Chithira Tirunal statue unveiled

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, NOV. 13. There is a need to strengthen higher education in terms of quality and effectiveness and to achieve this end, a systematic programme of action is required, said Dr. C. Rangarajan, Governor of Andhra Pradesh.

The Governor was speaking at a glittering function held in connection with the unveiling of the statue of the late Sri Chithira Tirunal Balarama Varma, former head of the Travancore royal family and the founder of the Travancore University, which now is the University of Kerala, on its main campus at Palayam in the city.

Paying rich tributes to the late Maharaja of Travancore, who was instrumental in popularising higher education in this part of the country well before Indian independence, the Governor said that there was the need to live up to the king's dreams to create a strong and forward looking university.

A stage has been reached when the need for bringing about some radical changes in higher education can no longer be postponed. ``While the quality of our best students is not in doubt, it is the average which is causing discomfort,'' he remarked.

The system of higher education, as it operates now in India, has raised many concerns which include deterioration in quality, resource crunch and the consequent poor infrastructure and serious problems of governance caused both by the quantitative expansion and the present system of educational administration, said Dr. Rangarajan.

Modernisation of syllabus and curriculum of courses is imperative in a world in which knowledge is expanding at a rapid pace. It is necessary to recognise that knowledge is expanding in such a way that the traditional boundaries demarcating different disciplines have lost their significance. There has to be a constant review of the course content so that the students benefit from the latest developments, he maintained.

The present evaluation process also needs to be revamped to facilitate a more meaningful assessment of the students' competence.

Efficient teaching is the key to the promotion of academic excellence and the role of the teacher and his motivation are extremely important, to achieve a substantial improvement in the quality of education. Equally important is the attitude of students and they must regard learning as an exciting experience, the Governor observed.

Mr. Nalakath Soopy, Minister for Education, who is also the Pro- Chancellor of the university presided over the function, held on the 89th birth anniversary of the late Chithira Tirunal. Sri Uthradam Tirunal Marthanda Varma, present head of the Travancore royal family and other members of the family, witnessed the function.

Among the speakers were Mr. M.V. Raghavan, Minister for Co operation, the City Mayor, Prof. J. Chandra, Mr. V.S. Sivakumar, MP, and the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. V.S. Achuthanandan. The speakers paid glowing tributes to the late Chithira Tirunal for his contributions to the developments that the State has made in the social, economic, cultural and political spheres.

The Vice-Chancellor, Dr. B. Ekbal, and members of the Syndicate and Senate of the university were also present.

Mr. Kanayi Kunjuraman, who sculpted the Maharaja's statue, was felicitated at the function.

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