The Hindu : Front Page : A tradition of academic excellence

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Friday, Sep 05, 2008
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A tradition of academic excellence

Vice-Chancellor S.Ramachandran

The British established the modern institutions of governance, scholarship, exploration and trade, which are part and parcel of today’s India. Perhaps, the most important of these was the British style educational system that first put down its norms in the schools in Madras. Crowning the edifice that rose on these foundations were the three universities established in 1857 in Calcutta, Bombay and Madras. Under the Act of 1857 the three universities were primarily es tablished for “Purposes of ascertaining by means of examinations the person who have obtained proficiency in the different branches of literature, science and art and of rewarding them with academic degrees as evidence of their respective attainments and marks of honour.”

The University of Madras was formally established on September 5, 1857 and undertook as its motto “Doctrina Vim Promvet Insitam” (Learning promotes [one’s] innate talent). Originally housed in the buildings of the Presidency College, the offices of the University of Madras later moved into the Senate House. The renowned architect Robert Chisholm was commissioned in 1861 to build the University’s first building, now a magnificent renovated heritage monument. The first Vice-Chancellor of the University was Sir Christopher Rawlinson, the Chief Justice of Madras. This practice of part-time Vice-Chancellors (majority for the High Court bench) was to continue until 1923. The University at its inception comprised four faculties — Arts, Law, medicine and Engineering, and examined candidates for degrees in all these disciplines. However, consequent to amendments to the Madras University Act, the Law, Medical and Engineering colleges earlier affiliated to this University have been since shifted to the newly created Dr. Ambedkar Law University, Dr. MGR Medical University and the Anna University respectively.

The venerable and great institution of higher education, the University of Madras entered into the 150th year of its existence in 2006. In the epoch of knowledge economy, when competitiveness and change mark every front of human life, it is exhilarating to accompany our ‘grand old lady’ as she crossed boundaries, breaks down barriers, making processes more participatory and allowing the sweeping winds of change, bring refreshing transformation to every nook and cranny of her 6 campuses.

Be it the restructuring of the courses and the reorganisation of the curricula, the shifting of the focus to research in areas of every day application and the move to “inter-disciplinary” research, the prioritisation of modern scientific disciplines, the initiation of five new world class research facilities, increasing the degree of employability of the students, the promotion of Industry-Institution partnership, the University of Madras is at the forefront to ensure that the process of higher education it offers is dynamic and relevant.

Today, we are privileged to be the part of a proud and rich legacy that is the University of Madras and to participate in the realisation of a dream, which began on September 5, 1857.

Time, appears to have the propensity of rapidly getting away from us. What seemed to be a short while ago has transformed itself into almost a year. Not surprising then that 1857 should become a 150 years later 2007 and for all of us here at the University of Madras a year signifying joy and celebration has to come to an end in this valediction.

We can look back and take pride in all that we have concretely achieved in this short span of time. Let us just consider a few of them. The extramural resource generation, the successful implementation of the University with Potential for Excellence scheme, the setting up of various Centre of Excellence including the Centre for Natural Hazards and Disaster Studies, the Centre for Nano-science and Nano-technology, the Centre for Coastal and Ocean Studies, the Centre for Research on the Dravidian Movement generously launched by our Chief Minister, the Technology Business Incubator (TBI) launched with help of the DST and the signing of over 45 Memoranda of Understanding with renowned institutions and Universities both in India and aboard. These highlights serve to indicate the range and scope of our achievements as the normal day-to-day successes in the fields of research, publications, sports and games, extension activities, the reception of faculty and students from abroad and the receiving of awards and scholarships by our faculty and students continue unabated.

As we stand at the threshold, the valediction of the Sesquicentennial celebrations, the words of John Dewey ring in our ears: “Education is not a preparation for life, education is life itself.” The Soft Skill courses, which commenced on a massive scale in both the University Departments and the Colleges, will endow the student community with a repertoire of employable skills. They will truly become the ambassadors of excellence as this will enable them to actively contribute to the creation of a stronger India in the epoch of knowledge economy. The enthusiasm and the dedication with which the preparations have gone ahead to introduce this course along with Choice Based Credit System signal the importance of this unique facet that is being brought to higher education. These achievements, far from creating a sense of complacency, must spur us on to achieve new goals. Carl Jung states, “Your vision will become clear only when you look into your hear. Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens.” We at the University of Madras have definitely woken up to our potential and we are now setting about ensuring that these successes are sustained by backing them up with infrastructural facilities, filling in any lacunae and shoring up any possible weakness. None of this would have been possible without the active and dedicated contribution of every single one of the members of the University of Madras fraternity, the faculty, the administrative and supportive staff, and the students. I take this opportunity to place on record, my gratitude and appreciation for every mite of contribution that has gone towards ensuring this successful beginning. I look to all, the Government, society and the students each and every one of them, to stand with me shoulder to shoulder so that we can forge ahead and restore to the University of Madras its shining days of glory.

I leave you with this thought from our famous poet Kalidasa who in his Exhoration of the Dawn, says:

For Yesterday is but a Dream,

And To-morrow is only a Vision;

But To-day well lived makes

Every Yesterday a Dream of Happiness, And every Tomorrow A Vision of Hope.

Together, with members of the University of Madras family, we make our dreams of a higher education par excellence a fabulous reality well within the grasp of every one. We also wish to thank our Chancellor-Governor His Excellency Shri Surjit Singh Barnala for his constant encouragement, Our Hon’ble Chief Minister Dr.Kalaignar M.Karunanidhi for his patronage and Pro-Chancellor, Hon’ble Minister for Higher Education Dr.K.Ponmudy for his guidance and support.

S. Ramachandran

Vice-Chancellor

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