THE CURRENT UNIVERSITY
SYSTEM - DIFFICULTIES FACED
& WAYS TO IMPROVE QUALITY
OF TEACHING & RESEARCH
DR. URMILA UKIL
PRINCIPAL
SAROJINI NAIDU COLLEGE FOR WOMEN
Meeting with Chairman, Education Commission,
18/02/2014
DIFFICULTIES
(from my own experience)
• Sarojini Naidu College established in 1956, in
Dumdum, as a refugee rehabilitation college for
women
•
•
Sizeable section come from socially and
economically less privileged sections of society
Many are 1st generation learners
• Intricacies of science subjects / abstract concepts of
the humanities – often not suitable for many of them
• Often, lack of English skills act as a hindrance
to many aspiring students – any access to higher
education has to be in English
• It is a BIG REALITY that we have not yet been
able to evolve an alternative to English in order
for students to reach greater opportunities
• Techniques not STUDENT – FRIENDLY : often
methodologies are outdated and not scientific
WAYS OF IMPROVEMENT
( in my opinion)
• Greater thrust needs to be given to acquisition of
the English language
• Newer teaching techniques (online education,
education
through
international
research
articles, documentaries, equal emphasis on
practical & theoretical learning, etc)
• INTER-DISCIPLINARY topics: Sociology &
Social Planning, EVSM, Green Chemistry,
Communication & Space Science, Tourism with
Historical Perspectives, etc.
• Improved stress on non-general education:
Computer Applications, Communicative English
(already existing in Sarojini Naidu College), BPO
Training, Designing & Fashion Technology, etc
• A college should act as an EDUCATIONAL HUB – A
HUB OF KNOWLEDGE – NOT ONLY OF
INFORMATION - online knowledge base – online
learning material for all students – access to
international research articles & journals –
distance education – public outreach program,
collaboration with various premier research
institutes, through various schools, science clubs
and other grass root level public organisations.
CONCLUSION
• The vision set by the college authorities –
determining factor of the benefits that
students and the community as a whole can
derive…
• The path is not easy and requires extreme and
equal effort from all parties: Teachers,
Students and EVEN Parents…
THANK YOU!!!