Karnataka   

‘Varsities should impart skill-based training’

MAKING A POINT: S.P. Thyagarajan, former Vice-Chancellor of University of Madras, speaking at the inaugural function of the national workshop on ‘Techniques in molecular biology’, in Manipal on Monday.

Manipal: The former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Madras S.P. Thyagarajan said on Monday that it was necessary to synergise teacher-centric learning with student-centric learning in institutions of higher education.

He was speaking at the inaugural function of a weeklong national workshop on “Techniques in molecular biology” organised by the Manipal Life Sciences Centre here.

Dr. Thyagarajan said there was criticism that universities were imparting teacher-centric learning in the country, and the present system of education prepared students only for examinations.

But it was possible to change the present teacher-centric learning with participatory teaching methods such as problem-based training, project-based training, group discussions, fieldwork, hands-on training at workshops and so on. “It is essential that students leave the universities with skill-based training along with theoretical inputs,” he said.

He said that in order to encourage students to think out of the box, a ‘brain teasers club’ should be started in educational institutions. Students should be allowed to air their ideas freely on any topic in this club. Such a club should be entirely managed by students and it should meet at least once a week. “Many a time, the ideas here can provide answers to complex questions,” he said. The Union Government and the University Grants Commission were promoting post-doctoral programmes to give a fillip to research, Dr. Thyagarajan said. Vice-Chancellor of Manipal University Rajasekharan Warrier said that the university was giving priority to research.

It had linked the promotion of its faculty to the research undertaken by them. Even the medical faculty should have Ph.Ds. Some of the initiatives of the university in this regard were delivering good results. The pharmacy wing of the university had bagged nine patents.

“Students should be made research oriented from their school days,” he said.

The general view that people in the West were smarter than others was wrong. Doctors graduating in India did well in the U.S. “Scholars from India may not have exposure or lack communication skills, but no one doubts their intelligence,” Prof. Warrier said.

Registrar of Manipal University G.K. Prabhu welcomed the gathering. Director of the centre K. Satyamoorthy gave an overview of the workshop. Pro-Chancellor of Manipal University H.S. Ballal presided over the function. P.M. Gopinath proposed a vote of thanks.

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