Replace varsity Chairs with study centres: VCs

Vishal Joshi

Tribune News Service

Kurukshetra, August 20

Vice-Chancellors of various state universities have reportedly acceded to the proposal to replace the practice of instituting academic Chairs with study centres on public-private participation (PPP) mode.

According to sources, there are nearly 40 Chairs in seven universities, but the performance of a sizeable number of them is stated as ‘non-fruitful’ by the respective VCs.

During a meeting of the VCs that was chaired by Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki on August 9 in Chandigarh, Prof KC Sharma, Vice-Chancellor, Kurukshetra University, had tabled a suggestion to prefer study centres over Chairs.

According to sources, the VCs said the practice of instituting research Chairs only to appease the political dispensation or a section of society had mocked the concept of Chairs at the universities.

The Chairperson of Haryana State Higher Education Council, Prof BK Kuthiala, who had convened the VCs’ convention, said Sharma’s proposal was unanimously appreciated by the delegates.

He said study centres with pre-defined academic and direct social goals would be more productive in their nature.

Meanwhile, Sharma told The Tribune that the PPP mode would ensure funds in pursuing activities at the study centres.

Citing an example of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Chair at KU, he said it was an institution only in name.

“The Chair has nominal funds and hardly any manpower at its disposal. Such institutions are limited to hold annual seminars and completely non-productive. A lot could have been done on the legendary character had it was developed as a study centre,” he said.

Sharma said Centre of Excellence for Research on Saraswati river at KU was established with funds from the state authorities and the university was expected to get financial assistance from the Central Government too.

“The Centre is mandated to study various scientific and traditional claims on the existence of the river that is believed to cease centuries ago. Counter claims will also be welcomed for a pure scientific conclusion on the wide claims of the existence of a mighty river flowing in the present-day Haryana,” said the VC.

Seconding the idea, Prof RB Solanki, VC of Jind-based Chaudhary Ranbir Singh University, said only those centres on diverse subjects should be established that could contribute to society directly and not please any section or the political regime.