Call to open more universities to improve access to higher education

SALEM: Former Vice-Chancellor of Indira Gandhi National Open University V.C. Kulandaisamy urged the Central and State governments to open more universities to improve access to higher education in the country.
Participating in the silver jubilee celebrations of Salem Central Law College on Friday, he said that the country should ensure access to higher education to at least 20 percent of the people in order to become a developed country.
Opening of more universities would increase access to education.
It would also help promote research and development activities, which would lead to the development of new technologies that would fuel the growth of the country.
The country is depending on the technologies from other countries in various sectors.
About 75 percent of the technologies used in the defence sector are from other countries. This situation should change. More importance should be accorded to research, he said.
The research and development activities were not happening in the higher educational institutions in the country.
Over 80 percent of the faculty members in the colleges were involved just in teaching, he pointed out.
The establishment of more universities would provide opportunities to take up more research works. The government alone could not establish more universities.
Apart from the Central and state governments, private organisations should also be encouraged and provided help to open universities, he stressed.

-From The Hindu news

Supplementary examinations

SALEM: The Periyar University will conduct supplementary examinations for the postgraduate students, who failed in a few subjects, in its premises from August 22 to 24.
Students who wrote their final semester examinations in April/May 2009 can apply.
The applications should be sent to the university through the principal of their colleges within August 17.
More information can be obtained from the office of the Controller of examinations.
-From The Hindu news

Income Tax raid at university

SALEM: Income Tax Department carried out raids on the premises of the Salem-based Vinayaka Mission University here on Wednesday.

According to the sources in IT department here a high level team of officials from the Directorate of Investigation, Income Tax Department, Chennai, and also officers in Salem jointly carried out the operation.

The team entered the university office on Wednesday morning and reportedly examining all records including the ones pertaining to the admissions of various professional courses, which the university is running and also donation collections.

Tight lipped

“The operation is going on and we cannot divulge anything at this point,” said a senior official.

-From The Hindu news

Encourage students to develop creative skills: Kalam

SALEM: Former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam called upon the educational institutions to create intellectually stimulating environment for research, creativity and innovation among students.

“Good teaching emanates from research. Experience of research leads to quality teaching and quality teaching imparted to the young in turn enriches the research,” he told a large gathering of students after inaugurating an Advanced Research and Development Centre in Sona College of Technology and the ‘Confluence of Celebrations’ organised by Sona Group of Institutions here on Wednesday.

“Any university is judged by the level and extent of the research work it accomplishes. The foundation of academic research is creativity. The institutions should encourage students to develop their creative skills,” he stressed. Mr. Kalam said students could improve their knowledge through imagination, good thoughts and self-confidence.

Sharing his vision for India in 2020, he said all the people should work together to make the country prosperous, healthy, secure, peaceful, happy and continues with a sustainable growth path. The country should become one of the best places to live.

To achieve this vision and transform the country into a developed nation, more focus should be given for agriculture and food processing, education and healthcare, information and communication technology, reliable and quality electric power, surface transport and infrastructure for all and self-reliance in critical technologies, he said and discussed about the convergence of technologies and the importance of the scheme to Provide Urban Amenities in Rural Areas.

Interacting with the students, he asked them not to get frightened when they face failures. “You should believe that you can defeat the defeat,” he said.

Later, Mr. Kalam honoured students and teachers for their outstanding performance.

Collector J. Chandrakumar, Deputy Commissioner of Police John Nicholson, Institutions Chairman C. Valliappa, Secretary A. Dhirajlal, Sona College of Technology Principal P. Govindarajan, Thiagarajar Polytechnic College Principal Karthikeyan and others were present.

-From The Hindu news