CENTRAL UNIVERSITY STATUS: For Whom? And At What Cost?
-by Jayant
Shivaji Budkuley
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
This article is a loud-thinking prompted by the news item
reported in a section of press on 15th July 2008 regarding the proposed
conversion of Goa University into a Central University. In my considered
opinion, if this move is finalized, it is going to spell disaster to the
coming generation of students from the State. I would like to share my views
and anxieties about this with the destiny shapers and the destiny makers of
this state. But before that I would like to refresh the memory of my
generation which has been the privileged witness to the history of post
liberation Goa because, "those who forget their history are condemned to
repeat it". Undeniably, the future growth and distinct development for any
state lies in its institutions of higher learning.
SOME BACKGROUND:
The liberation of Goa on 19 December 1961 marked much more than just the
political freedom from foreign rule for the common man (and woman) of Goa.
More than anything, it proved to be a huge boon to the aspiring middle class
youth of the State. They had the priorities of education on the chart of
their ambition but not the means of realizing them. For a generation that
had needed a 'passport' to go to India even to appear for the secondary
school examination, liberation brought the facility of higher education to
their doorstep and encouraged them to fulfill their dreams.
It was due to the social commitment and vision of great Goan philanthropists
such as Padmashri Late Shri Vasantrao S. Dempo, Shri. Vishvasrao D.
Chowgule, Late Shri Dayanand Bandodkar and others, collegiate education was
made available in North and South Goa for the young aspirants as early as
from June 1962. The Diocesan Society was to follow suit with another
much-needed college in North Goa. Within a few years, the first Women's
college made its appearance in South Goa. All these colleges were Arts and
Science Colleges to begin with, but the Goan visionaries soon responded to
the need for discipline of Commerce too.
With the passage of time, not just the educated and the affluent class, but
also the youngsters from the less privileged strata of the society began to
reap the benefits of higher education. Within a decade, the 'first
generation learners' had thronged to these new temples of learning for
collegiate education. Side by side, concerted efforts of dedicated
educationists like Shri Vasant Joshi, Late Shri V. M. Salgaoncar and others,
along with several new Educational Societies, brought collegiate education,
both professional and non-professional, within the reach of the needy and
the aspiring.
Special mention has to be made of that great philanthropist and visionary
Late Shri Dayanand Bandodkar, the first Chief Minister of Goa (Daman and
Diu) with regard to the commendable clarity and range of his perspective on
education. While financially helping many needy and promising youngsters for
higher education in reputed institutions outside Goa and abroad, he realized
the necessity of upgrading the Goa Medical College (the first in Asia) and
the urgency of starting an Engineering College in Goa. The two educational
monuments at Bambolim and Farmagudi respectively stand a testimony to his
vision.
The third campus meant for the University, which was initially planned at
the well-developed Kundai Plateau was delayed and ultimately took shape at
Taleigao Plateau. This delay was expected and necessary: the University was
to be the culmination of the aspirations of a people coming into their own
after 450 years of foreign rule and alien education policy.
When Goa University was to be established, deliberations and discussions on
its likely nature and form had been going on since 1970 among prominent
educationists, industrialists, social activists, politicians and student
leaders. In all these discussions, the idea that the university should be
retained under the state jurisdiction and that its objectives should be
consistent with the graph of growth intended for an all-round development of
the future State and its people, had been predominantly aired. These
objectives prominently figure in the Goa University Act. Significantly, Goa
was then a Union Territory along with Daman and Diu and hence had the option
to prefer a Central University, if desired. Yet, the Goa University,
representing the dreams of Goans, was established as a State University on
30th June 1985.
UNIVERSITY TODAY:
Those closely associated with the Goa University since inception and so
having been witness to its growth can confidently say that the
University -not withstanding its limitations-has created a niche for itself
in this region of the country. Specifically speaking of the discipline of
Chemistry to which I belong (and can therefore confidently cite as an
illustration), many students passing out with post-graduate and research
degree in Chemistry are very well-placed in Research and Development Units
of renowned industries as well as Research Institutes. Most importantly,
several of these students coming from remote rural areas have realized their
potential by performing exceedingly well in their scholarly pursuits.
I would specially like to mention with paternal affection and pride some of
our outstanding alumni here: Dr. Sunder Dhuri from a hamlet in Valpoi and
Dr. Sarvesh Sawant from Karapur, Sankhli -both presently are Post Doctoral
Fellows in Reputed Institutes in South Korea; Mr. Umesh Gauns from Keri,
Valpoi, and Mr. Prakash Parvatkar from Keri-Ponda passed NET(UGC-CSIR)
examination; and the latter being among top 20% student passing that
examination in the country was short listed for late Dr. Shamaprasad
Mukherji Fellowship. It is my limitation that I can vouch for only one
department but I have no doubt this must be the story of students from rural
areas across the departments in Goa University. Where will the less
privileged but bright, hardworking youngsters go, if our University is
converted into a Central University with admissions thrown open to aspirants
from across the country and no other State University to turn to, except
those with exorbitant fees in the neighbouring states.
The present Director of Higher Education, Government of Goa, Shri.Bhaskar
Nayak has himself had a long stint as the Principal of Government College:
at Pernem and now at Quepem. Both these colleges cater to the student
community from rural places like Nhaibag, Keri, Varkhand, Dhargal; Sanguem,
Bhati, Kurpe, Kavrem, Morpil, Zambaulim etc. In fact, the very rationale for
starting the Government Colleges in the rural areas such as Pernem,
Sankhali, Khandola and Kepem has been to tap the deprived sections of
society, disadvantaged from obtaining higher education due to inaccessible
distance, unaffordable costs of living away from home and limited resources
available to them. Or else, what was need of starting new colleges in
addition to the reputed institutions already in place? Was it not to cater
to the common man with uncommon potential and aspirations? Who else will
have better knowledge of the potential of these students than the Principals
of colleges in rural Goa? Who else but the Principals and teachers will
appreciate the change that has occurred in rural Goan youth thanks to their
own efforts and initiative for higher studies since the establishment of Goa
University?
TEACHERS AND STAFF TO GAIN, STUDENTS TO LOSE:
One of the advantages of shifting to Central University status as reportedly
stated by an important authority of the Goa University (as quoted by a
newspaper on 31st March 2008) is that the employees of the University will
get higher central scales. Incidentally, even before Goa University came
into existence, irrespective of which party has been in power, the employees
in colleges and at the CPIR, like the state government employees, have been
always getting the scales on par with the central government employees,
except for the transport/conveyance allowance. The moot question here is
whether the employees will sacrifice the future of the next generation of
the state, including their own children, just for a meager monthly
allowance? The example of the Goa Government employees comes to mind here.
Although they might have been marginally disadvantaged, they neither grudged
Goa its Statehood, nor suggested that Goa should go back to the Union
territory status!
Increase of retirement age of teachers from 60 years to 65 years or that of
Vice Chancellor from 65 years to 70 years cannot be the criteria for
accepting Central University status. Universities primarily exist for the
sake of the student community of the region and not for the sake of special
benefits to the employees per se. At best, a full-fledged Central
University can be independently created in Goa without changing the status
of the Goa University to facilitate other allied interests that clash with
the basic academic prospects of the average Goan student. This argument need
not be seen as parochial. Every state in the Country has its own
universities to cater to the specific local requirements of their
population. That is why Education is a subject on central as well as state
lists apart from the joint list.
Is it worth giving the teachers five extra years of service and misplaced
promise (since Goa Government has always implemented scales on par
with Central scales) of higher pay-scales to the employees of the
University, at the cost of denying the students of the State their right to
post-graduate education and a bright future?
MYTH OF COMPETITIVE MERIT:
Another argument often touted in favor of the conversion to the Central
University is that the local students will benefit from the All India
competition to which they will be exposed. All this talk about
competitiveness is a hog-wash. Any one familiar with the education system in
the rest of the country knows that in all major cities and prominent towns
in the country, coaching classes are being run on a large scale to prepare
students for all collegiate examinations. While this craze may have engulfed
a small percentage in Goa also, fortunately it has not yet touched 90-95% of
our college students who are the future aspirants for admissions to the
University. How will they survive in all India Entrance Examination for
admission in post-graduate courses in proposed Central University? Will we
not be encouraging rampant coaching classes for college students at this
rate? When we know that over 50% of college students are taking this higher
education only because it is available within their means and in their
vicinity, will we not be depriving them of a level playing field? Can we
then blame the less-affording majority if they turn away from higher
education in depression in spite of having potential? Is our objective to
only churn out graduates through colleges without providing a majority of
them, though talented any access to post-graduation? If we fail to provide
them opportunities to scale the heights in academics as per their potential,
how shall we answer the future needs of this state and society? Will we then
not be thwarting the path of the future achievers of this University?
SAVINGS AT WHAT COST:
It is said that on conversion of Goa University to Central status, the Goa
Government will save Rs. 15=00 (approx.) crores annually, this being annual
budget allocation for Goa University. But at what cost?
The total landed property of the Goa University at Taleigao Plateau,
overseeing Zuari river, is 16.38 lakh sq. m. Even at a modest rate of Rs.
15,000=00 per sq. m., it can be valued at Rs. 2457 crores. In fact, the
competitive rate of the land at a premium value will be anything close to
Rs. 20,000=00 per sq. m. as per a recent estimate reported in a local daily.
Besides, several buildings such as Faculty blocks, Library Block,
Administrative Building, Hostels, Staff Quarters etc are worth about Rs. 700
crores and equipments in these buildings are worth over Rs. 250 crores. Most
of this is acquired from State funding through annual budget allocation.
Would it be wise to hand over, on a platter, the priceless movable and
immovable assets (infrastructure and material resources including land) to
the tune of approx. Rs. 3,500=00 to Rs. 4,000=00 crores accumulated over a
period of nearly four decades (from the time of Centre of Post-graduate
Instructions and Research, Bombay University)? Goa University presently also
owns invaluable library assets (for eg. the collections of rare
books/manuscripts donated by Nuno Gonsalves- Portugal, Late Dr. Pandurang
Pissurlenkar, Dr. Sinari and many such donors and scholars, Chemical
Abstracts dating back by almost 100 years), sophisticated instruments
(procured through projects granted by various funding agencies including
the donation from the German Government), a whole network of buildings
constructed from the Goa Government funds, and moreover vast stretches of
prime land transferred to the Goa University by the Goa Government. Is it
worth foregoing this vast and invaluable wealth to save the State Government
a meager annual grant of Rs. 15 crores?
Goa Government should not find it difficult to allocate not just Rs. 15.00
crores , but even a couple of crores more annually, to the only state
university from its total annual state budget of about Rs. 4500.00 crores .
LURE OF CENTRAL FUNDS:
It is also argued by the votaries of central university that by accepting
the Central University status, a lot of funds from the Central Government
will flow into University coffers. In fact, even today lot of funds are for
taking from agencies such as UGC, CS IR, DST, ICSSR, CIIL, etc of Government
of India. What is required is the motivated and academically active faculty
and visionary leadership. Changing the status is not the alternative path to
excellence.
It is to be noted that even without being a central university, at present
the Goa University's output in terms of academics and research has been
commendable in comparison with reputed state universities and even some
central universities in the country. This is clearly reflected in the fact
that proposals from Goa University for funding from various national and
international agencies are accepted favourably for generous sanction of
funds. The criteria for deciding on such matters is always, without
exception, the performance of students and the output of the faculty
(including their research publications). Goa University was among very few
universities in the country to get more than Rs. 4.00 crores UGC grants for
Xth Plan (most of them got Rs. 2.5-3.00 crores).
Goa University, although a State University, has created niche for itself
among performing Universities in the country. This was possible due to the
genuinely proactive academic leadership and vision of its former Vice
Chancellors like Prof. B. Sheik Ali, and Prof. B. S. Sonde.
GOAN STUDENTS TO BEAR THE BRUNT:
As per the existing admission policy for post-graduate courses of Goa
University, 90% seats are reserved for students passing degree examination
from colleges in Goa and 10% seats reserved (as per UGC requirement) for
students from other Universities. This 90% includes seats reserved for
various categories in the state as per the guidelines of the Social Welfare
Department, Goa. Whereas in the case of the Central Universities all the
seats are filled on the basis of merit at All India Entrance examination.
Also the admissions to various reserved categories depend on statistics
across the country (which includes categories that do not exist in Goa at
all). Moreover, the reserved categories will be heavily numbered as per all
India statistics. Will our students, especially from rural areas, be able to
withstand all India competition number-wise, merit-wise as well as
quota-wise is the real test of this uneaten pudding of a central university.
Presently Goa Government through GSIDC is constructing a building worth
about 16 crores for Chemistry Department alone specifically to increase the
intake capacity from existing 36 to 100 students since there is a heavy
demand for the M. Sc. (Chemistry) course and placements (this year over 200
students from Goa colleges applied for 36 seats). How many students from Goa
Colleges will be admitted to M. Sc. course at the central university with
this increased strength will be anybody's guess!
UNSUITABLE PONDICHERRY MODEL:
It is argued that the Pondichery model of Central University can be followed
for Goa University whereby seats can be reserved for the local students.
This is a myth and the Pondicherry model can never apply to Goa and Goa
University, since Pondicherry has never been a State. Even in the
Pondicherry University, in spite of its Union Territory status, only 25%
seats in every subject are reserved for local candidates. Is this formula
likely to be extended for a state? And further, will a small percentage of
25% of seats suffice for the Goan student community, especially with no
other state university to turn to? If this is the case with a specially
established Central University, what better deal can Goa University expect
on conversion?
Even the model of recently converted Allahabad (Central) University cannot
be useful to Goan students since there are several universities in Uttar
Pradesh.
Conversion of any one University from a bigger state (like Madhya Pradesh or
Maharashtra or Chattisgarhj) into a Central University will not affect
student community from that state to such a great extent as in the case of
Goa. This is because there are more than one (often several) Universities
existing in such a state. But for Goa, which has only one University, the
outcome of the conversion will be disastrous.
A CAUTION IN TIME.....
With Central University status, the State Government's prerogative of
nominations to the various academic and administrative bodies will be lost
and thus the focus of the educational objectives for the State will be
side-lined.
As such, the Central University status could be acceptable for Goa
University only on the conditions that the present admission policy of the
Goa University continues permanently without any change, the constitution of
the different Bodies of the University is in no way altered and moreover,
the Goa Government's prerogative to nominate its representatives to these
bodies of the University in the same proportion as of now is protected. In
the interests of this State, this must be ensured through a signed protocol
between Goa Government and HRD Ministry of the Government of India, and an
Act to that effect promulgated by the Parliament be duly in place..
However, a better solution to the present impasse is that instead of
changing the status of Goa University, Government of India could establish a
separate Central University in Goa by offering modern courses, thereby
creating an educational hub in the state. Alternately, Human Resource
Ministry could earmark funds for research and infrastructural development
projects in a small University (w.r.t. student strength) like Goa University
without altering its status.
It was a welcome thing to read in the press that the ruling Party in Goa has
taken a decision to appoint a Committee under Shri. M. K. Shaikh to relook
into the issue of converting Goa University into a Central University. In
fact, it would be better if this issue is discussed thread bare and sorted
out also by the political leadership by rising above their party
affiliations. There is no doubt that our senior politicians have interests
of the youth of the state, both urban and rural, equally at their heart. It
would be in the interest of the student community that our senior leaders,
Shri. Pratapsingh Rane, Shri Digamber Kamat, Shri. Manohar Parrikar, Dr.
Wilfred D'Souza, Shri. Sudin Dhavlikar, along with Shri. Shantaram Naik,
Shri Sripad Naik, Shri Fransisco Sardinha sit together and weigh the pros
and cons of this issue once and for all.
The most undesirable aspect of this entire episode of the conversion has
been the clandestine manner in which the policy advisor(s)/promoter(s)
pursued this issue. Until the contextual reference made by the Finance
Minister on the floor of the House while presenting the Budget, the
stakeholders i.e. the teachers, the students and the community at large were
completely in the dark about the Central University status. Moreover, such
an important issue was not even discussed in the policy-making bodies of the
University. This is in direct contrast to the long-drawn spade-work done by
all the stake-holders in the State prior to the establishment of Goa
University.
Finally, it cannot be overlooked that a University is the cradle of
Education where in the young human resource of a given state is cultivated
and groomed to meet the specific developmental model of that state. In a
pluralistic country like India it is extremely important that every state
should have at least one state university so that the aspirations of the
people of that state are focused and fulfilled through the agency of their
own University. The tiny state of Goa, which a visionary like Pandit
Jawaharlal Nehru believed has its own salient position in the Indian
Republic, cannot be an exception to this privilege.
COMMENTS
The above is the right synopsis for the orientation to commence the intended
DEBATE of the intellectuals of GOA under the banner of 'CITIZEN'S (OF GOA)
INITIATIVE' scheduled to meet for the first time on July 28 (Monday), 2008
from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Main Hall of Institute Menezes Braganza,
Panjim.
Not to comment on the pros and cons delivered by Dr. Jayant Budkuley above,
we shall reproduce the preamble of the Chapter [IX] - EDUCATION excerpted
from our ROADMAP FOR GOA (at page 64) along with the foot note.
"The entire education system in Goa shall be reviewed though debates,
seminars and free discussions involving academics; pedagogues;
student/parent associations etc., to bring out a 'WHITE PAPER'. The focus
shall be shifted from Exam-Oriented Education to "Practical & Knowledge
Oriented Education. State of the art 'Primary School System' infrastructure
shall be introduced to make the Primary Schools in the State the best in the
Indian Union and comparable to the best in the world. This we intend doing
since the primary education is the foundation for future generations in this
competitive world. Syllabi and examination patterns from primary school to
university level shall be reviewed /changed to effect
up-gradation.Educational institutions shall be freed from political
influence and/or interference and shall be accorded autonomous status. Sex
education as well as education on drug related influence on human body and
mind and its ill effects shall be introduced in schools. Cell phone culture
in schools shall be discouraged/arrested. Dramatic arts and Indian/Western
dance and music culture shall be included in school curricula to being
out/develop latent talents in Goan youth...............
Foot note 1: The justification for this sustained expenditure is that if the
government can afford to spend rupees 150 crores on IFFI related
infrastructure with Rs. 24 crores spent on the renovation works of the Kala
Academy, which infrastructure has been reduced to naught in just one heavy
down-pour, not just renovation, but another two or more Kala Academies could
have been built with the same amount, the Goa government can and should
spend more on primary school infrastructure as it is in the interest of
Goa's future. ( If this Roadmap should be re-written, the inclusion of the
monstrously high 'Food Bills' of our MLAs and Ministers as well as their
'Foreign Jaunts' on study tours cannot be ruled out. :-))
Foot note 2: Our education system does not encourage the development of a
socially responsible mind. Our graduates are in many cases persons who are
social ignorants - what they learn by rote cannot be related to life as a
whole.
floriano
goasuraj
