Promises to start Engineering college, Law and B Ed in university and introduce M Pharmacy course also
The VC said he would launch new courses such as molecular biology, Forensic Science, Bio-Information, job-oriented courses
Spoken English classes and strengthening of Placement cell and introduction of bio-metric attendance
KARIMNAGAR, NOVEMBER 05, 2024: Satavahana University Vice Chancellor Prof U Umesh Kumar, who has vast teaching experience as Chemistry Professor and administration of University as Registrar at SU, Karimnagar and MG University, Nalgonda, has embarked upon an ambitious task of giving a face-lift to the budding university by introduced reforms and taking several initiatives for strengthening university academically by starting Engineering College, Law College, BEd and Med and also M Pharmacy in the university.
Mr Umesh Kumar, who had received numerous awards for his academic and administrative achievements include Senior Research Fellowship by CSIR in 1990, Indira Gandhi National level NSS Trophy received from President of India in 2015 and many more. In a free-wheeling interview with his website on Tuesday, Mr Umesh Kumar spoke on several issues for making the Satavahana University as number on the state. Excerpts:
Q: As you have experience of working with Satavahana University as Registrar from 2018 to 2020, what would be your priority as Vice Chancellor?
A: My first priority is to go for NAAC Accreditation for the university to secure funds from UGC and Department of Science and Technology. All universities are having engineering colleges, but SU is not having. I have informed the same with the integrated Karimnagar district Ministers D Sridhar Babu and Ponnam Prabhakar and they accepted the proposal and asked me to come with a proposal so that they would take all measures to get the government engineering college on the university campus.
We don’t have new courses, so I had decided to introduce Artificial Intelligence in the Engineering college which is very important course now and helping students secure employment with ease. In the Science sector, I planned to introduce Molecular Biology, MSc (Forensic Science), MSc (Bio Information) etc. Even in the Arts also I will introduce new job-oriented courses and also some diploma courses to help the students employable.
Q: What measures are you taking to help the students to secure employment after completion of the course?
A: I spoke to the faculty and they have readily agreed to conduct English Communication skills after the class hours to help them secure employment and attend the interviews confidence. As our students come from rural background, they lack in communication skills. Hence, the Spoken English classes will be introduced within 10 days.
Besides, I had also decided to strengthen the University Placement cell and ensure that my students get more employment by conducting several job melas and provide necessary guidance which would enhance the image of the university.
Q: What about the conduct of convocation and introduction of new memorial gold medals to encourage students in academics?
A: You may remember, the first convocation of the university was conducted when I was registrar and since then no convocation was held. I will conduct the second convocation very soon and also introduce several new memorial gold medals by talking to philanthropists and other academicians to benefit the students.
Q: How about conversion of self-financing courses into regular courses?
A: I have several long-term and short-term goals for the development of the university. I will definitely take all measures for converting all the self-financing courses into regular courses to help the students.
Q: How do you overcome the shortage of teaching and non-teaching staff in the university?
A: I have good infrastructure and abundant space for launching several new courses, but there is acute shortage of teaching and non-teaching staff and the courses are presently run with part-time and contract teachers. My first priority would be recruitment of faculty and non-teaching staff.
During the recent meeting Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, when I bought to his notice about the shortage of faculty, the CM agreed to give permission for the recruitment of staff in the university very soon.
Q: Any plans to start Law and B Ed colleges in the University?
A: Yes, we don’t have Law and B Ed colleges in the government sector in the district and the students are forced to study in private colleges. I will take all measures to start Law and B Ed colleges and later upgrade them in LLM and M Ed courses.
Q: Do you have any plans to construct compound walls to protect University Pharmacy college in Karimnagar and University PG college lands in Godavarikhani?
A: Within 10 days I am going conduct EC meeting and take measures for the construction of compound walls at Pharmacy and PG college to protect the government lands. I initiated the process for construction of compound wall for both the colleges when I was Registrar. But it was shelved. But I will complete the construction very soon.
Q: How about increasing additional infrastructure in the university?
A: The Union government under PM USHA (Pradhan Mantri Uchachatar Shiksha Abiyaan) two buildings to University PG college in Godavarikhani and two tribal hostels to University in Karimnagar. I have enough infrastructure now and my focus on having more faculty members.
Q: Any chance to introduce biometric attendance for students and teachers?
A: Yes definitely. From December 1, the university would introduce biometric attendance for students from January 1, 2025 for the entire teaching and non-teaching staff.
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