The University of Mysore will soon sport statues of Sri Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV, during whose regime – 1902 to1940 – the university was established, and poet laureate Kuvempu who was instrumental in developing the Manasagangotri campus.
This was stated by University Vice-Chancellor K.S. Rangappa at the Academic Council meeting held on Friday. Prof. Rangappa said the statue of Krishnaraja Wadiyar would be installed on the Crawford Hall premises. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to unveil it during the centenary celebrations to be held during the year.
The statue of poet laureate Kuvempu to be installed on the Manasagangotri campus will be unveiled by President Pranab Mukherjee. Manasagangotri houses the postgraduate complex of the university. Each statue will be around seven feet tall and the university Syndicate has given its approval for the same, said Prof. Rangappa.
Meanwhile, US Ambassador to India Richard Verma will visit Mysuru on March 31 for a function to mark the completion of the restoration of the Oriental Research Institute (ORI). The ORI, which houses over 70,000 manuscripts, was restored with funding by the US Embassy, which pitched in with 25,000 dollars.
The Academic Council also resolved to follow a uniform pattern of evaluation, with 70 per cent weightage to examinations and 30 per cent to internals. Some of the departments were giving 50 per cent weightage to each, which drew objections from the council members. The Vice-Chancellor pointed out that some of the teachers would not conduct classes at all and allot 35 per cent in internals, ensuring that the students pass.
In concurrence with the Board of Management meeting of the Educational Multimedia Research Centre, the council decided to scrap the PG course in Electronic Media being offered by the EMRC. The existing students would be transferred to the Department of Communication and Journalism and the PG Electronic Media course would be discontinued from the ensuing academic year.
