Tue Feb 18 10:15:43 UTC 2025: **Former NAAC Director Slams Policymakers’ Neglect of State-Funded Universities**
SHANKARGHATTA, SHIVAMOGGA (February 18, 2025) – Professor H.A. Ranganath, former director of the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), has criticized policymakers for their lack of attention to the pressing issues facing state-funded universities in India. Speaking at the release of Kuvempu University’s Vision Document 2024-2028, Prof. Ranganath highlighted the severe underfunding of these institutions.
He pointed out that over 500 state-funded universities and 40,000 colleges, comprising 75% of India’s higher education population, are significantly under-resourced. The lack of funding from the University Grants Commission (UGC) for both operational costs and research projects is severely impacting these institutions, he said. Prof. Ranganath described this as a neglect of the “backbone” of higher education.
Furthermore, Prof. Ranganath decried the unequal treatment of students in state universities compared to those in centrally funded institutions. He called this a “caste system” within higher education, advocating for equal opportunities for all students regardless of their institution’s funding source.
Kuvempu University’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Sharath Ananthamurthy, meanwhile, emphasized the university’s forward-looking Vision Document, which includes plans for a green campus powered by solar energy and a new knowledge center to promote interdisciplinary research. The document, developed in consultation with faculty from all departments, aims to prepare students for future challenges.
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