IN SHARP FOCUS: Crawford Hall, the administrative wing of the University of Mysore

MYSORE: The brand image of the University of Mysore will take a beating and the institution will decline if measures to stop this trend are not implemented in departments, according to an internal evaluation of the University of Mysore conducted by eminent academics.

But, according to the "audit," at least 30 per cent of the 39 university departments are among the best in the country in their respective spheres, and a few of them have the potential to emerge as centres of excellence if adequate funds are made available.

The audit, which was the first of its kind in the country and the seventh in the world, is based on a review of a data base developed by the internal quality assurance cell and interaction with the faculty, students and administrators.

The academic and administrative audit committee constituted by the Vice-Chancellor, J. Shashidhar Prasad, to evaluate the strengths and weakness of the university was headed by the eminent educationist M. Anandakrishnan, Vice-Chancellor, Anna University, and four other distinguished persons from institutes of repute.

Unclear goals

After submitting the audit report to the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Anandakrishnan told presspersons here on Thursday that about 30 per cent of the 39 departments have shown performance levels comparable to 30 top-rated departments in their spheres in the country. However, an equal number suffer weakness, including poor faculty strength and competence, unclear goals, incoherent academic focus, internal contradictions and unviable student enrolment, he said.

He called for measures to prevent the stature of the university from declining because of non-performing departments.

Dr. Anandakrishnan said there are departments with average to good standard of teaching or research. But they do not have capabilities in both teaching and research, which is necessary for postgraduate (PG) departments. However, many of them could improve with support, he added.

It has been found that the freeze on recruitment of teachers has affected academic development, and undue academic fragmentation of departments could bring down academic and research quality.

The committee has called for an internationally comparable system of curriculum and evaluation to enable the university to attain global stature. The introduction of the credit system in PG departments for curricular flexibility and introduction of inter-disciplinary programmes has been recommended.

The committee of experts, comprising K. Muniyappa, K.J. Rao, G.K. Karanth and C. Thangamuthu, noted enthusiasm in the university to start short-term certificate and diploma courses. This, it said, will dissipate manpower, time and energy, and questioned the need for it as university departments should be catering only to PG courses and spending resources on quality research.

Interaction with students and research scholars was part of the audit, and they rated some teachers as poor. "However, a good number of departments carried out quality research that was on a par with standards in the country. No university in the world has all departments of outstanding quality, be it the Harvard or Stanford," he added.

The committee suggested merging three or four departments and dialogue among the faculty on academic and policy issues.

Copy to Governor

Prof. Shashidhar Prasad said a copy of the report will be submitted to the Governor for his views. He promised to implement the suggestions taking the faculty into confidence, and said: "We should have the moral courage to take a stand or the patient will die."

The academic and administrative audit committee has also called for prudent fiscal management and fine-tuning of the admission process and the language policy of the university. According to the committee members, 30 per cent of the funds are generated internally, and the university is comfortably placed financially. But this is not sufficient if the university is to emerge as an institution of national importance.

Interaction with students proved that there is a general sense of dissatisfaction among girl students though efforts are on to provide better amenities and hostel facilities.

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