Friday, February 15, 2008

Strategy for upgrading Academic Standard at A.M.U. Aligarh

Highly sought streams like Microbiology, Biotechnology, Fashion designing/technology, Hotel management, Information Technology, Molecular Biology, Nuclear Medicine etc as full fledged departments are immediately required. Mobilization for campus recruitment for students of Law, Engineering, Business Management, Tourism management etc. should be taken care.
The mushrooming of tea stalls and roadside dhahwas should be checked which attract a large number of students to waste their time. To device some norms/restrictions such that students may utilize their maximum time in studying and keeping involved in futuristic career prospects by means of interactive meets both in the Department and in the hostel. Efficient and well managed/guided career guidance centre is required for every stream for which talented professionals are needed.
In order to stand ahead in the academic output & matching the requirement of job industry, key issue involved are: 1) Upgrading the syllabi (in all streams) as of global competitiveness, and 2) Employing most talented and better result oriented faculty.
Syllabus upgrading and updating has to be an important & continuous process wherein expert group for each subject and stream has to be made responsible by studying and incorporating the latest syllabus being adopted by world class institutions. Once syllabi match the objectives of bodies like U.P.S.C., U.G.C, C.S.I.R. etc, then only students will be able to perform better in key tests. To begin with, it will be wise to match our syllabi with that of premier Indian Institutions like I.I.Ts., I.I.Ms., I.I.Sc., J.N.U. etc.
A device should be developed through which only the best and befitting talent must be engaged for such responsible job. Fresh products of same institution (herein AMU) should not be immediately employed as faculty (irrespective of outstanding performance) unless they are so much capable they should first earn experience at coveted institutions elsewhere. There should be provision for time framed contractual positions (with lucrative benefits) for extraordinary scholars working abroad in the well reputed institutions/universities. Faculty recruitment advertisements should always be global through international journals and e-mailing. Substandard faculty members may better be engaged in administrative and peripheral works. Another harsh measure is to trim the surplus & useless faculty members by some meticulous device in phased manner.
There must be establishment of Registrar Academic to look after quality up gradation and compatibility amongst various disciplines so as to match world class institutions. Such establishment should function as watchdog on the quality & innovation of the academic excellence without any compromise. Hence, top priority should be given to this important unit for which proven talented person on purely contractual basis should be deputed on attractive package.
In order to establish such unit, detailed studies of institutions like I.I.Ts., I.I.Ms,
I.I.Sc. etc may be carried out. The key functions of this unit will be to update and improve syllabi, teaching methodology, commitment and concern of the faculty members for the overall academic wellbeing of students through interactive sessions with outside institutions, nodal agencies, industry and the Government run Scientific and other academic bodies. The syllabi should be tuned up of job oriented and of market ready profile.
Emphasis should be given to invite national and international fame scholars and activists (of various disciplines) for delivering thought provoking key addresses for stimulating the faculty and students together. To maintain high standard and dignity of the University, attempt should be made to invite Nobel Laureate for the key functions like Convocation (instead of political personality). Frequency of arranging national/international level conferences, seminar symposia should be increased for wider academic interactions. Industry sponsored researches should be encouraged through upgraded Research Centers at the pattern of C.S.I.R. & I.I.Ts.
There is need to establish a centre (may be named as Alumni Centre or Foundation Centre) for coordinating with elite and generous alumni to contribute for ongoing efforts on infrastructure improvement and creation of new study centers/departments etc. For instance, I.I.T. Kharagpur through such unit called Technology Foundation Centre has attracted huge funds through its alumni which could bring out new Departments & Centers like Vinod Gupta School of Management, G. S. Sanyal School of Telecommunications and the newly started Rajiv Gandhi School of Intellectual Property Law. Above all, we require serious introspection and a firm commitment to revolutionize the whole set up with sincere and honest zeal without compromising personal interests for the only cause of Academic excellence.
Views by: Akmal Husain M.Sc, M.Phil (Alig) Cell No 09434939702
Sr Scientist & Officer-in-Charge, Marine Aquarium & Research Centre
Zoological Survey of India (Ministry of Environment), Digha (W.B.)

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