Quality is the mantra for ANU
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The varsity V-C has unveiled an action plan to revamp teaching quality and to ensure each department takes up at least one outreach project every year.
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CLEAR PRIORITIES: The Acharya Nagarjuna University Vice-Chancellor, V. Balamohan Das.
Quality Circles will be introduced in Acharya Nagarjuna University - first <11,35p,0p>time ever in the country. Rating of a university depends on the quality of education it imparts, number of outreach programmes it takes up and quantum of consultancy work it extends to business and industry putting its academic excellence to proper application, believes the Acharya Nagarjuna University Vice-Chancellor, V. Balamohan Das.
A consultant with the Productivity Council of India, with a management studies background, V. Balamohan Das has dawn up an action plan for the revamping of the academic teaching quality in the university, which hopes to begin with a change of mindset among the teaching faculty, students and non-teaching staff, whom he prefers to call supporting staff.
A week after assuming office, Prof. Balamohan Das proposes to set up `Quality Circles' on the campus that would bring up innovative ideas to improve everything from optimum utilisation of infrastructure to teaching quality coordination between students, teachers and supporting staff.
An excellent phenomenon limited to the corporate sector and large public sector industrial units would be introduced in the ANU very soon, he told The Hindu. "My aim is to optimise the utilisation of available infrastructure like library, laboratories to churn out quality products from University College," he opined.
"The 20-odd departments in the University will be asked to take up extension work - at least one outreach project per year," he said observing improving the university-industry (business) interaction would provide exposure to both students and faculty.
The action plan for putting the university on a high pedestal began with a short-term, medium-term and long-term planning on every aspect. "Positive thinking and team work is the mantra for achieving higher goals and to make a beginning, we have created a suggestion box at the VC's office," he said.
The university registrar has been made in charge of a panel to scan through all the suggestions and the best one would be rewarded at university functions, Prof. Das said. The shortage teaching staff was not a major impediment, he said and hoped that the Government would resolve the issue of recruitment very soon.
Developing entrepreneurship skills among the students would be the focus of the placement cell of the university instead of trying to place him in any industry, as that would create more number of jobs. Prof. Prasad, who recently took charge of the cell, was making all out efforts in this direction.
On his plans to improve the academic excellence, he said that teachers would be asked to devote one hour separately in their chambers (hours of their mutual convenience) for consultation by students in addition to regular classes.
Prof. Balamohan proposes to improve the computer literacy among the students and staff irrespective of faculty, so that they face the world better and develop a winning edge. Computer literacy with communication skills would provide the students with right tool to compete in the job market, he opined.
RAMESH SUSARLA
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