Sri Venkateshwara Universtity’s (SVU’s) annual convocation, its 54{+t}{+h}, witnessed some plain-speaking by its Chancellor, Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan, who came down heavily on colleges that have been threatening to close down if the State government does not disburse scholarships to students.
“Go ahead, wind up. You don’t deserve to be here,” he said.
Convocation address
The convocation address was delivered by Union Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu, and Mr Narasimhan was attending the event after a gap of four years.
While Mr. Naidu appealed to policy-makers to reconnect the education system with India’s ancient, the Chancellor minced no words, saying there was no place in education for college managements that were there to make money.
He was particularly critical of the way some colleges have been arm-twisting the State government by insisting on payment of scholarships without themselves providing adequate facilities to students.
Mr. Narasimhan made a pointed observation that money-making alone should not be the objective of college managements, which, he said, present mere brick-and-mortar structures as colleges without employing adequate faculty, leave alone well-equipped libraries or laboratories.
Mediocre education
“Colleges offering mediocre education merely produce graduates without skills. Such frustrated youth pose a great threat to society,” he warned. He urged universities to desist from granting affiliation to such errant colleges, which the latter tend to demand as a right, and advised Vice-Chancellors to bravely take on such institutions. “Your university has a great brand value. Why do you lend it to such undeserving entities?” he questioned.
“The nation will head for a disaster if the widening gap between what is required by the job market and what is taught in colleges is not bridged,” Mr. Narasimhan said.
The brain drain theme was visited by Mr Naidu as well in his address. The Union Minister said India’s ancient universities of Nalanda and Taxila once attracted foreign students, but today’s present generation was going abroad for education and employment.
He lamented that one lakh professionals were leaving the country after studying in public-funded institutions, thus causing an approximate loss of $2 billion every year.
“I advise such students to learn, earn and return,” he said, evoking laughter from the audience of students and faculty.
What has happened to the nation that produced Aryabhatta, Sushrutha and Varahamihira? I advise students (going abroad) to learn, earn and return.
M. Venkaiah Naidu
Union Minister
