The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Call to create more universities

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Sunday, Jun 28, 2009
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Call to create more universities

Special Correspondent

VIT Chancellor G.Viswanathan felicitated by alumni association

— Photo: R. Ragu

Improved connectivity: Vayalar Ravi , Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs, launching a website www.velloregv.com at a felicitation function in Chennai on Saturday. (From left) G.V. Selvam, Pro-Chancellor, VIT, G. Viswanathan, Chancellor, VIT, and Electricity Minister Arcot N. Veeraswami are in the picture.

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Government must take the initiative to create more universities within the State, as recommended by the National Knowledge Commission, Vellore Institute of Technology Chancellor G.Viswanathan said.

The current thinking is that older educational institutions with adequate infrastructure and teaching staff should be converted to universities, he added, speaking at a meeting organised by the VIT Alumni Association (VITAA) to felicitate him on being conferred with an honorary doctorate by the West Virginia University, U.S.

Sustainability is necessary in Higher Education. Even as there is growth, quality must be ensured. Competition between government and private universities would go a long way in providing better facilities for students. This was already happening in the West, he added. Indian prowess in the Information Technology sector he said was a joint achievement of both the State and private institutions.

He called on the need to focus on the quality of education in government schools, in order to improve the quality of the students who come in for higher education. He also called on the government to launch a programme to produce trained teachers for various institutions, since the lack of teachers is becoming a serious issue at both private and government colleges.

Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi appreciated Mr. Viswanathan, a ‘friend and colleague’ for his discipline, honesty and hard work. He said he was impressed with the system that was in place at the VIT. The demand for seats and hostel accommodations in the college are high, as it is one of India’s top 10 engineering colleges, Mr. Ravi added. Earlier he launched the website www.velloregv.com.

Electricity Minister Arcot Veeraswami said it was not easy to get an honorary doctorate from an institution like the West Virginia University, U.S., a State-run institution. Over the years, VIT has gained recognition as a top class institution, only second in the list of preferences of a student eager to take up engineering, just behind Anna University.

Law Minister Durai Murugan recalled his early association with Mr. Viswanathan both as a student and as a politician and said the honour was richly deserved. He added that VIT had now marked its place as an institution of quality in Vellore on a par with CMC Vellore.

Editor-in-Chief of The Hindu N.Ram said VIT was one of the finest professional institutions in the country. Mr. Viswanathan’s integrity, vision and hard work had ensured that his institution had reached the position it now enjoys. Working with a curriculum relevant to students, being uncompromising on quality of faculty, following best practices in teaching, a competitive, straightforward admission policy, building up infrastructure and strong industry university linkages and complete integrity in dealing with finances were some of the reasons that had made VIT an excellent institution.

V.Shanmugasundaram, first Vice-Chancellor, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, praised the qualities of Mr.Viswanathan and said he was endowed with perseverance. P.Srikanth, chairman, V.G.Sridhar, secretary general, and Sathish Rajamani, Career Cell Co-ordinator, VITAA, felicitated the VIT Chancellor.

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