Prof Raj Kumar, who took over as the Vice Chancellor of Panjab University in July last year, says that shortage of manpower and financial crunch are the two main challenges he has faced during his first year in the office. “Despite these challenges, my focus is promoting research and innovation in PU,” says the VC who is engaged in the teaching and research profession for more than three decades.
His first year in the office has been an eventful one with allegations against him of favoring right wing ideology, several protests being held by students and his differences with senate and syndicate members hogging the limelight. The Vice Chancellor, however, shrugged off the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) tag and says that his only focus is to make the University number one in the country.
Prof Raj Kumar has previously served as Director, Dean and Head of Institute of Management Studies, Banaras Hindu University (BHU) Varanasi. He spoke to The Pioneer about his vision for research, employment generation, funding, shortage of teaching faculty among other issues in PU. Excerpts from the interview
Q. You have so many years of experience in the field of education and academics. How do you see the changes which have taken place in the higher education sector and Indian education system over the years?
I have been engaged in this profession for more than 35 years now and I feel that technology has brought a revolution in higher education. Now, there is hub of knowledge just a click away. Today, we are moving ahead in terms of both literature and research work in Colleges and University. There are great opportunities for both academicians and students to excel in their domain due to technology now.
Q. What are your suggestions, to integrate quality at all levels of education in the country? And, what are your views on national education policy 2019?
National education policy aims to reform the education system in the country and has been very- well drafted. As far as suggestion to improve the quality of education is concerned, I feel we need to work on resources upgradation, encouraging innovations and funds generation in the institutions of higher education. There is a need to explore resources for fund generation, may be through public-private partnership or corporate funding. We should also explore the collaboration of private and government Colleges or Universities in the country. Innovation and research has remained my focus since I joined here and in PU, we are collaborating with private sector for research works. But still, a lot needs to be done in this area. Apart from this, I also feel that decentralization and autonomy is important for institutions of higher education. The VCs or chairpersons need to have more powers in decision making process. At the same time, I feel value and ethics should also be imbibed in the students.
Q. Do you feel that the VC in Panjab University should be given more powers?
I feel that we need to reconsider the system we are currently following here. The University is an inter-state body and there is senate and syndicate involved in decision making process. Certainly, there is a need to reconsider the current system but it would not be right for me to further comment on this issue.
Q. What is your vision and ideas for research in PU?
As I earlier said, I want to promote research and innovation. Various centres involved in entrepreneurial and incubation activities in PU have been brought under one roof so that anyone from industry or start-up can avail these facilities together. Bio-incubation Centre (BioNEST ) is hosting 15 incubator programmes or Startups. 50 industry ready products are available and many more industry ready prototypes exist here. For showcasing them, a ‘Deliverable Gallery’ is proposed to be set up in PU. We are also focusing on institutions under Chandigarh Region Innovation and Knowledge Cluster (CRIKC) for research work. We have also proposed setting up of a cancer research institute named as Atal Advanced Research Institute for Cancer (AARIC) here.
Q. What opportunities do you see for PU to play on the national or international stage?
PU is nationally as well as internationally famed. PU was ranked 9th in ARIIA ranking (Atal Ranking of Institutions and Innovation Achievements) and was the only university to have ranked in top 10. Recently, we had won the prestigious Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy for best all-round performance in sports among Indian varsities. Now, we are moving forward for collaboration with International Universities. I am hopeful that in coming years, we will have good visibility in terms of research as well as sports in international arena.
Q. What do you consider as the main challenges facing Panjab University?
Shortage of manpower and funds crunch are the two key challenges here. There is a shortage of technical staff (lab staff) and teaching faculty. More than 500 posts are lying vacant here but I am pursuing the matter with the Centre to fill vacant posts here. In the absence of permanent faculty, we are dependent on contractual and visiting faculty.
Q. How is the University responding to the challenges posed due to funding?
We are getting only salary grant but not development grant so we are facing financial crunch in PU. At present, we are generating funds through internal resources like fees of students. We are also working towards collaboration with corporate for funding in research projects. I have taken up the matter with the Centre and I am hopeful of a positive response.
Q. PU did not make it to the list of UGC’s “Institute of Eminence” (IoE)? Your take on this?
The main reason is the faculty –student ratio in PU, which is really poor. But among certain parameters set by UGC, we lacked in just two parameters.
Q. PU stands as one of the best universities in the country. Do you think the curriculum and other facilities at present is adequate to match with the topmost universities like Oxford and Cambridge, or are there any plans for upgrading the curriculum?
Look at the resources and autonomy these International Universities have… We are lacking in such things. As far as curriculum is concerned, we are working on its upgradation.
Q. Is PU planning any collaboration with the foreign universities?
Yes, we will be signing a MoU with Nottingham University (UK) in the area of sports. Apart from Nottingham, we are also exploring options to collaborate with other renowned International Universities to give a boost to sports in PU. Also, MoUs are in the pipeline for research and other purposes with University of Wolverhampton (UK), Western Sydney (Australia), State University of New York at Stony Brook (USA), University of Tyumen (Russia) among others.
Q. There is a question mark on the employability of a majority of Indian graduates. How is PU ensuring placements of the graduates?
The jobs in private and government sector are limited so we are putting efforts in promoting entrepreneurship. PU is also focusing on collaborations with private sector for research work and placement of students.
Also, the chairpersons in all departments have been asked to establish curriculum development cell for upgradation of course curriculum, as per the needs of corporate or industries. We will also begin mentor-mentoring system for grooming of students in PU. We have a Central Training and Placement cell, which focuses on personality development programmes, mock interviews to prepare the students. Apart from this, PU has also begun inviting bureaucrats, alumni, people from corporate to deliver motivational lecture and share their life experiences with the students.
Q. You have been accused of favoring ABVP due to your alleged affiliation with the ring wing. There was a huge controversy surrounding the removal of DSW recently. Your take on this.
I am neither in favor nor against anyone. I have said several times that I am an academician and I am here to work for ensuring quality education and good facilities in the University. People can connect me with right wing or with whatever they want but I am only concerned with the development of this University.
Q. You had recently said that PU will start calling parents of students who create trouble on campus. Have you issued any directions in this regard?
Yes, I have issued directions regarding this. Students are here to study but if they do not obey their teachers, action will be taken against them. Instead of studying, students sometimes indulge in protests or dharnas… I have asked teachers to warn students who indulge in such activities affecting the environment in the institution and if they still do such things, we will call up their parents.
Q. Your take on students’ politics and bitterness between the representatives of various political parties especially those with left-wing and right-wing ideology. Students’ organizations namely ABVP and SFS are locked in an ideology war and have even opposed each other on various issues.
As far as students’ body elections are concerned, we go by the instructions of Lyngdoh committee. I believe that there should not be any bitterness among students. This is an academic institution and there should not be any distorted politics. Students talking about character assassination, unlawful dharnas or protests, creating hindrances in official work of University… All this is not correct. I also feel that the students’ council should come out with a white paper on what they have done during their tenure. I recently visited Nottingham University (UK) and was amazed to see how the students union there is exceptionally working and focused on issues related to the academics.
Q. What are your views on privatization of education?
I am not against privatization. Private institutions have autonomy to take decisions and some of them are doing really well. They have made strategies to compete with IITs, IIMs and accordingly, have in place good manpower and financial resources.
Q. How do you see the recent attempts by politicians to equate Hindu mythology to science? The leaders of current ruling party at the Centre have likened the Pushpak Viman – the flying chariot described in the Ramayana – to modern-day aviation technology and Elephant face of the Hindu God Ganesha was claimed to be an evidence of the existence of plastic surgery in ancient India. Your take on such statements
These are their personal opinion. Humans have curiosity about everything but how would they establish their statements.
I think we should let them be… In the past, we used to refer to the moon as Chanda Mama and listened to many childhood stories about moon. Today, we have made a mark in space missions. Even this seemed unrealistic earlier…