Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) Director S. Somanath has proposed radical changes in the State’s higher education sector to spur research. Advocating academic autonomy for high-performing engineering colleges, the aerospace engineer has also called for greater responsibilities for the teaching community as seen in the premier institutions of the country.
The disinclination towards research and development is often cited as a lacunae in the State’s education system, particularly in technical education. This also had a telling effect in the recent NIRF rankings in most State universities and colleges that figured among the top performers, registering low scores in the research parameter.
In an interview with The Hindu, Dr. Somanath, a member of the Board of Governors of APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University, stressed the need for a greater tilt towards research and continuous assessment, while reducing dependence on the conventional exam-based evaluation system.
Flair for innovation
Citing the successful practices set by the IISc and the IITs, Dr. Somanath urged the teaching community not to restrict themselves to generating journal papers, but to float enterprises for product development. “Professors must transition into entrepreneurs without adversely affecting their academic activities. Such endeavours will cultivate a flair to innovate among faculty and students,” he said, adding that several funding sources for such purposes remained untapped.
Batting for providing partial autonomy for colleges and bringing down the “undue interference” of universities, he said the existing curriculum was largely stagnant. “Only those courses approved by the university can currently be introduced in colleges. The practice must change. College teachers must be empowered with designing elective courses and getting them cleared by an academic committee in their own institution,” Dr. Somanath.
Assessment mode
He also called for switching over to a continuous mode of assessment that could become more effective than examinations in gauging students’ knowledge. Yet another reform that is crucial for fostering research is reasonable stability for teachers. The existing system of transfers hindered long-term research activities, Dr. Somanath said. Such relocation must be confined for professors, principals or those beyond the age of 50. Promotions must be linked to performance and not seniority.
The scientist also chairs the Board of Directors of TrEST Research Park, attached to the College of Engineering Thiruvananthapuram, which is currently focused on applied research in electric mobility, solar and other renewable sources of energy.
