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Eternal India
encyclopedia
EDUCATION
In addition, high-level research laboratories are maintained by the
Ministries of Agriculture, Health, Industries and others connected with
development. The Atomic Energy Commission of India has a large
network of establishments all over India. So has the Ministry of
Electronics and the Ministry of Space. All these are geared to
application of scientific knowledge rather than creation of new
knowledge. The Tata Institute of Fundamental Research at Bombay i s
a different kind of institution. It does more fundamental research than
applied. However, a large number of its professors are recognised as
guides for Ph.D. students. Similarly there are other institutes of
advanced study in a number of places. In the scientific sphere, though
the universities are also doing significant work, funding for the same is
not well matched. Hence the National Policy on Education -1986 has
strongly reiterated the need to strengthen and diversify scientific
research in the universities.
CO-ORDINATING BODIES
For the university sector, it was necessary to have a number of co-
ordinating bodies at various levels. The latest of them is the Association
of Indian Universities established in 1925. Almost all the universities
and Deemed Universities and Institutes of national importance have
representation on the A.I.U. The A.I.U. functions through a secretariat
located at AIU House, 16, Kotla Marg, New Delhi-110002. On the
recommendation of the AIU, two important Co-ordinating Bodies in
the university sector were established.
(i)
The Indian Medical Council was created in 1934 with statutory
bodies to regulate admissions, courses of study, examinations
and all matters having bearing on medical education in the
country.
(ii) The University Grants Commission was established in 1956
with statutory powers to determine and co-ordinate standards
in higher and professional education. The University Grants
Commission is required to regulate academic standards for
which the Central Government provides grants to be routed
through the University Grants Commission.
Like the Indian Medical Council, there are other co-ordinating
bodies — All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE), Bar
Council of India, the Dental Council of India, the Pharmacy Council of
India, the Nursing Council of India and the National Council of
Teacher Education which was created under a recent Act -
- which are statutory bodies to regulate academic standards in their
respective fields.
At the apex policy-making level, the Central Advisory Board of
Education has been in existence for almost half a century. Ministers of
Education of all the States and the Union Territories are all members of
this Board (CABE). Its meetings are presided over by the Union
Minister for Human Resource Development. The CABE meets once in
two or three years. But after the NPE (1986), it has been meeting more
frequently.
TYPES OF UNIVERSITIES
The largest number belongs to the Affiliating and Teaching type.
Each of them has a number of Departments dealing with post-graduate
education and research. But one of its main tasks is to deal with
affiliation of a large number of undergraduate colleges of which a small
number may be conducting post-graduate classes also.
The second is the unitary type like Benares, Aligarh, Allahabad,
Annamalai, Baroda, Patna, Lucknow etc. No colleges are affiliated to
them. All teaching and research are done in the university itself. They
hold their own examinations and award degrees.
The third is the Agricultural University. The first one to be
established in this category was the G. B. Pant Agricultural University
(1960). There are now 26 such universities of which two are in
Karnataka (Bangalore and Dharwad). The Agricultural Universities
have played a significant role in bringing about the Green Revolution
in India in respect of self-sufficiency of food.
The fourth category is the Technical University. The oldest of this
type is Roorkee. The Thompson Engineering College established in
1847 was raised to the status of a Technical University in 1949.
Jawaharlal Technical University, Hyderabad and Anna University in
Madras come under this category. Karnataka has no Technical
University. With the largest network of Engineering Colleges,
Polytechnics and ITIs., and Technical establishments, Karnataka richly
deserves to have a Technical University.
The fifth type is a Medical University. Now there is only one i.e.
the Andhra Pradesh University of Health Sciences. Karnataka with a
large number of Medical Colleges of all types as well as colleges of
Pharmacy needs to have one to regulate standards in Medical
education. Recently Tamil Nadu has set up one (The M.G.R. Medical
University, Madras).
There is also a category of universities known as Central
University. Its management is controlled by the Union Government
and funded by it. There are 12 Central Universities in India now.
INTERNAL MANAGEMENT
The internal management of the university follows the old British
pattern usually. The Governor is the Chancellor who on the
recommendations of a Committee or Government appoints a Vice-
Chancellor who is the Executive Head of the University dealing with
both academic and administrative matters. He functions through the
Syndicate which is an Executive Council. The Senate which is a large
body of 100 to 200 members is like Parliament to approve all actions.
All academic proposals come up to it from the Boards of Studies
through the respective Faculties and then the Academic Council. There
are a few non-academic elected members on the Academic Council and
the Syndicate. Deans of Faculties have an important role to play. The
whole set-up has become outmoded and needs a change.
GOVERNMENTAL CONTROL
Since more than 90% of funding comes from the Government
(States and Centre), control lies in their hands. This has led to a number
of problems due to delay in the release of funds and also due to
inadequate finances for improvements and research. The problem is
more acutely felt in the case of affiliating universities in which State
Government interference is experienced in affiliation and other
aspects. Due to vast increase in the number of universities (now it is
211), the University Grants Commission is finding it difficult to
manage. Decentralisation is a necessity. There are proposals to create
State Councils of Higher Education. Andhra Pradesh has already one
such body.
MANAGEMENT OF COLLEGES
Colleges broadly fall under two categories (1) Government and
(2)
Private. Each of them comprises (A) Colleges of General Education
(Arts, Science, Commerce), and (B) Professional Colleges
(Engineering, Medical, Law, Education).