Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Mar 21: Trouble makers in the Jammu University will be taken to task as restoration of discipline is on top of the agenda of the new Vice-Chancellor, Prof R D Sharma, who recently took over as eighth VC of the 50 year old University.
In an exclusive interview with the Excelsior, the new VC admitted un-necessary delay in disposal of things in Jammu University and said that only 10 percent of the university staff was punctual as a culture of regularity was ruined over the past few years.
“Restoration of discipline in the university is the immediate requirement and all pending issues need to be sorted out for which initiatives are being taken,” he said while listing his priorities, which include timely conduct of examinations and declaration of results, holding Board of Research Studies meetings regularly, extension of Choice Based Credit System to Off-site campus etc.
While elaborating, Prof Sharma said that weekly review of the university affairs was on his agenda for ensuring timely completion of assignments. “We have to pursue the things and motivate the employees for developing work culture and punctuality,” he said and hastened to add that a change in overnight could not be expected.
Listing some examples of administrative inertia in the past, the Vice-Chancellor informed that around 50 percent of the UGC funds, provided for construction of off-site campus buildings were not utilized. “Under Five-Year Plan, Rs 117 crores was sanctioned by the University Grants Commission for construction of the off-site campuses buildings but only half of the amount has so far been utilized because of technical reasons and other problems, which could have been sorted out,” he said and added that if the university request for extending the grant is not accepted by the UGC, the un-utilized amount of approximately Rs 50 crores would get lapsed after March 31, 2015.
Talking about the quality of education and research work, Prof Sharma stressed that special emphasis is being given for activating research in the university. “For the purpose, we have decided to make it mandatory for each faculty member to have at least one research project,” he informed.
Similarly, he added, reforms have been initiated at Under Graduate and Post Graduate level by introducing Semester system and Choice Based Credit System, respectively. “Even as the introduction of semester has put additional burden on the concerned staff since number of exams at UG level has increased from three to 12, the same would ensure more involvement of students and qualitative change,” he opined.
For ensuring timely conduct of UG examinations and declaration of the results, the VC said that the University was also going to approach the Government for a control over college teachers to make them accountable for completion of syllabus at time. “Besides, enforcement of Academic Calendar will be ensured so that there may be no delay in exams,” he added.
Reiterating that there would be no comprise on quality of education, the Vice-Chancellor said that the university would introduce only need based courses besides consolidating the existing ones. He expressed concern over poor response to MCA as well as MBA courses in the Bhaderwah Campus because of its locational disadvantage and said that a few initiatives were being taken to improve the situation. “We are planning to engage senior faculty and organize campus placement drives there for improving quality of education and attracting students,” he elaborated and disclosed that a recent proposal for admission in these course at Bhaderwah Campus without entrance test was rejected as that would amount to lower quality.
Regarding the issues of employees, the Vice-Chancellor admitted that the university staff was overloaded and they need to be taken into confidence for further development and progress of the institution. “Around 50 percent of the university staff is contractual or adhoc and we can not run the institution without these employees, whose issues and grievances will be addressed,” he added.
Prof Sharma, who is a local and has had been serving Jammu University for the last more than three decades on different positions, was fully confident of streamlining the JU affairs with the cooperation of all the stakeholders. “Students as well as the teachers are positive and there is hardly any indication of a negative approach from any quarter,” he said.
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