The Hindu : `Varsity programmes lack quality'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jun 01, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka-Bangalore

`Varsity programmes lack quality'

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE MAY 31. Faced with a severe resource crunch, depleting finances, and mounting infrastructure costs, most universities in the country are providing "low cost, low quality'' programmes, B.K. Bhattacharya, former Chief Secretary, said here today.

Speaking at a conference on "Improving the quality of education to meet global challenges and opportunities,'' organised by Quality Plus here, Mr. Bhattacharya said that during the past 15 years, the financial position of governments had been worsening. Colleges and universities were facing severe funds crunch, and were unable to meet the cost of constructing buildings, buying furniture and equipment, and establishing libraries and laboratories after paying teachers' salaries, he added.

According to Mr. Bhattacharya, there were over 180 technical, medical, and agricultural universities in India. Most of them were controlled and financed by State governments.

He said students pursuing B.A, B.Sc., and B.Com. courses were generally reluctant to pay high fees as they believed that the education imparted to them had no value. It was estimated that 59 per cent of students enrolled in degree colleges dropped out or failed to pass examinations. Those who passed secured very low marks, and found it difficult to get a job. In some States, colleges and universities had started courses in computer science, microbiology, business management, biotechnology, and communication without grant or subsidy from the government. The entire cost was borne by students, who were willing to make the investment because they saw reasonable job opportunities.

Mr. Bhattacharya said that the financing methods of professional courses, such as engineering and medical, had been a subject of debate over the past two decades. Governments did not have sufficient resources to fund higher education, and they gave funds they could muster to primary and secondary education. Running educational institutions should be a charitable activity, and should not be seen in terms of "private profits", he added.

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