Focus on quality in research, recruitment of teachers

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi asked the Vice Chancellors in the State to focus on academic excellence and quality research, and advised them to ensure quality in recruitment of teaching faculty. The Governor, who is the Chancellor, stressed the need for quality research and publication in peer-reviewed journals.

Addressing the Vice Chancellors during his first meeting with them at the Raj Bhavan here on Saturday, Ravi appreciated Tamil Nadu for having 20 State universities and also the impressive gross enrolment ratio.

As the higher education of the State has expanded significantly, the Governor urged the Vice Chancellors to focus on academic excellence and quality research, a communique from the Raj Bhavan said.

"He suggested the Vice Chancellors to have an honest appraisal of the strengths and weakness of their universities so as to harness the strengths and work on weaknesses," it said.

He said universities should involve in knowledge dissemination through teaching and knowledge creation through research. He insisted upon the need for continuous improvement of knowledge creation to assure quality in higher education and advised the Vice Chancellors to ensure quality in recruitment of teaching faculty.

The Governor lauded the State government for helping the varsities, particularly in mitigating their financial distress and "urged the government to nudge the universities for enhancing the quality of education and research."

The Vice Chancellors made a power-point presentation about their universities to the Governor-Chancellor. Senior secretaries of the State government briefed him on the status of State universities and how the government has been helping them with resources including financial assistance.

Apart from Vice Chancellors, registrars, senior secretaries, Anandrao V Patil, secretary to Governor and C Muthukumaran deputy secretary to Governor (universities) participated.