Mysuru: The Intellectual Conclave hosted by Janata Dal (Secular) began on a sedate note here this morning at Kalamandira as the Party President H.D. Kumaraswamy (HDK), who came an hour late, asked the intellectuals gathered to share their thoughts on various aspects of education.
Former Vice-Chancellor (VC) of the University of Mysore and JD(S) leader Prof. K.S. Rangappa, welcoming the gathering of former VCs, Professors, writers and educationists, said that HDK, as part of Kumara Parva is visiting all the constituencies in the State and interacting with people on various issues.
“Kumaraswamy visited countries like Israel to study agriculture and farming methods to see how it could be utilised in our own State to improve farming techniques. He is also very keen on promoting proper education and hence, he suggested the idea of this intellectual conclave in Mysuru as there are lot of retired professionals who could pitch in with their ideas,” Prof. Rangappa said.
For instance, the Forum of Former Vice-Chancellors of Karnataka State Universities (FVCK) had been giving suggestions to the Government to improve the quality of higher education. However, all their suggestions and ideas were kept in cold storage, he said. “If JD(S) comes to power then stress will be given to higher education as it is in a mess and the views and opinions of education experts will be taken seriously,” he added.
Former VC Prof. J.A.K. Tareen, laying stress on free education to children between 3 and 6 years, said that focus should also be on Madrasas so that the children in these Muslim institutions are exposed to better education facilities.
CFTRI retired Scientist Dr. Mahadevaiah said that food parks and incubation centres should be set up in all the districts in the State as the one he had set up in Bagalkot was successful.
Dr. S.P. Yoganna, former President of Indian Medical Association, Mysuru Centre, said that people with integrity and values only must be selected for contesting the elections and only when this is done will something good happen in the country. Even the health sector is in a mess, subsidies should be given to those running private establishments to cater to the poor and needy, and all these points should be included in the 2018 Assembly election manifesto.
FVCK President and former VC of UoM Prof. S.N. Hegde chaired the Conclave attended by nearly 500 people including 15 former VCs, education experts, party workers and students.
Harish Gowda absent
Meanwhile, JD(S) leader K. Harish Gowda, an aspirant for ticket from Chamaraja Constituency from where Prof. Rangappa is also an aspirant, was conspicuous by his absence. He told SOM that he will not be attending the conclave.
Did any of the VCs suggest that teachers and professors should be selected based not on caste but on merit during this conclave of intellectuals? Do we need any great study to find out why our once five star Mysuru University has become a zero star university? Several retired professors were telling me that more than 80% of the professors of Mysuru University are the ones selected not on their “merit” but on their caste. If this is true how can one hope to improve the standard of higher education in our universities? Will such professors be able to help the really needy students who need all the help?