Mysuru: This is the first time that information related to higher education will be reflected by opening stalls of different Universities in the State at the Dasara Exhibition. This is the first such example in the history of Dasara celebrations, said Higher Education Minister G.T. Devegowda (GTD).

He was addressing the media after chairing a meeting of the Vice-Chancellors (VCs) of all the Universities in the State at Crawford Hall here yesterday and said that the purpose of the meeting was to show the kind of services that is provided by higher education to the common people.

In this direction, it was decided to open stalls of all the Universities in the State that will provide information regarding sports, yoga, cultural programmes and the different subjects and courses offered by each University, he said. Apart from this, a tableau related to higher education will also be a part of the Dasara procession. For this, a five-member committee of VCs has also been formed and the Universities have been directed to send youth teams to participate in Dasara programmes, he said.

Before the Dasara procession, stalls will be opened at Dasara Exhibition and booklets will be printed. Also, ten-minute documentary on each University will be produced. A Committee, headed by Visvesvaraya Technology University (VTU) VC, that includes VCs of Music, Kannada, Gulbarga, Bangalore and Mysore Universities, will oversee the making of the tableau, University of Mysore (UoM) in-charge VC Prof. T.K. Umesh informed the Minister.

Reacting to this, GTD said that many VCs have rendered invaluable service to higher education in the past. However, there has not been enough publicity about this. To reach this information to the common people, Dasara is an ideal time, he added.

“Many issues like free education for girls, yoga, Universities’ rural focus and other achievements, apart from information on unique programmes, must be provided. In a few Universities, there is no coordination between the VC and the Registrar. It is your responsibility to protect the standards of higher education. It is the first time that a programme in which all the Universities will be participating has been planned. Everyone should work hard for its success and discharge the duties responsibly,” he advised the VCs.

Info on Dasara website

A separate website, containing information on higher education and the messages of all the Universities with separate videos, must be made ready and uploaded, was the decision of the VCs, said Prof. Umesh.

GTD called Tourism Department Deputy Director Janardhan to the meeting and entrusted him the responsibility of including the information on higher education in the Dasara app itself.

Bangalore University VC Dr. K.R. Venugopal expressed his opinion that the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi and 125th anniversary of Swami Vivekananda’s Chicago address must be made topic of studies in all colleges. Even the VCs urged that an order must be passed in this regard for which GTD also gave his approval.

Karnataka State Higher Education Council Administrator Dr. Thandavagowda, Special Officer Prof. Ningegowda, UoM Registrar Prof. R. Rajanna, Registrar (Evaluation) Prof. J. Somashekar, Akkamahadevi Women’s University VC Dr. Sabiha, Tumkur University VC Prof. Y.S. Siddegowda, Hampi Kannada University VC Dr. Mallika S. Ghanti, Davangere University VC Dr. S.V. Halase and others were present during the meeting.