The newly appointed Vice-Chancellor of the Central University of Karnataka (CUK), H.M. Maheshwaraiah, has set himself a target to convert the CUK into a premier institute of higher education, giving equal importance to professional and basic courses.
In an interview to The Hindu , Prof. Maheshwaraiah, who has academic experience of 38 years in various capacities in the Karnatak University and as the Director of the Centre for Excellence in Classical Kannada and two-year stint in the Central Institute of Indian Languages in Mysore, said that he would devote all his attention to improve the academic standards in all the departments in the University and motivate the teaching and student community to rise up to the expectations of the society.
Hailing from the tiny village of Hithala in Shikaripura taluk in Shimoga district, Prof. Maheshwaraiah said that his foremost task now was to hold the much delayed convocation of the University at the earliest. “I will move the office of the President for a date for holding the convocation with a request for the participation of the President, Pranab Mukherjee, who is the Visitor of the university.” He said that the President would also be requested through the Ministry of Human Resource Development to appoint an eminent personality as the Chancellor of the University at the earliest. (After the death of Jnanpeeth award winner U.R. Ananthamurthy, the post is vacant).
Prof. Maheshwaraiah said he has plans not only to establish constituent colleges of engineering and medical colleges on the main campus of the University, but also to establish at least six engineering and two medical colleges of the CUK in other parts of Karnataka.
Distance educationHe said that the CUK would also establish a distance education centre offering different courses and utilise the funds available under the Skill Commission to empower the students of the CUK. To a question, Prof. Maheshwaraiah said the CUK was ready to run undergraduate colleges offering basic science and arts courses if the State government provided the land and building with infrastructure facilities. “We will appoint quality teachers and ensure quality education to the students.”
Prof. Maheshwaraiah said that he would not compromise on quality of education; the best available human resources would be appointed to fill all the vacant teaching posts in a more transparent manner.
