Harilal B Menon Joined Goa University As a young teacher aged 26. Today, he is the first Vice-Chancellor to be appointed from within the Institute, bringing with him a vision that has organically evolved during the 33 years he has spent at the University. In his first media interview, exclusively to TOI, Menon spoke about his priorities. Part:
You were among the earliest batches of faculty members to join Goa University in 1988. What would you say are the strengths and weaknesses of the university?
I have been with Goa University for almost three and a half decades and I see three changes – people become more quality conscious, they demand value for money and new technology enters the classrooms.
The generation in which I joined the university in 1988 and the generation now is very different.
The field of higher education has changed.
This generation has been brought up with technology and experienced how technology has made their lives easier and more comfortable. Everything is at their fingertips, so why not education? they ask.
As far as value for money is concerned, parents today are ready to pay anything provided they get value for money.
Today with the penetration of technology into classrooms, the situation is very different from before where the teaching-learning process was more teacher-centred, such that the teacher was active, and the student was passive. This used to be the chalk-talk method.
Today, with a choice-based credit system, the student is active, and the teacher becomes a facilitator. In other words, teaching-learning is now learner-centred.
Especially during the epidemic of the last one and a half years, teaching has been done with the use of technology.
Nevertheless, students also want to enjoy the atmosphere of the campus. This is a big change.
Unfortunately, with so many changes, our country still lacks quality education.
What is your plan to address these challenges?
If I explain it from a national point of view, today there are 750 universities, 40,000 colleges and 2,50,000 faculty members in India.
This means that there has been a vast expansion in the education sector, both in terms of infrastructure and human resources. But when it comes to quality, none of our institutes, even the topmost ones in the country, stand anywhere. It needs to be changed.
for example, UGC Allows recruitment of teachers if they have qualified in NET, SET or have done PhD. This lets one assess their domain knowledge, but how about their academic skills? Is the teacher able to disseminate knowledge in a systematic and logical manner? No academic training is given to the teachers at the higher education level. At least at the school level, there is B.Ed etc. This is an aspect that needs attention.
A faculty member is expected to transmit knowledge and create knowledge through research. The best teacher is the one who makes the student think. What is the thought process before the teacher enters the classroom? What is the difference between understanding and rote? Also, what about imbibing ethics and principles in young faculty members?
For all this we need to have a good faculty induction program. We already have a program, but we need to introduce several aspects, one of the important ones being ethics and principles. If you enroll at the age of 30, you will be in the university for 32 years and if one imbibes ethics and principles at an early age, a lot can be achieved.
What is your vision for promoting research in Goa University?
I want to see Goa University at the forefront. For this, quality faculty and interdisciplinary research are most important. as stated in national education policyWe need more interdisciplinary and interdisciplinary research.
Also, the research done in Goa University should be such that it has an impact on this area. Waste water management and air pollution are just two examples of the problems faced in the state.
To address this, I want to develop a center for interdisciplinary research in Goa University as a separate entity and we should bring the best scientists to work here using the benefits of UGC and DST-INSPIRES schemes.
Once scientists, not only from across the country, but from all over the world, come here, faculty members from all departments of Goa University will interact with them and this will create an ecosystem for interdisciplinary research.
Do you have any specific program in mind to start?
Goa has more women in higher education than any other state. Thirty-four percent of the female population in the 18-23 age group is enrolled in higher education institutions, the percentage being 23% for men. Basically, many male students cannot pursue higher education as they have to be quick earners for their families.
We need to think how to improve their life through education. We need more Comprehensive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) through the Directorate of Digital Learning and Initiatives. Certificate, PG Diploma or BVOC programs can be offered, which allow students to pursue them on weekends or after or before working hours.
The qualification can help students rise above in their line of work.
Professional graduate programs basically have more practical content. BVOC in Home Science is a must have for housewives who can pursue a degree and possibly benefit from the tourism industry in the state. BVOC in Banking and BVOC in IT are other programs that I have in mind.
The idea is to improve the gross enrollment ratio for male students and bring down the enrollment ratio to 50-50 for both males and females.
How do you think Goa University can help in improving the employment scenario in the state?
There are 62 colleges in Goa and many affiliated colleges offer programs in technology like BTech, MTech etc. We need to recognize how many students have entrepreneurial qualities and bring them and the industry together on a single platform for dialogue.
I want to set up a research park within the university campus where such students and industry workers can interact. And the work done by the students will be considered as an integral part of their programme/study.
Upon successful completion, they obtain their degree and can become an entrepreneur leading to the establishment of a start-up.
As a state university, how can Goa University promote research and education in Konkani?
Presently there is no magazine in Konkani which is part of UGC union (UGC-CARE List).
I plan to set up an editorial board of eminent personalities working for Konkani and develop a Konkani magazine, which has a strong position among regional languages magazines and is of national importance. This will also give a boost to those doing research on Konkani.
What are the major administrative changes expected under you as Vice Chancellor?
Administration should be completely paperless, interface with IT. Going paperless will ensure faster movement of files and we will be able to resolve many pending issues expeditiously. This will also make it easier to declare the result after the exam in less time.
Goa University was till now the only university in the state, now private universities are going to be established in the state soon, what are your views?
Private universities will largely offer specialized programs, which are not already available in Goa. But if there are some that are already on offer in the state like laws, competition is always good. So it’s more merrier.
You were among the earliest batches of faculty members to join Goa University in 1988. What would you say are the strengths and weaknesses of the university?
I have been with Goa University for almost three and a half decades and I see three changes – people become more quality conscious, they demand value for money and new technology enters the classrooms.
The generation in which I joined the university in 1988 and the generation now is very different.
The field of higher education has changed.
This generation has been brought up with technology and experienced how technology has made their lives easier and more comfortable. Everything is at their fingertips, so why not education? they ask.
As far as value for money is concerned, parents today are ready to pay anything provided they get value for money.
Today with the penetration of technology into classrooms, the situation is very different from before where the teaching-learning process was more teacher-centred, such that the teacher was active, and the student was passive. This used to be the chalk-talk method.
Today, with a choice-based credit system, the student is active, and the teacher becomes a facilitator. In other words, teaching-learning is now learner-centred.
Especially during the epidemic of the last one and a half years, teaching has been done with the use of technology.
Nevertheless, students also want to enjoy the atmosphere of the campus. This is a big change.
Unfortunately, with so many changes, our country still lacks quality education.
What is your plan to address these challenges?
If I explain it from a national point of view, today there are 750 universities, 40,000 colleges and 2,50,000 faculty members in India.
This means that there has been a vast expansion in the education sector, both in terms of infrastructure and human resources. But when it comes to quality, none of our institutes, even the topmost ones in the country, stand anywhere. It needs to be changed.
for example, UGC Allows recruitment of teachers if they have qualified in NET, SET or have done PhD. This lets one assess their domain knowledge, but how about their academic skills? Is the teacher able to disseminate knowledge in a systematic and logical manner? No academic training is given to the teachers at the higher education level. At least at the school level, there is B.Ed etc. This is an aspect that needs attention.
A faculty member is expected to transmit knowledge and create knowledge through research. The best teacher is the one who makes the student think. What is the thought process before the teacher enters the classroom? What is the difference between understanding and rote? Also, what about imbibing ethics and principles in young faculty members?
For all this we need to have a good faculty induction program. We already have a program, but we need to introduce several aspects, one of the important ones being ethics and principles. If you enroll at the age of 30, you will be in the university for 32 years and if one imbibes ethics and principles at an early age, a lot can be achieved.
What is your vision for promoting research in Goa University?
I want to see Goa University at the forefront. For this, quality faculty and interdisciplinary research are most important. as stated in national education policyWe need more interdisciplinary and interdisciplinary research.
Also, the research done in Goa University should be such that it has an impact on this area. Waste water management and air pollution are just two examples of the problems faced in the state.
To address this, I want to develop a center for interdisciplinary research in Goa University as a separate entity and we should bring the best scientists to work here using the benefits of UGC and DST-INSPIRES schemes.
Once scientists, not only from across the country, but from all over the world, come here, faculty members from all departments of Goa University will interact with them and this will create an ecosystem for interdisciplinary research.
Do you have any specific program in mind to start?
Goa has more women in higher education than any other state. Thirty-four percent of the female population in the 18-23 age group is enrolled in higher education institutions, the percentage being 23% for men. Basically, many male students cannot pursue higher education as they have to be quick earners for their families.
We need to think how to improve their life through education. We need more Comprehensive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) through the Directorate of Digital Learning and Initiatives. Certificate, PG Diploma or BVOC programs can be offered, which allow students to pursue them on weekends or after or before working hours.
The qualification can help students rise above in their line of work.
Professional graduate programs basically have more practical content. BVOC in Home Science is a must have for housewives who can pursue a degree and possibly benefit from the tourism industry in the state. BVOC in Banking and BVOC in IT are other programs that I have in mind.
The idea is to improve the gross enrollment ratio for male students and bring down the enrollment ratio to 50-50 for both males and females.
How do you think Goa University can help in improving the employment scenario in the state?
There are 62 colleges in Goa and many affiliated colleges offer programs in technology like BTech, MTech etc. We need to recognize how many students have entrepreneurial qualities and bring them and the industry together on a single platform for dialogue.
I want to set up a research park within the university campus where such students and industry workers can interact. And the work done by the students will be considered as an integral part of their programme/study.
Upon successful completion, they obtain their degree and can become an entrepreneur leading to the establishment of a start-up.
As a state university, how can Goa University promote research and education in Konkani?
Presently there is no magazine in Konkani which is part of UGC union (UGC-CARE List).
I plan to set up an editorial board of eminent personalities working for Konkani and develop a Konkani magazine, which has a strong position among regional languages magazines and is of national importance. This will also give a boost to those doing research on Konkani.
What are the major administrative changes expected under you as Vice Chancellor?
Administration should be completely paperless, interface with IT. Going paperless will ensure faster movement of files and we will be able to resolve many pending issues expeditiously. This will also make it easier to declare the result after the exam in less time.
Goa University was till now the only university in the state, now private universities are going to be established in the state soon, what are your views?
Private universities will largely offer specialized programs, which are not already available in Goa. But if there are some that are already on offer in the state like laws, competition is always good. So it’s more merrier.
mention
“The research done at the University of Goa should be such that it has an impact on the region. Wastewater management and air pollution are two examples of problems faced in the state. To address this, I developed a center for interdisciplinary research. I want to have a separate unit in Goa University.”
“We need more wide open online courses that give students the flexibility to pursue them on weekends or after or before working hours. We should have a BVOC in Home Science, which could potentially benefit from the tourism industry BVOC in Banking and BVOC in IT are other programs that I have in mind.”
“We need to identify how many students have entrepreneurial qualities and bring them and the industry on a single platform for interaction. I want to set up a research park within the university campus where students can interact with the industry. These students can become entrepreneurs, who can lead to the establishment of a start-up.”
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