The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : e-book to make study material cheaper

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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

e-book to make study material cheaper

Special Correspondent

It will be cost-effective to students and colleges, says UGC Chairman

e-book for college libraries which could not afford to buy books
Conference of V-Cs of Commonwealth countries begins in Hyderabad

HYDERABAD: The University Grants Commission (UGC) chairman Sukhadeo Thorat has said that the commission was introducing ‘e-book’ (electronic book) which is digital media equivalent of a conventional printed book to make available study material at a much cheaper rate.

Inaugurating a three-day conference of executive heads, mostly Vice-Chancellors of universities in Commonwealth countries here on Friday, Prof. Thorat said the e-book programme was aimed at helping college libraries which could not afford to buy books. The students could download the material from computers. It would be cost-effective to colleges and students, he added.

Prof. Thorat said institutions of higher learning in Commonwealth countries shared a common past as many of their universities were set up under the British Education Act. The participants in higher education in these countries were not a homogenous community. However, the heterogenous character of the education system in these countries provided universities abundant opportunities to learn from each other.

He also said though the universities made beginnings with similarities initially, they grew in a diverse manner subsequently. Some of them went far ahead in the process while others lagged behind.

The learning process was the biggest challenge of universities that trailed behind, he added.

Prof. Thorat maintained that the 13 per cent expansion achieved by the country in higher education was insufficient for economic growth to take off. It should be around the world average of 23 per cent.

Prof. Seyed E. Hasnain and A.M. Pathan, Vice-Chancellors of University of Hyderabad and Maulana Azad National Urdu University respectively, which are hosting the conference, also spoke. The former said higher education was at crossroads looking for heavy investments. Prof. Pathan felt universities tended to be knowledge islands, unwilling to share their best practices with others.

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