A new varsity has major ambitions

Updated on: Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Though still coping with teething problems associated with any new institution, the year-old Rani Chennamma University (RCU) will soon become the only university in Karnataka to have a full-fledged five-year graduation-cum-postgraduation programme in criminal justice & forensic science, a course which promises good career opportunities to the youth in the industry, particularly in the IT and Communication sectors.

All necessary measures, including framing of syllabus and appointment of expert faculty from different institutions including Central Bureau of Investigation, police and judiciary, are underway at the RCU's campus at Bhootaramanahatti, about 19 km from Belgaum city on the Pune-Bangalore Highway (NH4).

Unfolding his plans to develop the RCU into a major educational hub in north Karnataka as early as possible to The Hindu EducationPlus, Vice-Chancellor A.R. Ananthan was happy to disclose the latest development — the University Grants Commission has accorded recognition under clause (f) of Section 2 of the UGC Act, 1956, which enables the RCU to award degrees.

Also, the UGC granted recognition under Section 12(B) of the Act, thereby granting eligibility to RCU to avail itself of central assistance (UGC grant) for various schemes, which will help the university to expedite the process of development.

RCU was created out of its parent university, Karnatak University (Dharwad), last year. Until then the campus of RCU was serving as a postgraduation centre of the Karnatak University (named after Kittur Rani Chennamma) for over 20 years.

Although this new university has its jurisdiction over Belgaum, Bijapur and Bagalkot districts of north Karnataka, it is the second largest in Karnataka, with 341 affiliated colleges, after Bangalore University.

New PG programmes

RCU, which presently offers PG programmes in 10 disciplines on campus and at a few major colleges in Belgaum city, including Kannada language and MBA, will have five new PG programmes from the academic year 2011-12. In addition to the programme in criminal justice and forensic science, the university will start master's programme in Media Studies – Electronic and Print media, English, Political Science and Commerce. Of these, the PG programmes in Commerce and English will also be offered in Bijapur.

The Syndicate, which met last week, accorded approval to the launch of new programmes.

New programmes in Science and Applied Sciences will be started from 2012-13 after creating laboratory facilities during the preceding year.

School concept

Prof. Ananthan said he was keenly looking forward to introducing the school concept in RCU, which is practised in some of the best universities across the world.

He would like to have Schools of Languages, Sciences, Commerce, Management Studies, Political Science, Economics, Mathematics, etc. to enable each department to grow independently, on the one hand, and ensure inter-disciplinary approach for qualitative research works, on the other.

He wants to develop a science park with state-of-the-art laboratory facilities not just to offer master's programmes but to help in carrying out important research works. An additional 50 acres will be needed to set up the park in an independent and environmental-friendly campus. A proposal in this regard will be made to the government and land sought between Kittur and Belgaum.

Then, he has several other ideas to implement. However, he is fully aware of the present limitations and inadequate resources and manpower.

Appointments

He said that as of now, the university has only 14 teaching faculty in 10 departments.

The State Government has recently granted permission to appoint 10 Professors, 20 Readers and 30 Lecturers to fill as many posts transferred from the parent Karnatak University. These appointments will be done at the earliest possible, which will fulfil the UGC norms and enable RCU to approach it for development funds.

About 200 non-teaching posts are to be appointed. However, the focus will be on introducing the e-governance system for effective, faster and transparent administration.

Prof. Ananthan admitted that the present infrastructure at the Bhootaramanahatti campus was not sufficient to accommodate new departments. Therefore, works on construction of a second floor on the existing administrative building will be taken up soon and the programmes run on “shift basis”.

He also admitted that the government was not as supportive as it ought to be, particularly to new universities such as RCU which need a lot of money to achieve their objectives and justify their role.

Karnatak University, which owes about Rs.5 crore to RCU, is dilly-dallying over the payment. So far, it has paid only Rs.52 lakh.

A new varsity has major ambitions

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