Policymakers are not sensitive to burning issues of higher education: Former NAAC director Professor H.A. Ranganath

Appreciates Kuvempu University’s Vice-Chancellor Prof. Sharath Ananthamurthy and the faculty for coming out with a vision document.

Professor H.A. Ranganath, former director of National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), has said that policymakers are not sensitive to the burning issues of higher education.

Speaking after releasing the Vision Document 2024-2028 of Kuvempu University at Shankarghatta on February 18, Mr. Ranganath, who earlier worked as vice-chancellor of Bangalore University, said that University Grants Commission (UGC) had not released funds to State-funded universities in recent years.

“There are more than 500 State-funded universities, and they have over 40,000 colleges across the country. Considering the students and teaching faculty, the State-funded universities and colleges form 75% of the total higher education population. We are the backbone of higher education. But there is hardly any measure to strengthen the backbone,” he said.

State-funded universities have been deprived of grants and faculty. Earlier, these universities grew because of the funds from the UGC and grants for minor and major projects. “Now, there are no funds. These are the major issues. But our policymakers are not sensitive to these burning issues. Students should not become victims of the discussions on whether education is a State subject,” he said.

He believes that a ‘caste system’ exists in the higher education system. “The students from centrally funded institutes, institutes of national importance, and centres of excellence are treated better compared to our students in State universities. There should not be such discrimination. All students should have equal opportunities,” he said.

Appreciating Kuvempu University’s Vice-Chancellor Prof. Sharath Ananthamurthy and the faculty for coming out with the vision document, Prof. Ranganath said that the ideas should be futuristic. “We should prepare students to imagine future problems and be equipped to resolve them,” he stated.

Prof. Sharath Ananthamurthy stated that the vision document had been prepared in consultation with the faculty. “We prepared the document in consultations with the faculty of all departments. Now, it is the responsibility of the faculty to take it forward,” he said.