Karnataka - Bangalore   

Call to reorient courses in social and pure sciences

Staff Reporter

Making liberal arts and pure science courses more meaningful can create a knowledge society: Kumaraswamy

SHEDDING LIGHT: Director of Archives Usha Suresh (centre) explaining to students documents exhibited at the venue of the South Indian History Congress in Bangalore on Friday. — Photo: K. Murali Kumar

BANGALORE: Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Friday stressed the need for reorientation of education in social and pure sciences to produce creators of knowledge.

In his inaugural address at the 26th South Indian History Congress, read out in his absence by Puttanna, MLC, Mr. Kumaraswamy said people without a sound knowledge of the society, the culture and the environment in which they live in cannot be considered as constituting a "knowledge society." Making liberal arts and pure science courses more meaningful and attractive can effectively create a knowledge society, he said.

Stating that globalisation and liberalisation have had an impact on the higher education sector too, the Chief Minister said the Government is concentrating on primary education. It has allowed the private sector, which operates in areas that are in demand in the job market, to invest in higher education.

However, Mr. Kumaraswamy said, the role of private players in higher education is largely devoted to producing people "serving knowledge" and not "knowledge creators." There is a need to create institutions and personnel that can produce great minds and intellectuals to throw up original ideas and review policies and programmes of the State. Reorientation of courses in social sciences and pure sciences to suit market needs should not be considered as surrendering to commercialisation, he argued.

In his introductory address, S. Chandrashekar, Dean, Faculty of Arts, Bangalore University, echoed similar sentiments. He said that in a situation where the State is gradually withdrawing from the higher education sector, one has to consider whether the study of social sciences and pure sciences can withstand the challenge.

Over 250 delegates from South India are attending the congress being hosted by Bangalore University. Tumkur University Vice-Chancellor O. Anantharamaiah, president-elect of the history congress Kanchan Majumdar, outgoing president T.R. Ramachandran and outgoing secretary D. Daniel were present. Bangalore University Vice-Chancellor M.S. Thimmappa presided.

Archival exhibition

The congress also features an exhibition of archives organised by the Karnataka State Archives. As many as 92 archives, including those written by the Maharajas of Mysore, on annals of Mysore Maharajas (1399-1888), establishment of Bank of Mysore and creation of Ulsoor Tank will be on display till Sunday.

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