AVRC in need of urgent attention
From Jupinderjit Singh
PATIALA: The audio-visual research centre of Punjabi University is in urgent need of attention. Established in 1989, the centre was a source of pride for the university as it was the only one of its kind in North India. The university Grants Commission had allotted the centre to this university with an investment of Rs 9 crore for producing research programmes on education in all universities and other educational institutions in northern states.

Deteriorating standards alarm council
From Rakesh Lohumi
SHIMLA: The proliferation of business management schools coupled with lack of an effective regulatory mechanism is severely affecting the quality of education in this important professional discipline in the country, according to Gen D.N. Khurana, Director-General, All-India Management Association.

Diploma in event management
By Puneet
Since the dawn of time, humanbeings have found ways to mark important events in their lives: the change of seasons, the phases of the moon and the renewal of life each spring. From the aboriginal societies to the dionysian rites of ancient Greece, and from the Vedic times to the middle ages, both in our country and abroad, world, myths and rituals have been created to interpret cosmic happenings.

Renaming universities — disregard for academic niceties
by Prithipal Singh Kapur

THE universities were first established in India in the last decade of the nineteenth or early twentieth century. At that time, a healthy tradition came into being — to name universities after the city or region of their location. The earliest of the universities, Calcutta, Madras (interestingly the name of the university has been retained although Madras has since become Chennai) and Bombay followed by Punjab. Agra, Allahabad and Dacca (now Bangladesh) became distinguished seats of higher learning and nursed the best of intellect that flourished in India in this century.

These universities could also boast of having noted intellectuals of the time on their faculties who inspired and guided such distinguished persons as Dr J.N. Sarkar, eminent historian, Dr Rajindra Prasad, the first President of the Indian Republic, noted Indian philosopher who got the distinction of serving on the faculty of Oxford University, Dr S. Radhakrishnan, (he also served as President of India), Allahabad University earned the distinction of being often described as the Oxford of the East.

It is interesting that the universities established at Banaras and Aligarh on considerations other than academic carry the names of towns in which they are situated.

After Independence, the nation saw a phenomenal expansion of university education. The democratic set-up tempted the politicians to establish new universities after the names of national heroes. Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi and Mahatma Gandhi University in Kerala are such examples. Then we entered the phase of competitive vote-bank politics in which people belonging to caste groups got more than a dozen of the universities named after their beau ideal. In the process, we find that a re-naming wave has overtaken the entire country. From Madurai, Marathwada to Agra, Meerut and Hisar we find one name or the other super-imposed on the names of the universities.

Recently, Mr O.P. Chautala, Chief Minister of Haryana, in a warm gesture towards the Sikhs of Haryana, announced to rename Kurukshetra University after Guru Gobind Singh on the occasion of the Khalsa tercentenary celebrations. As an academic, I have no doubt that this is not a good step. I am inclined to agree with Professor V.N. Dutta, eminent historian that renaming of Kurukshetra University at any time shall not be fair because of historical antiquity and cultural legacy of the place.

His reference to the Bhagvad Gita and his apprehension that renaming of this university in any form is likely to hurt the Hindu susceptibilities is not without foundation. In the preamble to the Kurukshetra University Act passed by the Punjab Assembly, it is clearly stated that the university will be committed to undertaking research in Indic studies and Sanskrit. Super-imposing the great Guru’s name on an existing institution established with a specific objective, will in no way add glory or honour to the name of the creator of the Khalsa.

It will not be out of place to mention here that in the preamble of a University Act, we always find a statement of objectives. The specific objectives always have a typical relationship with the name of the university. A mention can be made of such an analogy in case of Punjabi University and Guru Nanak Dev University Acts. Therefore, the practice of indiscriminate re-naming of universities must stop forthwith because such an exercise only reflects our disregard for academic niceties.

However, it will be pertinent to conclude by drawing the attention of the Punjab Government, particularly of Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister, Punjab, to the fact that Punjab urgently needs an open university to cater to the needs of the rural youth and for diversification of the operational areas of the vast expanding horizon of knowledge.

Such a university needs to be established in South Punjab, preferably at Damdama Sahib, and this may be named after Guru Gobind Singh who gave the slogan “none should remain illiterate”. While naming a university after the creator of the Khalsa it is essential to lay down that the university shall encourage and undertake intensive study on the philosophy of Guru Gobind Singh and the writings in the Dasam Granth.

Incidentally, such a university is not likely to demand sizeable financial resources as is the case with conventional universities. Before long it will be a self-financing institution. The case of Indira Gandhi National Open University (an institution which has since carved out a niche for itself the world over) can be very well cited.

However, the controversy regarding re-naming of Kurukshetra University after Guru Gobind Singh must end because we can express our gratitude to the great Guru by raising a new university in accordance with the needs of the time. If Mr Chautala is keen to demonstrate his reverence for the Guru to appease the Sikhs, he can announce a handsome grant for such a university.

The writer is a former Pro Vice-Chancellor of Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar.

AVRC in need of urgent attention
From Jupinderjit Singh

PATIALA: The audio-visual research centre of Punjabi University is in urgent need of attention.

Established in 1989, the centre was a source of pride for the university as it was the only one of its kind in North India. The university Grants Commission had allotted the centre to this university with an investment of Rs 9 crore for producing research programmes on education in all universities and other educational institutions in northern states.

Unfortunately, the centre could not live up to the expectations. In 10 years it has produced 70 programmes out of which only 28 have been accepted by the consortium for educational communication for national telecast on the UGC’s countrywide classes network. The remaining programmes have either been rejected forthright or sent back to the university suggesting measures to improve their quality or for complete re-making.

Things came to such a pass that the UGC had to order temporary closure of the centre in August last. Pointing out at the inferior quality of productions, the UGC had told the university to fill all vacant posts of technical staff, especially the Director.

Sadly no such action has been taken by the university so far. According to sources, the university has not helped matters by appointing Mr S.S. Khaira, Reader Department of Development of Punjabi Language, who has no technical qualification as its head.

Apart from this, the centre has only five members on the staff rolls — only the cameraman is technically qualified. The posts lying vacant are of production assistant, technician, engineer and editor.

The sources point out that these posts are vital for quality work in the absence of which the cameraman is handling all jobs. The burden of all work on one man is directly reflected on the quality of the programmes produced.

The sources also reveal that a review committee of the UGC visited the centre last month for final orders on the continuation of its working. The committee minced no words in expressing displeasure at the state of affairs at the centre. The main grouse of the UGC is the handling of production work by non-technical persons for the past three years.

Mr S.S. Khaira, the newly appointed Director, AVRC, however, defends his appointment. He says the post of the Director is of administrative nature and no technical know how is required. He says he has elaborate plans for re-activating the centre and hopes the UGC will give another chance to the university.

Dr S.S. Joshi, former Director of the centre, says he cannot be held responsible for the state of affairs in any matter. During his three-year tenure, the centre produced 50 films out of which more than 20 were selected. He says the centre has become sick as it continues to use outdated machinery and equipment forsaken by other filmmakers in the country. He says with the machinery available with the centre, the films are required to be transmitted from the ‘super VHS’ mode to either ‘u-matin’ or ‘beta cam’ equipment. Due to this process, generation loss of the film occurs which deteriorates the quality of the film.

According to Mr Joshi, the university needs to alter appointment rules for the the posts of the centre. According to norms, the posts are only filled for a limited period as the AVRC centre project formed part of the Eighth Plan. The posts depend on whether the Ninth Plan continues the post or not. Mr Joshi feels due to temporary posts, qualified technicians feel shy of working with the centre.

Deteriorating standards alarm council
From Rakesh Lohumi

SHIMLA: The proliferation of business management schools coupled with lack of an effective regulatory mechanism is severely affecting the quality of education in this important professional discipline in the country, according to Gen D.N. Khurana, Director-General, All-India Management Association.

The number of management schools has almost doubled over the past 10 years but most of the newly set up institutions lack in sound faculty and basic infrastructural facilities. With management going hitech, it has become essential for educational institutions to have modern libraries and computer Internet besides qualified teachers.

However, about 50 per cent of the total 580 business management schools are without these, laments. General Khurana who is also a member of the All-India Council for Technical Education.

He says the council has taken notice of the deteriorating standards and decided to take stringent steps to stem the rot. It is working out a system for continuous monitoring of the institutions to ensure that requisite facilities are provided, failing which these will be derecognised.

There are, of course, some excellent management schools, as good as the ones in the USA. But a large number of ill-equipped institutions that have come up recently have diluted overall standards.

With ongoing globalisation, General Khurana observes business strategies and management techniques are changing at a fast pace, making close interaction between educational institutions and the industry imperative the students have to be provided practical training as merely studying the subjects and qualifying examinations does not suffice.

General Khurana feels with the arrival of multinationals and globalisation of business, the days of family-managed enterprises are over. The fast changing technology requirement of manpower is also changing.

Advances in information technology, particularly the advent of Internet, has opened floodgates to knowledge and information. However, only qualified professionals can understand, analyse and use the information. In the family-managed enterprises, the main objective had been to create wealth, everything else was secondary. They were not adopting the best management techniques and using short-cut methods and handling employees in an indifferent manner which affected quality as well as productivity.

Professional managers, on the other hand, produce wealth for the country by concentrating on quality, ensuring consumer satisfaction and taking good care of workers.

Today, when industry is facing international competition, efficiency, quality and customer satisfaction had to be accorded top priority. Hence, the need for professional managers.

Diploma in event management
By Puneet

Since the dawn of time, humanbeings have found ways to mark important events in their lives: the change of seasons, the phases of the moon and the renewal of life each spring. From the aboriginal societies to the dionysian rites of ancient Greece, and from the Vedic times to the middle ages, both in our country and abroad, world, myths and rituals have been created to interpret cosmic happenings.

Both in private and in public, people feel the need to mark important occasions in their lives, to celebrate key moments. At the public level, momentous events become the milestones by which people measure their private lives. The emergence of events and the events management sector has been a key area of development in the tourism industry with worldwide impact. Mega events, such as the Olympics, masters games, grand prix and other sporting events are well known. However, the events industry incorporates other areas such as festivals, fairs, heritage and religious event and business events-the list is continually developing and expanding.

With increasing expansion and corporate involvement, events are emerging as a new growth industry, capable of generating economic benefits and employment. Moreover, it is one that is capable of generating economic change, social and commercial benefits and employments. Among the examples, which could be relevant to be quoted, are the annual World Travel mart and the International Tourism Bource organised at London and Berlin which attract millions of visitors every year, not only making a significant contribution to the national economies but also creating hundreds of jobs for the organisers.

A staggering number of 15 million throng the ITB Berlin to partake in various exhibitions. One aspect of the event management is its multi-disciplinary nature creating skills, experience and talent at various tiers in the industry. The terms ‘mega events’, hallmark events’ and ‘major events’ are used to identify those of large-scale significance and impact.

The growth of event management programmes in tertiary institutions is indicative of the needs felt by organisations and individuals to better prepare to deliver appropriate, safe, stimulating events with a minimum of stress. The first stage in organising any event is its conceptualisation and planning which involves a balance of creativity, administration and financial confidence and technical knowhow. The tourism sector has become inextricably linked to the emerging event management profession. A strong advantage of event tourism is that it can attract visitors in the low season, when airlines and accommodation providers often have surplus capacity.

Additional economic benefit is derived when visitors use what would otherwise be under-utilised tourism infrastructure. Events act as catalysts for attracting tourists and extending their length of stay. Large events also serve as a catalyst for urban renewal and for the creation of new tourism infrastructure. Organising X-mas and New Year eves, cultural and music festivals are some examples.

The second-most important part is the marketing of events which is the process of employing the marketing mix to attain organisational goals through creating values for clients and customers. Equally important is market research in event plannin gas inadequate data used for marketing decisions could invariably lead to the failure of the event. The core of marketing concept is the focus on the customer, that is the event attendee.

The third parameter of event management is the organisational structure of the organisation which is responsible for planning and organising the events. In the same way that a house takes its shape from its structural framework, an event organisation’s strategies and objectives are the product of its structure. Many organisations are now increasingly resorting to sponsoring events for increasing awareness of their existing products and creating awareness for a product besides attracting media attention.

However, no event can be successful without the management of human resources, an essential aspect of the event. Event management being still in its nascent stage in India, the ITFT ( Institute of Tourism and Future Management Trends)- Chandigarh, still remembered for its colourful theme based cultural floating bonanza two years ago at the Sukhna has taken a pioneering step in training managers for this burgeoning activity.

It has introduced a diploma course at the postgraduate level from the current academic session. To enable personnel working in different organisations engaged in organising events to enhance their professional competency, the ITFT will be holding classes in the evening. A well-structure course, it takes into account the entire gamut of aspects which constitutes specialisation in events like meetings conferences, conventions, trade fairs, exhibitions fashion/ theme shows, musical concerts, entertainments, special evenings, production launching and promotional campaigns, star nights, premiere shows, night bazaar, fairs and festivals etc.

An exciting opportunity awaits the students in this course to be a part of the national quiz contests which will be launched in the last week of September from Chandigarh and then taken to 24 different destinations in India as part of the Explore India Year in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.

The Events Management course contents being fairly comprehensive, these take into account important aspects of financial management and budget planning. Besides classroom discussions, the thrust is on job training and case study discussions on diverse fields like important manufacturing and service sectors, such as, tourism and hospitality industries, airlines, travel trade resorts, automobiles, consumer products, electronic industries, MNCs, advertising agencies, financial institutions, and automation and other corporate sectors.