Nigavekar unfolds three E8217;s

PUNE, May 8: They were students of a different kind. Not the ones who giggle and pass chits around the class. But ones glued to each and eve...

PUNE, May 8: They were students of a different kind. Not the ones who giggle and pass chits around the class. But ones glued to each and every word that their teacher explained. They were Class II officers of the University of Pune from section officers to the registrar who did not jot down notes, but vowed to keep pace with their Vice-Chancellor Dr Arun Nigavekar 8220;cycling the tightrope.8221;

If it was with a physicist8217;s studied approach that Nigavekar step by step put his cards on the table, then the cartoonist in him could not but sketch the role of the V-C 8220;balancing the unbalancable8221; cycling the tightrope 8211; urging his front 8220;staff8221; and rear 8220;faculty8221; wheels to support him in ushering the 8220;total quality management8221; concept in higher education.

And so it has been for the past three weeks where Nigavekar has been stressing and reiterating the quality concept to his administrative and academic staff. 8220;I keep harping on quality and more quality, but it8217;s more important to drill in our minds what exactly needs to be done,8221; a business-like V-C told his Class II officers at the Department of Chemistry today.

Why do students still have to waste three days to fill his/her examination form, why does the syllabus prepared by the Board of Studies take two years for the academic council8217;s approval, why is the gymnasium neglected and why can8217;t the service at the guest house be up to the mark, were a few questions which the V-C raised while emphasising the three E8217;s 8211; efficiency, effectiveness and economics of education.

Question yourselves, ask whether you are doing it the right way, whether the beneficiaries are happy with your work and if you are satisfied with your output, Nigavekar urged while making a presentation with the help of slides.

Quoting impressive statistics 8211; 6.5 million students today as against 19478217;s 1 million, 3,25,000 teachers compared to 15,000 in 1947, 9,400 colleges today as against 700 and 229 universities compared to 25 in 1947, Nigavekar pinpointed his worries 8211; colleges and universities facing credibility crisis and an Higher Education system in the docks.

With each students following the maxim that 8220;higher education is his/her birthright,8221; it8217;s high time that the process of solving the problem when it arose was done away with. Things will not change overnight but we need to start doing it differently, an optimistic V-C urged. Even as the section officers, assistant registrars, deputy registrar and the registrar spared several moments from the monotony of their jobs, it was with a refreshing attitude that they walked out of their class rooms, fully knowing that independent cells would soon be set up to assess whether the quality concept was driven home or not.