NEW DELHI:In a move aimed at improving the quality of higher education imparted in the country, President Pranab Mukherjee has convened a two-day conference of the Vice-Chancellors of 39 Central Universities, which will get under way at the Rastrapathi Bhavan on Wednesday.
This is the third conference of Central University Vice-Chancellors convened by President Mukherjee in his capacity as Visitor. The first conference was held on February 5, 2013 and second on February 6 and 7, 2014.
The President has also been regularly convening meetings of Directors of NITs, IITs, IISERs and IISC. At the first conference, President Mukherjee had accepted the recommendation that the VCs’ conference should be made an annual exercise.
The agenda of this year’s Vice-Chancellors’ conference includes a review of the follow-up action on previous recommendations, steps to create an eco-system for research and innovation with participation of industry and research institutions, capacity development of faculty, alumni participation, use of technology, deepening of engagement with community, creating international and national networks and adoption of choice-based credit system.
At the last conference, President Mukerhjee said that research is the key to widen India’s production potential and the universities must be hotbed for research activity. The President wanted the Central Universities to be the launch pads for innovative ideas and institutionalise structures that can identify ingenuous ideas and mentor them into viable products.
HRD Minister Smriti Irani, Ministers of State for HRD, UGC chief and Vice-Chancellors of 39 Central Universities are scheduled to attend the conference.