The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Plea for enhanced investment in higher education sector

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Sep 09, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Plea for enhanced investment in higher education sector

Staff Reporter

Diamond jubilee celebrations of Vivekananda College

— Photo: K. Pichumani

HAVING A WORD: Ramakrishna Math president Gautamanada with Madras High Court Chief Justice A.P.Shah at the diamond jubilee celebrations of Vivekananda college in Chennai. Ramakrishna Math secretary Atmaghanananda (left), is in the picture.

Chennai: India needs to invest more in higher education to develop world-class institutions, Chief Justice of the Madras High Court A.P. Shah said here on Saturday.

At the valedictory of the diamond jubilee celebrations of Vivekananda College, Justice Mr. Shah said the weaknesses in the higher education system in India far outweighed the strengths. Only about 10 per cent of the relevant age group of 18-23 is enrolled in higher educational institutions.

The percentage is 50 in the developed countries and 15 in China, he said. He said China was investing heavily in higher education. Taiwan had decided to amalgamate its universities to facilitate better research. However, some universities in India were starting to disintegrate due to lack of funding.

“Due to under-investment, several educational institutions are recruiting part-time teachers to save on costs. This impacts on the quality of education,” he said. In order to attract the best talent, colleges must offer the best compensation for academicians and merit scholarships for students, he suggested.

New rules

Justice Mr. Shah called for new rules to regulate the increase in instances of collaboration between Indian educational institutions and foreign universities. Such regulation would help monitor quality, he said.

K. Venkataswamy, retired Supreme Court judge and an alumnus of Vivekananda College, commended the institution’s research and industrial consultancy programmes. The college had upgraded its popular Commerce degree course to include modules in e-banking and risk management, he said.

Madras High Court judge V. Ramasubramaniam and CEO of IDBI Fortis Insurance G.V. Nageswara Rao, both alumni, participated in the function. Vocalist Vijay Siva, alumnus, performed at the end of the programme.

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