The Goa University, established in June 1985, has had a number of vice chancellors of different hue and interests in its 30 years of existence. Most of them came from a science background but did not quite contribute to the Goa University or its affiliated colleges.
Many would certainly endorse that there has been progress at the Goa University. Yes, for those who have not experienced the momentum of growth and initiative and innovations in other Universities, Goa University has grown but the question remains. Is that growth adequate and to the expectation of the people of Goa, especially when Goa has just one University for the whole State and the rules and regulations of the University does not permit co-existence of any other University in Goa. For those of us who are in academics for decades this is one responsibility Goa University has not fulfilled — that of bringing in expertise and providing inclusive and quality growth.
One can only blame the leadership at the University, which has often faulted and is deprived of vision or motivation to excel. One reason may be the successive appointment of scientists as Vice Chancellors who have little or no experience of dealing with the faculty and students which has often led to bruised relationships. A major setback in recent times was the refusal to accept the Central government’s offer to convert Goa University into a central University. An opportunity of a million dollar investment by the Centre was lost but the Goa Government could have then set up its own University providing more diversified opportunities in higher education. Now that it is lost we need to look forward with great expectations to the new Vice Chancellor to bring in at least some of the long pending reformation and transformation in Goa’s higher education. The key areas for such affirmative action could be just three.
1. Upgradation of teaching and research at Goa University.
Despite many eminent persons having occupied the chair of the Vice Chancellor of Goa University, none of them have been able to bring in any perceptible transformation and upgradation in the teaching and research at Goa University. This requires concerted efforts at obtaining the services of eminent persons in their respective field and promotion of research so that faculty and students from other parts of India and even abroad would desire to be part of such a department for its prestige and reputation. Instead, at present, the University is facing a dearth of students and a dearth of faculty in many of the departments.
2. Setting up of centres of excellence in a chosen field.
As a University it should have at least some centres of excellence, wherein the academia and the industry would approach for guidance and upgradation of their own skills and knowledge. These centres should aim for international recognition and leadership in the chosen field.
Goa’s socio-economic, cultural and geographical context should be considered in deciding the areas of such excellence.
3. Upgradation and promotion of affiliated Institutions.
Many of the affiliated colleges were pre-existing at the time of formation of Goa University and have therefore richer experience and deeper understanding of the students. Unfortunately instead of understanding this and taking the help and support of these older institutions, the whole focus of Goa University was aimed at regulation and control. An institution’s aspirations and the attitude of University officials were often at loggerheads which substantially affected the growth perspective of these institutions.
The recent student grievance was precisely because of this fundamental controlling attitude. This attitude of the University — that its function is only to regulate and control affiliated colleges — is reflected in its statutes and ordinances. For example, the UGC scheme of autonomy to institutions came into vogue sometime in the 1990s. Though efforts were made by some institutions to seek autonomy sometime during the year 2000, the University’s fundamental attitude was to curb such initiative. It was only in 2014, nearly 20 years after UGC floated the scheme and after a decade after the initial efforts a college in Goa was granted autonomy. As per UGC, institutions with 10 to 15 years of standing could seek autonomy. If promptly implemented, by now Goa would have had at least 10 autonomous colleges instead of just one.
But one of the UGC requirements is that of a permanent affiliation of the course/institution with Goa University. It is disappointing to note that there are colleges which have been running programmes continuously and successfully for more than 10 years, yet the Goa University grants only temporary affiliation, that too just for a year. This allows the colleges not to appoint a permanent faculty. One such glaring illustration is the lack of pragmatic thinking and approach regarding the existing post graduate programmes. Many of these colleges have a faculty teaching the post graduate programme. Many of these have not passed the mandatory NET examination nor do they have PhD or adequate teaching experience. Surprisingly in the same college there are qualified faculty with rich experience and PhD or other research degree teaching at the undergraduate programme. But rules do not permit them to teach the post graduate programme. The University’s bureaucratic approach has killed quality at post graduate teaching in Goa. For the sake of better higher education these Institutions need to be released from the bondage of bureaucratic control by the Goa University.
These three fundamental changes can make Goa University one of the outstanding Universities in the country.
(The writer is a Professor of Law and Former Dean, faculty of Law at Goa University).
