Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION

Education is an} important agent for the social,economic, political and industrial development of acountry. "Education within any society must be consideredas a unified whole, its parts in balance and the balance inturn reflecting society's requirements and tflua resourcesavailable to meet them".l Being at the apex of theeducational pyramid, higher education has an key role toplay not only for academic pursuit and augmentation ofknowledge, tun; also for national development. Itcontributes tun national development through disseminationof specialised knowledge and skills. The efficientfunctioning of the system of higher education is vital forthe progress of the country. Without good institutions ofhigher education, the country’ will not have effective,efficient and well-equipped manpower required for theprogress of the country.

The panorama of Indian higher education fromancient time spreads over more than two millennia. Overthe years, the growth of higher education, involvingqualitative as well as quantitative changes. has been

complex.2 Rich tradition of learning, predominantlyreligious ixu character was tflue main feature of ancienteducational system in India. The education was Brahminicaland Buddhist. Takshashila, Nalanda and Vikramshila werefamous centres cnf education ixm North India and Ghatikas,Buddhist Viharas and Jaina Pathas in South India.

In the mediaeval period, together with many socialand cultural changes that were effected, a large number ofeducational centres also were started. Together withPathsalas, Madrassas also came into being and emerged ascentres of higher learning which produced scholars ofexcellence in almost all branches of contemporary science.

The education system in India had a majorstructural change in its shape, size and content during thecolonial period. The first three universities came intobeing at Calcutta, Bombay and Madras during this period and

higher education. was greatly influenced by tflua Britisheducation system. The main focus of the system was tocreate a class of educated Indians who could act asinterpreters cni the British people with the ndllions ofIndians to help them govern India effectively.

The system of higher education underwent rapiddevelopment iJ1 the post—independent era. When the firstFive Year Plan was launched in the year 1950-51, there werein India cnflqr 28 universities, 695 colleges and 174,000students. Today there are more than 200 universities, morethan 7000 colleges and nearly five million students. Inspite of this already’ large size, tine systenl is stillexpanding year after year with about 200 colleges beingstarted every year.3

The system of higher education in India is one ofthe largest zhu the world. Every eighth student enrolledfor higher education on the globe is an Indian. Theabsolute size of enrolment of Indian higher education maybe gauged from the fact that it accounted in the earlyyears of the eighties for about 43% of the total enrolmentin tin; developing countries.4 Since independence, therehas been a rapid expansion in enrolment in the country.Both Central and State governments initiated severalmeasures not only to enlarge the base of higher education,but also to remove in—built deficiencies and inadequaciesin the educational systenl which. was inherited. from ‘thecolonial period. The rapid expansion in enrolment ofstudents for higher education during the last twelve yearfrom 1980-1992 is given in Table l.l.

Table 1.1

Higher Education: Total Enrolment in India

Year Enrolment1980-81 27,52,4371981-82 29,52,0061982-83 31,33,0931983-84 33,07,6491984-85 34,04,0961985-86 36,05,0291986-87 37,54,4091987-88 39,10,8291988-89 40,74,6761989-90 42,46,8781990-91 44,25,2471991-92 46,11,107Source: UGC Annual Report 1991-92, New

Delhi.

with the great increase in student enrolment, the

unplanned proliferation of institutions of higher learningalso occurred simultaneously in the country. This isillustrated by the ematistics given in the report of the

Task Force (N1 Higher Education, appointed by umauxgc. in

July 1992.5 The number of universities in 1985-86 was 149which rose to 176 in 1990-91. The number of colleges went

up from 5,816 to 7,121 and the enrolment of students fromabout 36 lakhs to over 44 lakhs during the same period.

It has been observed by several educationists andacademicians that though the number of higher educationalinstitutions have increased by leaps_ and bounds, thequantitative expansion has been accompanied by qualitativedeterioration and the standards have declined enormously.It is generally complained that when compared to standardsin advanced countries, Indian standards seem tx> be much

lower. Thelow and poor efficiency of the system of Indian higher

education system is borne out by the fact that most of theproducts of the system are not absorbed into the agencieswhere educated manpower is required. The products of thesystem, it is said, are not equal in quality and competenceto the turnouts of the system: of higher education indeveloped countries. The Policy Frame (M5 the UniversityGrants Commission highlights the major weaknesses of theIndian education system in the following words:6

"It still continues to be dominated by models andvalue systems adopted during the colonial regime. It

places EH1 almost exclusive emphasis cm} the formal school

(with its single—point entry, annual sequential promotions,insistence on full-time attendance and almost exclusive use

of full-time teachers) and neglects both non-—formal andrecurrent education. The system is aa gigantic monolith,very difficult to move or change: and in spite of itsachievements, which are by no means inconsiderable, it hasproved itself to be inadequate to meet our national needsand aspirations". Adverse comments on the system of higher

education in our country are not only about qualitativedeterioration, but also about uneasy campuses, excessivepoliticisation, non-teacher like teachers, lack ofcredibility'

and Pathsalas were Brahmanical.7 Higher education wasimparted in separate institutions called 'Salais' in SouthKerala and 'Subh Matts’ or Temple Universities in Central

and North Kerala. These seats of higher learning came intoexistence in the 9th Century A.D under the patronage of theKing. They were residential institutions in the nature ofGurukulas.8 Education was imparted only to Namboodiriyouths in these institutions. Subh Matts conductedexaminations and awarded degrees. Candidates were required

to submit ea thesis cnr present themselves before scholarsand prove their proficiency in learning. Seminars wereheld regularly in temple precincts and scholars fromdifferent places gathered at these places of learning andexhibited their learning and skill in debate and weregranted formal recognition or other honours and titles.Eminent scholars were awarded the degree of Bhattathiri.These centres of higher learning resembled the famousuniversities in North India like 'Nalanda' and'Takshasila': in many aspects.9

Protestant missionaries from Europe who settled in

various parts of Travancore and Cochin in the earlynineteenth century laid the foundation for modern higher

education in Kerala. The Governments in these two states;

were run by the British Residents who encouraged missionaryactivities. The missionaries opened English schools inNagercoil (now in Tamil Nadu), Quilon, Alleppey andKottayam in Travancore and in Ernakulam and Trichur inCochin. These schools got the approval of the Universityof Madras to present candidates for the Matriculationexamination and in due course they developed into collegesaffiliated to the University of Madras. In l8l8, Rev. Meadfounded the Nagercoil Seminary which was the firstinstitution ix: Travancore tr: start regular Englisheducation. This later grew into a first grade college. In1816, the Syrians established a college at Kottayam. In1834, H.H. Swathi Thirunal, the then Maharaja of Travancore

took the initiative to start an English school atTrivandrum, which was later raised to a college, theMaharaja's College, affiliated to the University of Madras.This period witnessed a few efforts made by the Government

to promote vernacular education. A few governmentvernacular schools were started with the objective ofcreating a cadre of clerks and accountants for service inthe various government departments of these states.l0

In Cochin, English education had a starting in1818, when the missionaries started a school inMattanchery. The Maharaja's School started in 1845 became

a college in 1875. English schools were being started inthe Malabar area also in this period, which later developedinto colleges. The Brennen high school started in 1862became a college in 1890. The Government Victoria Collegewas also started as a school in 1816. It developed into acollege in 1838. H.H. Sir, P.K.Manavikrama MaharajaBahadur, Zamorin of Calicut also started a school in 1877.

This was converted into the Zamorin's College in 1888.

The first university’ in the princely state~ ofTravancore was the University of Travancore which wasestablished under an Act promulgated by H.H. the Maharajaof Travancore, Sir Bala Rama Varma, in 1937. Threecommittees had been set up earlier, in 1919, 1923 and 1932to look into the feasibility of establishing a universityii} the State. The chief aims cmf the university were toeffect a reorganisation of the system of technical andtechnological education in the- State, to make moresystematic provision for furtherance of original researchin the various branches of applied science and for thepromotion of Malayalam .literature, Kerala art and

1O

culture.11 The Maharaja was the first Chancellor and SirC.P.Ramaswamy Iyer, Dewan of Travancore, the ViceChancellor. Ten colleges which were formerly affiliated tothe University of Madras transferred their affiliation tothe Travancore University. In the year 1939, theGovernment transferred to the University additional controlof all ‘the government colleges thitherto managed tnr theDirector of Public Instruction. In 1949, after the mergerof the princely states of Cochin and Travancore, thecolleges in Cochin which were affiliated to the Universityof Madras also came under the University of Travancore.

The Kerala state was formed on November 1, 1956 by

merging the pmincely states of Travancore and Cochin andthe Malabar region of the former Madras Presidency. TheUniversity of Travancore was reconstituted into a teaching,affiliating and federal university for the whole State andrenamed as the University of Kerala under the KeralaUniversity Act of 1957. The main objectives of theuniversity were to provide for conservation, promotion anddevelopment of Kerala art and culture and for the gradualchange of the medium of instruction into Malayalam in alleducational institutions of time State and tn: provide forgreater facilities for post-graduate studies and research

11

in different parts of the State.l2 Nineteen institutionswere transferred back to the Government and the University

functioned with affiliated colleges and teachingdepartments without constituent colleges. Theadministrative control of the Government colleges were

brought under the Directorate of Collegiate Education in1957.13 The Kerala University Act 1969 replaced the Act ofl957. with a view to provide more representation tostudents from the southern districts of Kerala, in academic

and administrative bodies of the University; the KeralaUniversity Act 1974 replaced the Act of 1969.

By 1968, the University of Kerala had become one

of the largest institutions in the country with about 149affiliated colleges. To provide for urgent development ofhigher education in the northern districts of the State,the University of Calicut was established by tordinanceN035/68 CHE Government of Kerala, ratified by Act 24/1968

of the Kerala Legislature. This Act was replaced by Act 5of 1975. The University of Calicut took over from theUniversity of Kerala all the affiliated colleges in the sixnorthern districts

12

the university was the reorganisation of the system ofeducation in the State for the development of technical andtechnological education znui research imn applied sciencesand for the promotion of Kerala art and culture and for theupliftment of higher education in the comparatively poorlydeveloped regions of the northern districts of Kerala.l4

In the year 1971, the Kerala Agriculturaluniversity was established under the KeralaAgricultural University Act 1971 with the aim of furtheringagricultural education, research and extension in theState. The university began znm 1972 with 22 constituentcolleges and 21 research stations transferred from theDepartment of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry of the StateGovernment.

Another university started in the year 1971 wasthe University of Cochin, established by the CochinUniversity Act 1971. This university, started as a federaltype university, originally comprised the teachingdepartments of the University of Kerala located atErnakulam. The University laid major emphasis onpostgraduate studies and research in applied science,

13

commerce, industry’ and ‘technology. This universitqr wasreorganised as the Cochin University of Science andTechnology under Act 31 of 1986. The university has themain objective of promoting study and research in theapplied sciences, technology, industry, commerce,management and social sciences that are relevant to thechanging needs of the society. The territorialjurisdiction extends to the whole State of Kerala.l5

By bifurcatimg the University of Kerala, anotheruniversity named the Gandhiji University was established in1983 by the Gandhiji University Act (Act 12 of 1985). This

teaching and affiliating University was founded in order toprovide for the urgent development of higher education inthe areas comprised in the revenue districts of Kottayam,Ernakulam and Idukki and the Kozhencherry, Mallappally,Thiruvalla and Ranni Taluks of the Pathanamthitta revenue

district of the State.l6 The- Gandhiji University’ wasrenamed as the Mahatma Gandhi University by the Mahatma

Gandhi University Act 1985.

Another university was started in the State in1993 at Kalady, the birth place of Jagat Guru

14

Sankaracharya. This university, named the SreeSankaracharya University of Sanskrit, was established byAct 5 of 1994. The main objective of the University is thestudy of Ancient Sanskrit Literature and Modern IndianLanguages.

Although among all the States of Republic ofIndia, Kerala has the highest literacy percentage, thenumber of the universities in the State is very small. Andin a state where a good number of the students who pass theS.S.L.C. examination automatically opt tx> continue theirstudies for the pmewdegree course, either by joining theaffiliated colleges cm: by private regisbration, the needfor establishing more universities of the conventionalpattern or with a vocational bias does not have to be overemphasised.

It is an accepted fact, that it is the Malabarregion of the State, which earlier was part of the formerMadras Presidency that does not have enough facilities forhigher education. There is only one university now, theUniversity of Calicut, to cater to the needs of the region.Considering various aspects of the desirability of

15

establishing one more university in the State, theGovernment of Kerala has taken the preliminary stepsalready by constituting a task force of educational expertsto study the feasibility of starting a university in one ofthe northern districts of the State, preferably Cannannore,without much delay.

Higher Education System in Kerala

The development of higher education in the Stateof Kerala which was at a slow pace till the late fiftiesgathered momentum during the sixties.l7 There has been asteady increase in the number of Arts and Science collegesin the State with the massive enrolment of students fromthe Third Five Year Plan onwards. Table 1.2 shows thegrowth in the number of Arts and Science colleges andenrolment of students in the State of Kerala for the period1956-57 to 1991-92.

It is seen that at the time of the formation ofthe Kerala state in 1956, there were only 32 colleges withan enrolment of 26,402 students. But during the past 30years, the increase in enrolment has become sixfold withthe number of colleges increasing to 173 during 1991-92.

16

Table 1.2

Kerala: Growth in the Number of Arts and Science

Colleges and Enrolment: 1956-57 to 1991-92

Year No. of EnrolmentColleges

1956-57 32 26,4021961-62 47 41,7391966-67 100 l,12,4851971-72 117 1,59,2l61976-77 130 1,76,1321981-82 172 2,69,2071986-87 172 1,39,48O1991-92 173 1,62,334

Source: 1. Government of Keralaa Statistical Hand Book ofKerala Bureau of Economics and Statistics(various issues), Trivandrum.

2. Government of Kerala, Economic Review (variousissues), State Planning Board, Trivandrum.

17

Table 1.3

Structure of Collegiate Enrolment in Kerala1960-61 to 1991-92

(in thousands)

Year Pre- Degree Post- Degree Totaldegree (General) graduate (Profes

(General) sional &Technical)

1960-61 16.2 20.3 1.0 _6.3 43.81970-71 60.5 49.3 4.1 7.8 121.71975-76 101.5 58.8 4.6 12.5 177.41980-81 146.6 87.5 6.0 17.1 257.2l985~86 197.3 106.5 9.0 l6.3* 312.81990-91 191.4* 78.9* 18.3 l7.0** 288.6*

* Includes private registration** Excludes private registration

‘Professional and Technical‘ includes Law, Teacher'sTraining, Engineering, Medicine (Allopathy, Ayurvedicand Homoeopathy), Agriculture, Horticulture and Veterinary.

Source: 1. Government of .Kerala, Statistics for Planning(various issues).

2. Government of Kerala, Economic Review (variousissues); State Planning Board, Trivandrum.

18

Table 1.3 gives the structure of collegiateenrolment for the period 1960-61 to 1991-92 in Kerala. Thetable shows that general education constitutes nearlythree—fourths of the share in total enrolment in the state,It also shows a steady increase in the rate of enrolment inall the stages though there is a sflight decrease in thepre—degree and degree ltwelsfor the year 1990-91.

The structure of higher education in Kerala is notdifferent from that of the country as a whole. This Statetoo has laid high emphasis on quantitative expansion interms of number of institutions, studegrits and teachers.Deterioration of standards is the main criticism levelledagainst the system of higher education in Kerala also. Thereport on higher education by the State High LevelCommittee on Education and Employment has identified many

causes for the falling of standards in the sphere of highereducation in the State. Among these, overcrowding in theinstitutions of higher education owing to unrestrictedadmission has been identified as the root cause for thephenomenon. With the granting of the facility for privateregistration for university admission for those studentswho were unable to get admission to regular courses, the

19

number of students opting for conventional higher education

increased greatly. This led to aa mushroom growth ofcoaching institutions euphemistically called "ParallelColleges".l8 A working paper of the Centre for Development

Studies, Trivandrum has referred. to the growth of theparallel colleges of the State as ‘operating in the freemarket unaided by any form of government direction andunfettered by any government control‘. The parallelcolleges have grown largely as a result of the prospect ofmaking ‘quick pmofits' owing to emcessive private demandfor higher education.l9

The High Level Committee on Higher Educationconsiders the rationalisation of fees the next importantfactor for the swelling of the admission to highereducational institutions. Compared txa the conditions inother states, Kerala has an abnormally low fee structure.

Dr.M.V.Pylee, an eminent educational administrator

has listed the main evils that afflict our higher educationsystem.20 They are poor quality of teaching, indisciplineand poor motivation among teachers, appointment of teachersin colleges on the basis of donations, instead of on thebasis

20

teachers, politically-oriented trade unionism amongstudents, qualitatively poor examination and ‘evaluationsystems, meagre infrastructural facilities in theuniversities anui colleges, political interference iJ1 theautonomy of higher educational institutions such as in theappointment of Vice—Chancellors and other top functionariesof the universities and in the constitution of thedifferent authorities of the universities, poor leadershipat the higher levels of administration both in the collegesand the universities and indifference on the part ofparents and the public.

It has been agreed by most of the academicians and

educational administrators that the quality of educationdepends largely on the quality of teaching. Ineffectiveteaching and high standards of students do not go together.The selection of teachers by the private colleges of Keralaon the basis of donations rather than on the basis of merit

has resulted in the intrusion of a large number ofacademically not—so—bright persons to the noble profession

of teaching. Those who are not really motivated asteachers and who lack the calibre, competence andcommitment to teaching, play havoc with the system. TheHigh Level Committee emphasises some more reasons for the

decline of quality in teaching. Absence of a system ofperiodical assessment of the work done by faculty members,

system of non~cadre promotions without any concern formerit and the practice of undertaking private tuitions byteachers are some of them.2l There are no student—reaction

surveys on the merit of teachers in Kerala as employed bysome well—known universities in the West. The proceduresfor selection of teachers in our colleges and universitieswhen compared to those prevailing in the advanced countries

is poor mainly because our system is secretive and closedin contrast to the open system of the West. Neg-ativeattitude among teachers towards quality improvementprogrammes, poor motivation and politica1ly—oriented trade

unionism and other vested interests among them are alsoconsidered important factors contributing to the poorquality in teaching.

Next to the quality of teaching, the quality ofthe academic programmes and courses in the universities isan important factor which decides the quality of higherlearning in a state. As far as Kerala is concerned, thereis a general feeling that the courses offered in thecolleges are more or less of the traditional pattern at theundergraduate, graduate and the postgraduate levels.

22

Though a few of the teaching departments of theuniversities in the State have some professional as well asspecialised courses, it is seen that greater emphasis hasbeen given to courses of a general nature. There is greatshortage of varied courses which are useful and relevant tothe present conditions of the State. This has resulted inthe expansion cxf higher education quantitatively, leadingto massive qualitative deterioration. The universities atpresent do not have mechanisms for revision and regularupdating CHE the syllabi and content of courses which isvery much essential for the upkeep of quality in higher

education. Periodical evaluation of the courses offered inthe universities is also not carried out. Though expertsin the field of higher education are of the opinion thatsuch measures are essential for the improvement of thequality of higher education, these have not been given muchimportance either by the government or the universities inthe State.

Eminent educationists agree that the poorexamination and evaluation system of our State is one ofthe many reasons for the fall in academic standards. Ourexamination system is complex. complicated and unscientific

as compared to the system prevailing in advanced countries.

In our State, the examination system has become a totallycorrupt and discredited one. In the words of Dr.Pylee, "itis a gigantic racket in which students, parents, teachers,college principals, non-teaching employees, universityofficials at various levels, members of the universityauthorities snufii as the Syndicate, Boards of Studies andseveral others including different types of peliticians areinvolved".22 The academic community and time public have

become accustomed to the phenomenon of "irregularities" in

the examination system prevailing in the State.23 Themajor reforms in the examination systems recommended by the

U.G.C. such as internal assessment and the semester systemhave not been successfully introduced in the affiliatedcolleges of the State, though the universities have adoptedthem in the teaching departments.

Excessive politicisation is an accursed evil thatpervades the system of higher education in Kerala. Theuniversities which form tflua apex of the higher educationsystem and which are meant to be centres of academicexcellence have become major spheres of politicalpatronage. Selection and nomination of members to theuniversity bodies are made not on merit or academicexcellence, but mostly on the basis of political clout.

24

Appointments of the top functionaries of the universitiessuch as the Vice—Chancellor, the Pro—Vice-Chancellor and

the Registrar are made by the State government on the basisof their political affiliations.

It is a well—known truth that there is practicallyno area in the higher educational system in Kerala, wherethe influence of the government is not seen. Governmentalinterference in the autonomy of the universities has becomethe order of the day. The Gnanam Committee of the U.G.C.describes the term autonomy of the universities as that"which broadly emphasises the freedom .to function, toachieve academic excellence and to administer theinstitution through its own rules and regulations".24 Ithas been observed that in the recent years there has been amassive erosion of the autonomous status of theuniversities in the State.

The academic scene jJ1 Kerala today is zhi greatturmoil and a number of repeated attempts of the governmentto interfere imm the affairs cnf the universities 511 theState have aroused great concern in all walks of society.Two of the four affiliating universities in the State havebeen functioning without the elected supreme bodies - the

25

Senates - for several months and are being run by theSyndicates which have predominance for ‘pro-government‘nominees. It has been alleged that the State governmenthad been unofficially preventing elections to the Senatesof the universities on the plea that a new commonlegislation for all the universities in the State was about‘to be introduced. The government was unable to make intolaw the Kerala Universities Bill, introduced in theAssembly,owing to great protests from all the strata ofthe university community against its provisions to enhancethe government's powers in the affairs of the university.

The latest example of State governmentalinterference imi the affairs (M5 the university, which hascaused a major controversy in the State, is thegovernment‘s attempts to force the three universities inthe State and the Chancellor to grant affiliation to a listof 71 colleges: 54 of these colleges were to be unaidedinstitutions to be run entirely on the sale of paymentseats (HE admission and teacher posts. The government ispressurising the universities to grant affiliation to thecolleges which have not followed the rules and procedureswhile applying for affiliation. The matter was taken tothe Kerala High Court which passed an interim order

directing the Government and the universities not tosanction or grant affiliation to any new college which hadnot strictly followed the prescribed procedure in thematter.

The private colleges in Kerala are associated withthe four major communities which make up the socialspectrum of the State, viz., the Christians, the Muslims,the Nairs and the Ezhavas. Over the years, the communalcharacter of the managements of a large number of private

colleges had created for them an important role in thepolitics of the State, because of their ability to mobilisepolitical resources anui support.25 It is run wonder thegovernment stoops to any level to cater to the interests ofthese communities. It- is in this context that thegovernment's attempt to order the universities to grantaffiliation to £3 long list of cmflieges, associated withthese different communities of the State; has to be seen.

A new concept in the field of higher educationwhich is assuming great importance in the present times inKerala zns that of self~financed education. A large numberof private colleges in the State have recently startedself-financing courses and even State—financed universities

27

have begun to introduce new, specialised as well asgeneral, courses styled self—financing courses. For thesecourses, exorbitant admission and tuition fees undervarious heads such as donations, capitation fees, paidseats and the like are charged. The State government hasmoved in the direction of giving sanction to a large numberof colleges which are self—financing institutions. "Aself—financing institution can be defined as an institutionor college which meets its promotion and maintenance costs

by itself by raising the required finance through donationsand contributions by the promoters, philanthropists and theaffluent sections of society. Part of the required financemay also be raised through the fees charged on students.Such institutions are thus promoted and run independentlyof State assistance".26

The systewu of self-financed education; which isspreading fast in the higher education sector of Kerala isthe system where the students meet the cost of educationthrough payment of high fees in the form of donations,admission and tuition fees. The policy of the Stategovernment to promote this system of higher education hasstarted a controversy in the State. A vast majority of thestudents, teachers and the general public oppose the policy

28

for the reason that higher education will become out ofreach for the intelligent students who belong to the middleand lower income brackets and tflne poor classes of ‘thesociety. Kerala today zns witnessing ea struggle betweenthose within and outside the university system to controlits education policy and resources.

THE PROBLEM

The discussion in the previous pages about thesystem of higher education in Kerala reveals to some extentthe various issues and problems in the present daysituation. An in—depth study of this complex system andits problems in their totality is difficult and timeconsuming. The Kothari Commission in its report expressedthe hope that in future, academicians, administrators andinterested persons would come forward tx> study seriouslythe problems of academic management and suggest ways and

means toknimgabmfiza radical improvement in the chaoticsituation.27 Now "institutions that can be brought withinthe purview of higher education are degree and diplomaawarding universities, institutions of national importance,deemed universities and colleges of general andprofessional nature".28 By and large, higher education isimparted mainly through institutions of higher learning,

29

namely the universities. Therefore a study of thestructure and functions of the universities will bring tolight a realistic picture of the complex problems in thesystem of higher education as also ways and means to solvethem.

For the present study, therefore, it is thefunctioning (M3 the universities iJ1 the State, especiallythat of their important authorities that has been chosenfor analysis mainly and of the influences that are broughtto bear cu) them. Inn the following pages an attempt hasbeen made to explain how these objectives have beenfulfilled.

Social changes take place in the society sorapidly that the university system is always exposed to newprocesses of change. The universities should be sensitiveto the changing conditions of society and shifting patternsof thought and behaviour and must be ready to meet newdemands and challenges. Therefore administrators,educationists and research students connected with highereducation have to examine the problems of the governance of

the universities and tflua content of university educationfrom time to time. The pattern of governance of the

30

universities should not remain staticu With the ‘rapidadvance in knowledge, the governance of universities aswell as the content of education has to be dynamic. Inthis context, it is essential that the dynamism of highereducational system requires suitable changes in theexisting administrative and academic machinery in theuniversities. For this purpose, the pattern of universityorganisation needs continual review and adjustment. Thesystem has txa be so framed and evolved as to enable theacademics as well as the administrators to introduceappropriate changes, from time to time, in, theorganisational set—up of the universities as well as in thecontent (xi education. This involves improvements in thestructure and functions of the governing bodies of theuniversities and also a radical change in the content,syllabi and structure of the courses. It also involves theresponsibility of introducing diversified courses to caterto the changing needs of the society in tune with theexplosion of knowledge.

Universities have manifold functions to discharge.Pursuit of excellence in knowledge, advancement anddisseminathmu of knowledge are considered the mainfunctions cmf universities. Carrying cum; these functions

31

involves governance of the academic functions and policiesof the universities. The academic governance of theuniversities is discharged through three of the authoritiesof the universities — the Academic Council, the Faculties

and the Boards of Studies. It is the responsibility ofthese academic bodies to take decisions and implement theacademic activities of the university which truly reflectthe ethos of the institution.

An equally important aspect of the academicgovernance is the designing and implementation of academic

programmes of the universities. The term ‘academicprogramme‘ means a course designed, implemented and run by

a university at any level - the undergraduate, graduate orpostgraduate stage, as the case may be. There has been averitable explosion of knowledge in diverse fields and thecourses in our universities cannot afford to remainstagnant. They should have relevance to the world in whichwe live and should keep pace with the progress of knowledge

in every field and discipline. There is an urgent need forthe re-orientation of traditional subjects to the needs ofthe community and the introduction of relevant applieddisciplines. A university in modern times cannot dischargeits responsibilities unless it has an inbuilt mechanism for

32

revision and updating of courses on 2: continual basis."For the improvement of curricula and restructuring ofcourses, a university merely degenerates itself into whatmay be called academic book keeping".29

In the present day context, a systematic enquiryinto the two main aspects of the universities, given in thepreceding discussion, viz., the different aspects of theacademic bodies and the academic programmes, is mostappropriate and relevant. The various educationcommissions and committees appointed by the UniversityGrants Commission, the central and state governments, atdifferent times have attempted to go into the details ofsome elements of the subjects mentioned. A few researchershave also made studies on the weaknesses of the highereducation system in a general way. No systematic enquiryinto these aspects of higher education, mainly dealing withthe structure and functions of the academic bodies of theuniversities and their effectiveness ix) introducingqualitative changes in the organisational set—up and alsoin the designing and implementing of varied academicprogrammes, has been conducted so far in our State. Verylittle effort has been directed towards understanding the

different dimensions of this particular aspect of theuniversity organisation either on the part of thegovernment or on the part of academicians.

BROAD OBJECTIVES OF‘ THE STUDY

This study attempts to analyse the multifariousaspects cm? the academic bodies of the Lumversities withregard to their structure, powers and functions in bringingabout qualitative improvement in the university governanceand to suggest methods and approaches for their efficientfunctioning. This study also aims at the scientificanalysis of the different aspects of academic programmes in

terms «of their designing and implementation. IUI in—depthstudy CHE the problems involved iJ1 the implementation and

management of the academic programmes in the universities

would enable the researcher to suggest ways and means fortheir improvement in tune with the needs of society.

34

REFERENCES

Perkin, James, "Summary Report of the InternationalConference on World Crisis in Education at Williamsburg,Virginia, October 1967" in K.L.Joshi, Problems of HigherEducation jmi India, Popular Prakashan, Bombay, 1977,p.l.

Khanna, S.K., "Higher Education: Problems andProspects", JNU News, New Delhi, Qctober 1991.

Education”,1994.

Dubhashi, P.R., "Indian System of HigherUniversity News, Vol.XXXII, No.8, February 21,

Retrospect and Prospect -— HigherAssociation of Indian Universities,

Moonis Raza (Ed.),Education in India,New Delhi, 1991.

Report of the Task Force on Higher Education, University

Kerala,

Grants Commission, New Delhi, 1992, Para-7.

Development of Higher Education. in India - A. PolicyFrame, University Grants Commission, bknu Delhi, 1978,Section II, 2.02.

Gangadharan Nair, K., Higher Educational Institutions ofPh.D. Thesis (unpublished), Cochin University

of Science and Technology, 1989.

"Gurukula" - a system of education in which a guru(master) imparted training to a few sishyas (disciples)who lived with him and formed his extended family.Commonwealth Universities Year Book, Vol.3, Associationof Commonwealth Universities, London, 1983.

10.

ll.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

35

Silver Jubilee Celebrations Committee, University ofKerala, Silver Jubilee Volume, University of KeralaPublications, Trivandrum, 1963, p.3. ~

Gopinathan Nair, P.R., Education and EconomicDevelopment in Kerala, Ph.D. Thesis (unpublished),University of Kerala, 1976.

Vol.3, Association1983.

Commonwealth Universities Year Book,of Commonwealth Universities, London,

Ibid.

Gangadharan Nair, K., op.cit.

Calicut University Act, 1975, Preamble.

Cochin University of Science and Technology Act, 1986,Sections 2, sub—sections (i),(ii) and (iii) and Section5.

Mahatma Gandhi University Act, 1985, Preamble.

Report on Higher Education, Vol.11, High Level Committeeon Education and Employment, State Planning Board,Trivandrum, 1984, p.1.

Ibj-do! p.12.

Gopinathan Nair, P.R. and Ajit, D., Parallel Colleges inKerala - A Case Study, Working Paper No.l56, Centre forDevelopment Studies, Trivandrum.

20.

21.

22.

230

24.

25.

26.

27.

28.

29.

36

Pylee, M.V., Reforming Higher Education, Dr.John MathaiEndowment Lectures, Universitqr of Kerala, Trivandrum,1994, pp.10-12.

Report on Higher Education, gp.cit.

Pylee, M.‘/oi gE.Cit.r p.18.

Government of Kerala appointed in1984, Justice M.P.MenonCommission to enquire into the irregularities in theconduct of examinations, as an immediate response to theserious situation created Eur the 'mark—sheet scandal‘relating to admission to professional colleges.

Towards New Educational Management, Report of the U.G.C.Committee, University Grants Commission, New Delhi,1990, p.82.

Krishna Kumar, R., "Puppets on a String?", The Hindu,October 2, 1994.

Bhat, N.S.,"Concept of Self—financed Education", TheHindu, November 15, 1994.

Report CHE the Education Commission (1964), Ministry ofEducation, Government of India, New Delhi, 1966, Section12, p.325.

Universities Handbook, 1983-84, .Association cxf IndianUniversities, New Delhi, p.IX.

Madhuri R.Shah, “Management of Higher Education TowardsImproved Educational Planning znui Administration",Proceedings of the First National Conference of IndianAssociation of Educational Planning and Administration,New Delhi, 1983, p.7.