A round-table discussion on the proposed National Education Policy organised by Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) Rashtriya Shaikshanik Mahasangh here on Sunday provided a platform for experts from various fields to ponder over the present education scenario.
Speaking at the discussion held at BVB College of Engineering and Technology, MLC S.V. Sankanur expressed concern over the decreasing number of students pursuing higher education. Both the Centre and State governments should come up with attractive programmes to motivate students to pursue higher education, he said.
Drawing attention at the poor infrastructure in the colleges, Mr. Sankanur stressed the need for a comprehensive programme.
Speaking on ‘Promoting open and distance learning and online courses’, Director of Institute of Management Studies and Research (IMSR) Prasad Roodagi said that as 28 per cent of candidates pursued postgraduation through correspondence, the quality of correspondence courses should be improved through use of technology.
Dean of Kousali Institute of Management Studies (KIMS), Dharwad, M.S. Subhash spoke on the poor employability of the graduates and analysed the reasons for it, including the lack of skills.
Principal of BVB College of Engineering and Technology Ashok Shettar said the two mandates of education were passing on the accumulated wisdom to the students and making them confident to earn their livelihood.
As the focus was on transmitting information to students within the four walls of classrooms, the students were unable to pick up job skills. In order to teach them skills there was need for vocational universities on the lines of the Korean model of vocational education, Prof. Shettar said.
Several other academicians expressed their view points on various issues. Professor Gopal Joshi, B.G. Moolimani, Raghu Akmanchi and others participated in the discussion.
