The Prime Minister Modi’s recent dialogue with high school students is interpreted in a number of ways and political interpretation is much more discussed than its positive aspect. Whether students and teachers in schools, colleges and universities should have periodical interaction with the related persons and institutions in society needs consideration and relevant action.
This is because when students who learn in academic institutions and universities are open to academic knowledge, but almost lacking in practical experience Periodical events like conferences or seminars on various subjects are opportunities for inviting the relevant counterparts in social circles so that they can share their experiences with students.
A spontaneous effort to get such interaction of professionals with students in university campus is successfully carried out in music and fine arts department of Shivaji University in southern Maharashtra, which carried out innovative programmes so that those in the field could come in contact with music in the campus.
Bharati Vaishampayan, reputed classical singer, who preferred to leave her independent career to head the department, has introduced ways and means for the expected interaction. She contacted not only singers and instrumentalists but also doctors, lawyers, teachers, government officials, industrialists and also journalists and other professionals who are either interested in classical music or they are practicing either as singers or instrumentalists in their spare time. She invited them for various functions organized on behalf of the dept.
During her thirty years dedicated service as head of the department, she organised concerts of reputed artists. Various concerts were organised on behalf of the department even by collecting funds and sponsors.
If a seminar is on subject of politics, politicians in local bodies and MPs and MLAs in university areas may be not only invitees but also participants so that their practical experience in respective life may be disclosed for the benefit of students. If the occasion relates to law faculty, lawyers and judges may share the occasion and if seminar is on economics, bankers, chartered accountants and those others who may not be professionals but interested in the subject may be invited for interaction. Thus periodical interactions between society and the educational institutions, enrich both the constituents — the professionals and the academics.
