket af ATL
We will be conducrng studies and debates on these (sles ie Saemulale paticies tur thet
lransparent mplementcna
Lam confidant that all sakeholders wall pariicipare in que discussion to erelye a poibiey fe
nspatent education which will fea the oueery ay envisaged. te
quahtative cust ¢ [fective and a
became a developed nation by the year 202U.
In addition to the academic standards, ATU has the ones of taking care ol other tadent cemtted
Aimensions of umiversiy education for wholesome: development of ther personality like
promotion of cultaral, sports and various extra-curricular actralies We are »tstersatica!ls
Planning to expand these act:vities and amprove there quality te enable on: youth Ge eseet
their fields and represent India at international lorum, We are Working out strate ats of national
integranon like home stay programmes We are alsa planning to canduct dehatss an semaiie
issues like drug abuse, gender sssues ete and conduct yega workshops 1 promote ante gration
af physical, social and spicttual health, ATU has mutiated "Vinversity Action a TEV: AIDS:
Programme sn collaboration with World Bank (o sensityve the higher education system ol the
dreaded disease oF HIV'AIDS which 1s a national threat to economic, health and suctat issues
t would urge all the stakeholders af higher education to actwely participate m all our gehvities
and contibute (o enable a collaborative approach which would addeess «range of educauenal
and social concerns,
On bebaif of ATL] wish you all a Happy, Creative and Memorable 204
Dayanand Dongaonkar
UNIVERSITY
NEWS
Vol. 42 January 12-18
No. 02 2004
Price Rs, 12.00
‘A Weekly Journal of Higher
Edecuted Pablished by the
Association af Indian Universities
IN THIS ISSUE
Quality Issues in the Higher Education
Instituvors in Bangladesh 1
Poverty, Education and Economie
Dewlapment s
Credit-based Corculuan Planning in
Posigraduate Courses
wath an Integrated Educaronat
System 5
Science Education in Universiies
Convocation
International Institute for Population
Sciences, Mumbat
Campat Kens
‘Workshep on WebCT and e-Learmng. 19
16
Ranbaxy Research Award n
Agricultwral News
Kisan Mela Evam Pashu Vigyan
Pratarshanr-2003 “
ATU News
AIU-UGC Cultural Show Fay
Communication 26
Theses of the Month nu
‘Classified advertisement
Opinions expressed in the articles
are thute of the contributors and do
not necessarily refleet the policies
ofthe Association
Editorial Committee Chairman:
Prof. Dayanand Dongaonkar
Editorial Commirtce
Dr M Goswamy
Mr Sampson David
Dr Sistla Rama Devi Pani
Mr Tames C
Editar:
Dr Sistla Rama Devi Pani
Quality Issues in the Higher Education
Institutions in Bangladesh
Md Abdul Haim
institute of Education and Research, Univershy of Dhaka;
ICCR Research Scholar, CASE, M.S. University of Baroda, Vadedara-290002)
The falling of standard in the quality of education at all levels has
been « great concem (0 alf of us ovcr the fast few decades. The batttc of
quality has to be fought in the minds of all men and women connected
with education. Quality can be assured by making everybody mn the system
accountable and responsible to everyone else. Everybody should become
a watchdog on the quality of the system.
Implementation of total quality management in higher education
requires deep commitment, full involvement of people, top management
support, fair reward, recognition policies and training of concerned people
in the concept (Patil, 2002). Increased mobility and a free-market
environment have contributed to enhanced competition for positions in
government, national and multinational business houses and international
organizauons. As a consequence, there 1s today an emphasis on quality
and this can only incecase in future. [t will be necessary for our universities
Jo mmaintain standards comparable to those available in developed countries.
For the better insututions this will mean continuous self-evaluation and
considerable efforts ta keep up with the latest development. In the case
of other institutions constant monitoring, control and incentives may
become necessary (Pawar, 1998)
According to the world bank report, higher education throughout
the world is in cnsis. The crisis is most acute in the developing world.
‘The quality of teaching and research has detenorated in many countries.
While overcrowding. poor physical facies and lack of resources for
textbooks, educational material, laboratory consumables and maimtenance
are conunen problen's. Graduate unemployment in developing countries
continues to rise (Sharma, 1997). It is true for higher education in
Bangladesh as welll
Higher education in Bangladesh is heavily dependent on government
support and so il can hardly generate private funds to maintain its
independent status and expansion. Governmental funding on such a large
scale also has resulted in lowering of the quality, getting easy higher degrees
and diplomas cumpiomising the academic merit and competency. A change
in this pattem is mdeed needed.
Higher education in Bangladesh has expanded very rapidly mn the last
decades after independence. Therefore, unlike most developing countries,
Bangladesh can be proud of having developed a system which is capable
of meeting most of the human resource needs of the country ia all
disciplines and professions. However, the issues, which ase of paramount
concem today, for all of us, are the quality and the relevance of educatian
with specific reference to the incessantly changing socio-economic mifieu.
During the Jast three decades the university project aimed mainly at
the expansion of physical infrastructures like student
and teacher residences, classroom and administrauve
buildings und such other civil warks. Time has come
for diversion of development resources from bricks
and mortars to academic investments in arder to
promote the quality of education and research. The
focus of this paper is to study the quality issues of
higher education institutions in Bangladesh. The article
will further make recommendations about the strategic
plans in the quality, which may be prescriptive fo the
said mstituttans,
Higher Education Institutions in Bangladesh
In Bangladesh, historically the universities,
particularly general universities, have been developed
on the Imes of the British universities and engmeenng
and agricultural universities on the lines of the
American ones.
Higher education in the umversity level has been
imparted through two major types uf mnstrtutions
namely; public umversities and private universities
There are 39 universities in Banyladesh. 17 of these
39 universities wre in the public sector, Only 13 of the
17 public universities have regular classroom
instructions, Other four universities have no regular
classrooms instructions like the Nationa] Universiry,
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agriculture
University (BSMRA), Bangladesh Open University
(BOL) and Medical University. The Nanonal University
(established in 1992) 1s entrusted with the responsibility
of affiliating, supervising and conducting examinations
of about 1026 degree colleges all over the country
BSMRA University offers postgraduate agriculture
education and conducts agriculture education and
conducts agriculture research. BOU conducts 16 formal
and 19 non- formal education courses.
There are 22 private universities in Bangladesh.
Proposal for establishments of several other universities
is awaiting approval. The total programme of activities
of these universities have not yet been koown. The
standaed of education, educational qualification of
teachers elc, nf the approved and proposed private
universities have to be equivalent to those of the general
university in the interest uf the higher education of the
country. These universities will nat be communal and
commercial by aay means and contrary to the spitit of
independence and hberation war. Private universities,
parteularly those emphasizing teaching and research
in science and technology, encouraged during the fifth
plan (1997 - 2002} 1n Tine with public sector plans and
objectives. UGC scrutinized the proposals strictly on
the guidelines regulations provided by the government
in order to maintain the quality of education.
Present Status of Higher Education Instientions
in Bangladesh
«Six universities bave been established before the
independence of Bangladesh. Other eleven pubhe
universities have been established after the
independence of Bangladesh, All private umversibes
have been established since the year 1992. Table |
indicated that the number of universities mereased
to almost seven times.
Table 1: Growth in Number of Universities
Year Number of Universities | Total
Public Private |
192i - 1970 6 - f
1975 - 1991 3 - 3
1992 - 1990 2 16 aR
1997-2002 6 6 2
Total Lon 2 39
+ Higher education of Bangladesh consists of three
year'four year first degree and (wo year une year
of posigraduale degree.
The age group of higher education is 18 23 years
+ Student enrolment ta higher education increased
sugmificantly in the last three decades. Ut increased
from 0.98 lakh on 1972-73 40 8.65 lakh (2.17 lakh
in universities and 6.48 lakh in colleges) 19 1999 -
almost nine times m the Last 40 years, of them
12.521 students are enrolled sn private untversities
© There are 5357 teachers in both public and pawate
universilies. Out of this total, 830 are leaching in
private universities. Whale there are permanent
full - time teachers in the private universities, many
are part time teachers. On the average, there are
about 52 teachers per university
= The proportion of gir!’s envolntent to total enrolment
increased significantly - from a modest 9.6 per
cent in 1970 to 39.4 per cent in 2008.
‘The above facts reveal that in the last 30 years
the main development in higher educetion was a
quantitative expansion.
UNIVERSITY NEWS, 42(02). JANUARY 12-18, 2004
Curriculam and Syllabus
Curriculum and syllabus of bigher studies of all
subjects belonging to general education engincering
education, medical and health education are being
Geveloped by related uruversities
University Grants Commission (UGC)
The Unwersity Grants Commission is primarily
sesponsible for coordinating financial support relating
19 university education. It assesses the needs in the
held of university education, formulates plans for
development of such education and advises the
covernmen! ou the establishment of new universities
including proposals for expansion of the existing ones.
While UGC is enforcing discipline in the
universities and channeling funds to different
Lmiversities, Ws control over them is found to be fess
effective ur il has litle authority ¢ ability to maintain
soacipline, efficrency and academic values in the
tayversities. Fifth Five Year Plan (1997-2002)
swggested that LUC should be reviewed in depth to
make W more effecuve,
Quality Issues in Higher Fducation
The term quality has different meanings for
Uiterent purpases. According w Sedere, "Quahty °s
excellence. Quality isthe best. Quality 1s the standard
Quality 1s satinfymng Quilty as efficien.y. Quality 3s
effecuveness" (Tapan, 20021 Quality af a pregramme
can be examined hy analyzmg (1) quality of input
UD quahty of process and tai) quality of output
‘Jalaluddin: and Chowdhury, 1997), The quality: of
Tigher educativa depends on (2) quabty ef content and
lechmuyite of edugation (1) the quality of wachers
406 J the quality of infrastructore and {iv} the quabty of
stulents (Dubhasha, 1994)
Some quality scientist wrote, “Quality 1s 2 never
ending journey”. Some yther authors have changed
the name, from TQM ta CQI- Continuous Quality
Improvement. Quality :s nol a static concept. Its a
dynamic concept and process. There are interesting
debates on absolute versus relative quality. Indeed.
quahty 18 relative (Patnaik, 2001). What is grewt for
one is not acceptable to another,
‘To map out the quality a education is not an easy
task, From different perspectives, the quality issues in
education are viewed (o be multidimensional. The key
areas may be adentified as;
UNIVERSITY NEWS, 42(02), JANUARY 12-18, 2004
© The curriculum
+ The Role of Teachers,
+ Learning Resources
+ Staff Resources
‘+ Organizational set up
+ Teaching leaming Environment
+ Assessment, Appraisal and Monitoring
Efforts will be made to mdicate the issues in the
above-mentioned areas of higher education institution
in Bangladesh. The issues related te quality in higher
education institutions can be stated briefly as follows
+ Cumeulum reforms and pedagogic reforms are not
coping with die rate of advancement of knowledge.
+ Irabatance a course planning.
+ Negauve attitude towards research among teachers
+ Widespread indiscipline among lewchers
+ Jock of commitment among the faculty and stat
«Mushroom growth of ill-equipped, 1ll-provided, ill.
planned colleges und universities yeur afler year
* Adnmssion of undeserving students,
Inadequate snvolvement of students m teaching
Jeaming,
% Absence of adequate research egpertunities
© Now-interachion with output users.
‘+ Widespread student discontent and indiserphne and
wastage in ust of available resour
© Evil pracce of collecumy capitation fee for
admission.
+ Conduct of examinalions have become ton costly,
hazardous and dangerous,
* Political interference in the autonomy of higher
education.
+ Poor leadership at higher leveis of administration
both in cotieges and universities. Lack of
infrastructure development, specially in private
university. Political urrest.
© Insuflicient number of able scholars for imparting
advanced ‘raining up to doctorate level
+ Lack of involvement of teachers, administrators
in system. No proviston to check excellence io
universives or colleges.
© The existing system f higher education ecntinue:
to cocourege memorization and curbs creativity
* Poor quahty of teaching, Higher seacher- student
ratio.
«Examinations are not conducted according ta
schedule and the results are not announced in a
reasonable ume after the examinations.
+ The evaluation system is qualitatively poor and
cormpt. Examination reforms have been muserably
slow-paced. Lack of accountability:
+ Limited resources.
«= Trentendous pressure of sdrissian.
* University education are unplanned and creating
imbalances.
* Incregsing competition due to privatization of
education and access to education through internet.
+ No conscious sttempts are made in the past to co-
ondinate their activities in determining the courses
of studies and student enrolment in terms of higher
level manpower requirements.
Recammendations
Reorganization of curriculum should by made for
making youth confident enough to speak, write.
think and perfoon.
» Educationssts, policy makers and planners should
be accepted humanistic approach 10 achieve the
human development.
» Admission to umiyersity courses should be highly
stlective and based strictly on meri.
«Teaching positions should be seeruited siictly on
ment.
«* Academic staff colleges should be established to
improve the quality of teachers.
* Adequate facihties should be provided to teachers
to undertake research
+ Library services in unstitutions of higher learning
should be fully responsive to current academic and
research needs of the faculty and students.
* Provision of adequate computer facibties through
networking in institutions of higher leartung should
be made.
* Centres of excellence should be established.
© Greater access to major navonat facilines should
be provided to the academic communtiy on the
campuses
«Research in humanines and social science is directly
related to contemporary life.
Efforts should be made to set up facilities required
for carrying out research in educational institutions.
Provision of adequate research facilities should be
made mandstory in postgraduate colleges.
Infrastructures and facilities of the colleges should
be improved.
Staffing patterns of colleges should be changed
and improved. More post for professor/associate
professors should be created 10 motivate and
encouraging recruiiment of quality teaching
personalities.
Privately managed universities need continuous
supervision and monitorg. Coordination is
necessary between the government and non-
government universities Cor maintammg uniform
standards
Continuous review and evalvavon and necessary
moditications should be taken place in the
comprehensive curriculum approach
Measures should be token fur continuous
improvement of the nmutual relationship between
the collegesumversitics and twcal commurnsties,
families and community leaders.
‘Teaching and evaluation system should be improved
qualuatvely
Examinations should be conducted according 10
schedule and the results shauld be announced in a
reasonable time after the examinations
Deserving students should be ad-mitted
Pohtwal merference 12 die autonumy of higher
education should be removed
Poliucal unrest should be stopped
Teacher-stusfent ratic should be propornonal
Mushroom growth of universities and colleges
should be checked
University yrants commission should be given the
primary mandate to monar and maintain the
standard of teaching.
The university should be established links with
industry and productive sectots to undertake
research to raise productivity af labour and capital
The universities may endeavour to establish
meaningful collaboration with the acasemic,
rescarch and extension orgsnizations within the
country and outside. The UGC research directorate
may play a more active role in organizing.
momtoring and strengthening such Sinks as reguler
catalyst activity.
Cond. an page 10.151
UNIVERSITY NEWS, 42(02), JANUARY 12-18, 2004
Poverty, Education and Economic Development
Chittarasjan Sarkar
(Suri Vidyasagar College, Suri, Birbhum, West Bengal)
Poverty amid plenty is the tragic experience of the
world. Poverty is the cruelty of life. While poverty
promotes illiteracy, Ineracy fosters economic
development, 11 is the ultimate mission of nation to
achieve economic development for growth and survival.
Rescarchers and social scientists have long recognized
that literacy has succinct kinship to reduce poverty
Economic development of a country cannot be conquered
unless and untif the people of it are educated and made
Ierate, Thereare plenty of intemational experiences that
it is literacy which is highly conducive to achieve
economic development. While poverty and Itteracy are
regressive in nature, Meracy and economic growth are
progressive in nature, Hence mast of the world
economies have adopted comprehensive education
podcy as a crucial part of there planning philosophy to
achieve two consceutive goals ata time —alleviation of
poverty and attaning economic growth
Poverty
Poverty ss what the poor encounter It may be
characterized as the phenomenal dearth of staining
even the basic necessities of fe, Irjudicious and
inhuman deprivation from the nyhts to use the heavenly
world—ats resources, its eestasies is poverty. {t 15
poverty that makes the people unhappy and desutute.
What poverty 15 can be better realized from: the
sparkling comments of 3 poor man of Kenya on an
Interview process: "Don't ask me what poverty 1s
wuse vou have met outside my house Look at
the house and count the number of hales. Look at ny
ucensils and the clothes ( am wearing. Look at
everything and write whar you see. What you see 15
poverty" (World Bank-2000). Social justice and
freedom are denied to the poor altogether. The meaning
of democracy remains almost shrouded to them. It is
the poor who bears the ulumate burden and undesirables
of the society. The poor people and the destinne are
highly vulnerable to soctal evils and injustice. Iiteracy
adds fuel to this and makes the matter worst beyond
our imagination who Jive under the canopy of power
and wealth, It is often said that poverty and illiteracy.
are the two sides of 2 coin. If one side of a coin is
poverty, the other side of it is iueracy. A favourable
and moderate sueio-economic condition of a country
UNIVERSITY NEWS, 42(02), JANUARY 12-18 2004
15 highly conducive to alleviate poverty to a
considerable extent, although not in its entirety.
Education
Education bas the unflinching capability to give a
‘5llip to pursue the divine path of social justice, equity
and status. Education is like a road-roller— if one fails
to run it, it will cun over hi. It may be defined as the
systematic and procedural endeavour undertaken by
person to gather some preconceived or new idea to
make him acquaint with the necessary expertise and
skills to live and grow. Here education means education
of every form whether primary ur higher education,
tradinonal or modern, institutional or non institutional
since it has been established that primary education
alone is not suffice fo break the vicious circle of poverty
and illiteracy in iss tuest sense.
In human life the value of education is
unmeasurable, Education is important in its own right
and has strong spillover benefits to usher literacy and
social cohesion. The voice of an indigenous women
of Ecuador is suffice to evince the importance of
education in life. "Beeavse we had no schooling we
are almost illiterate. Sometimes we cannot even speak
Spanish, we can't add. Store-owners cheat us, because
we don't know how ta count or anything else. They
buy at the prices they want and pay less. They cheat
us because we are uneducated". (World Bank-2000)
Socio-economic developmen: of a country is one way
of reducing the vulnerability of the poor people to
refrain from education. There 1s evidence that poverty
is the root cause of literacy which can be substantially
checked and prevented if there is adequate cconorme
growth process in operation.
Fconamir Development
Stark differences in economic development of
countries are observed arcumd the gle Feonamic
growth or mort 50 economic development ofa country
has far teaching und dominating impact on achieving
2 balanced economy by lessening the degree of
inequality of income distribution which aggravates the
econemic imbalance in the economy and thus helps to
intensify poverty. A sophisticated and well formulated
economic policy of an economy has the unique
capabvitity to redistribute the income pattern within an
economy in a purposeful and judicious manner which
1s; turn helps sn accelerating the pace of economic
growth in an unprecedented way. This deliberate and
Judictons distribution of income acts violeatly against
the concentration af economic power mm a few hands
fo the detament of the common mass which leads to
alleviate poverty anu spurs leraey by bringing the
zomuion people under the democranc set up. Social
injustice and inequalities undermine the sorictal bondage
causing a severe damage to the society which can be
checked by socio-economic developmest
Impact of Litera
‘Yhe internanonal experience highlights the fact
that the more a country 1s developed, the more are Lhe
people of wt educated and the less dhey are victimized
and exploited. Not only this, it a5 education that has
the supremacy to promote gender equality and
empowering of women. Education whisks away
gender inequahn, and explonapon of women which
have deen engutfing the whole world alasmingly
on Economic Development
Felucation and economic geenwth ane both mere
3 journey than a destmatton- a promise eather than 2
Lust of uchevemems. There are amply evidences that
ecanonne grawth of a country is set ercly hindered
Yor the Lack of proper education of us manon
particularly at the lower income brackets, This 1s
hecause econome development means the det éloprteal
of the common mass who are generally mn the lower
income hrackets and constitute the mayerity of
population of most of the world econnmies. It ss also
observed that fRemate titeracy and girls" education are
fughts conducive te achieve overall economic growth
Iduccton has she umgue power to combat poverty
(© secelesate the pace of econome development
suy ina lucid manner. Therefore the
dive, wat policy of a country should be framed 1p
suck a asauner that st provides necessary impetus to
extend and diversil} the education on a broad based
system by channelising a sizeable fund out of total
budgerary allatments far educauan purpose. Exhabit-1
portrays the economic pohey on educauon taken by
some selected economies of the world for which eight
countries from High Human Development category,
seven from Medium Human Development category and
fixe from Low Huntan Development category have
been chosen on an urbitrary hasis and they have been
placed in chronological order of the Human
Development Index.
oie
India's Outlook
Unity in diversity 1s the characteristic feature of
India's cultural heritage. From ancient period to till date
India is carrying it with utmost care and diltgence
From the early days of ervitzation education 1s gong
on in different forms and magnitudes but the ultimate
aim was the same as it is today i.e. to marntain the
Wealistic pattern of life, security and humanly
atmosphere in every sphere of socral life. Amid
resource crunch, India ty still under constant drive to
obliterate thineracy and tw spread ue divine spurt of
education through tradional sastisutional systems. The
advent of Open University System has unleashed the
scope of higher education in 4 magnificent manner
through non-tradinonal method with the help ofmadern
and sophisncated infurmanon technology (IT). There
has been an entering trend all over the country 10
spread education wath the belp of distance education
system in the remote and accessible areas of rural
India where a vast of its population an: uneducated
and are devoid of msttutional learmng. This practice
of providing educatim through Open University
Systern as well as the net work of Distance Education
Ghrowgh IT fas widen the amba of educaem in a
spectacular way and is highly promising The
Lnvernty Grants Commmssien (L1GC under the acts
of The Minisiry of Human Resources Development,
Goverment of laa, is prumarily entrusted to look
after the Indian Higher [ducation System and to make
necessary policy guidelimes und the modus operant
to Zoom up the pace of higher education im Iida ‘The
UGC has ininated various new approaches an the X
Plan for strengthens aad avcirating the hughes
education (undgr-gradnation and postgeaduanien |
camed onan several colleges and unwversiies Ih the
past, the UCC had implemented several programmes
the 1) Autonomy tw colleges, 1 Accreditatian by the
National Assessment aud Accreditation Couaci!
ENAAC? ete with the basic objectav2 to improve the
qualay of education tn the cotleyes. So fart has given
autonomous status lo 13G colleges in the couniry and
has accredited more than S00 universnies‘colleges. Very
recently, the UGC has taken a policy measure to further
strengthen and harmonize the higher education in a
few selected colleges across the country under the X
Plan period for which st shall sdenuty the colleges of
‘good leaching quality and aptitude and shall give them
the status of "Colleges with Potennal for Excetlence”
In ils latest civeulas, the UGC has decided 20 afford a
substantial fund to such selected colleges to improve
UNIVERSITY NEWS, 42(02), JANUARY (2-18, 2003
Faxhibit-I : fateruattonal Economic Policy on Education and the Achlevement of Education
Sinn. | NameofCoumry ‘Publie Expenditure on Education ‘Education
‘As % of GNP ‘As % of Govt.Expenditure Index
1998-97 | _1965-87 1995-97
High Human Development
T eden ry T ns
z ‘Canada OF 69 + Tat 129 098
3 a ‘Australia a 125 BS 099
4 USA Ei 34 115 144 099
3 Tapan = 36 t * +f 39 |
ra OK aR a 13 116 098
7 Germany * aT Eg 057
z Singapore 29 30 13 Ba a7
3 Mexico a5 ag 7 Be one
it Cuba e oF 184 136 _| 050
i Malaysia 6 49 Tae 138 ey
R Thailand 4 45 Tg ET Os
8 Ching 2B FE TL 122 080
1a | ei 32 EE BS 116 O57
ra T Myanmar 19 12 + 144 039
‘Tow Human Development
Io Pakistan ED 4 at Er TW 042
7 Bangladesh fb 1s 3 33s ar
8 Nigena [ 7 oF 120 TIS 058
ig Ettuapie cn 40 33 TT 025
EJ Zambia 31 2 3B TW 08
Soiree Human Develupaent Repeat ZOO%, United Nawans Development Programme, Oxtard Univeaiy Prats, New Delhi, 2007
= Dats not avilable
thew academic infrastructure, adopl innovations in
teaching and learning, implement modem cvaluation
procedures with comparable standards of international
repute and (9 motivate them to play significant role
model uf perfection to be pursued by other
neighbouring colleges.
Conclasion
The fundamental propensity of the world is to
look for achieving economic growth on an emergent
basis. Establishing the truth that ane of the dominant
barriers to economic growth process of a country is
the state of its poverty and the level of illiteracy, the
economics of most of the developing and less
developed countries have set targets to eradicate
Poverty and to activate the literacy drive. The
UNIVERSITY NEWS, 42(02), JANUARY 12-18, 2004
international picture has become somehow
disappointing and gloomy owing to growing gender
inequality, stratification and social fragmentation.
Discrimination on the basis of religion, race, ethnicity,
gender ete. is unlocking the societal bondage and
locking the poor people in long term poverty traps and
dius squeezing the world and making it smatler and
smaller, At this juncture a profound and comprehensive
world wide education policy is highly solicited to
surmount the impasse to achieve a stable and trouble
free world for all by ameliorating the global economic
condition as far as practicable
Reference
1, World Bank. (2000), Hordd Development Report 2000/2001,
(Oxford University Press Ine, New York, September.p.16. Ol
Credi
-based Curriculum Planning in Postgraduate Courses
with an Integrated Educational System
5 Gregory
Department of Anthropology, Kannur Universily Cempus, Thalasss
Education plays a very important tole in the
evolution of a sociely into a dynamic and vibrant
system that could respond to the challenges of the
times. The quality of education, then, assumes foremost
sigmficanee, especially for its role in the formation of
the forure generation. This demands thal the system
‘of educatian should be dynamic enaugh 10 effectively
perform rts liberanve role in the society. There had
been several efforts over the years in India during both
the pre-independent and in the post-independent era,
to revitalize the spint and structure of education to
maintain its quality and dynamism.
However, there lias been a wide-spread feeling
today that the higher education is not effecive znowgh
in responding to the challenges of the times and the
purpose of education itself has been watered down so
much so, that the value dimension and the aspects of
social commitment had almost become out of place in
today’s education. Moreover, it docs not provide aciear
direction and motivation to meet the future needs of
the society. All these only indicate that there 15 an urgent
need lo identify the tacunae in the present day education
and set it right, at the earliest, if 9 particular society
should really benefit from the cichness of education,
upholding the values of justice and equity. In the context
of today’s unprecedented and rapid changes and the
‘emerging challenges world over, under the forces and
the provesses of ylobalisation, restructuring the
postgraduate curriculum, and converting it ta become
an effective instrument for social change 1s very
essential and urgent
In this context, it should be noted that there are a
few initiatives by different educational institunions in
different parts of India, influenced by their own
philosophical \eanings and encouraged hy the genuinely
interested government agencies to revitalise the
educational system in their own way. Loyola
Autonomous College, Chenutai, on¢ of the natonally
acclaimed educational institutions, having the five
starred NAAC accreditanon (o its credit is ane such
institution, which has taken a long stride in this
direction, In a country like India, higher education
‘should never be allowed to stoop toa level of becoming
y Palayad - 670 661. [email protected] }
a pass-time activity, as is the case for many. It should
clearly reflect and reinforce the humanistic values while
it should also reflect the scienufic aptitude, practical
relevance and future vision.
In short, in eohancing the quality of the present
day higher education, the curriculum attracts only
those who are committed to and interested i exploring
the new vistas of knowledge prepares today's
youngsters ( meet the demands of tomorrow; opens
up new vistas in hfe; becomes truly meaningful and
most relevant to the emerging times and ultimately
grooms committed citizens and spirited intellectuals,
Only such ar, educational system could prepare the
real agems of social change and effectively respond to
the challenges of the contemporary world The attempl,
in this paper is to provide a basic framework for
organising the postgraduate courses into semester
pattem with credit system, meorporating some of the
elements that are essential to provide a value-based
higher education that would maintain a closer
interaction with the wider society and the people. It
also provides a suggestion for an integrated research
programme, afier the completion of the postgraduate
course. It ts hoped that such a system would be able
tn give a new direction and relevance to all the
postgraduate Courses and an opportunity to modify
us curriculum to fit into the emerging challenges of
the ylobubising society.
ic Premises in the Proposed Credit System
The credit system works within a semester
patie A credit consists of listening te lectures and
sctive participation 1 tutorials, semunars, laboralory
and ficld work and directed library work etc. The
credits represent a certain weightage to each curricular
and cn-curricular component or caurse, corresponding
to the amount of work desired in the particular
exercise. Though the credit system ts in vogue in
certain academic institutions in the country, inetuding
some of the presugious institutions like the Tata Institute
of Social Sciences (TISS), Bombay at the
postgraduate level, and the Loyola Autonomous
College, Chennai at the Graduate level, there is little
uniformity and more complexity and variations in the
UNIVERSITY NEWS, 42(02}, JANUARY 12-18, 2004
