Punjab Governor and UT Administrator Shivraj Patil has asked the chancellors and vice-chancellors of the universities in Punjab to focus on education, extension, and research and development.
Patil, in a high-powered second meeting with chancellors and VCs, asked them to use modern technology in the classrooms by adding the system of imparting education through recorded lectures of eminent professors. “This will help in saving time, money, and solving problems of shortage of teaching staff up to some extent,” he added.
He said that there was nothing wrong in having big smart classrooms “with a capacity of over 300 students, equipped with modern electronic gadgets like CCTV cameras, big screen, audio–video facilities. Besides, libraries of all universities should be digitized as the digitized books can be read anywhere”.
“As per my opinion, every university should have its own theater to record lectures. Distant education cannot be provided unless or until you have your own studio,” he said.
Appreciating universities for doing well in imparting quality education to the students, Patil pointed out that these are lagging behind in extension and research areas. He added that he was not happy to know that extension work of government universities is not very strong. “If you really want to impart quality educationyou have to strengthen your extension wing,” said Patil.
Emphasizing on giving more focus on research and development, Patil said that there is need to develop relevant technology.
“Nobody else can provide you better designs of relevant and advanced technology; you have to develop it at your own….No doubt that agricultural universities are developing varieties of hybrid seeds, but they are not developing agricultural machinery and tools,” he added.
After getting detailed information regarding the functioning, difficulties and problems being faced by them and their solutions, Patil appeal to all the Chancellors and Vice Chancellors to act as catalysts and to create new opportunities for our youth in different disciplines of modern education.