‘Industry should help promote higher education’

CHENNAI: He dared to defy all hurdles that came his way while establishing an institution called Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT University) in Vellore, for offering quality engineering education in this part of country.

As a former Minister in the Government of Tamil Nadu and a great parliamentarian, G Viswanathan, Chancellor of VIT University, has very few parallels in the world of academics.

The VIT University is setting new global standards in the field of higher education, thereby attracting a large number of foreign students to its campus year after year.

An an academician of repute, Viswanathan has made everyone sit up and watch his growth in the field of education in the last 16 years — right from starting

an engineering college (Vellore Engineering College) in Vellore

in 1984 and making it the Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT

University) with a considerable reputation at the international level.

The Indo-American Chamber of Commerce (IACC), as part of recognising the achievements of people in different fields, allowed the Chancellor of VIT University to share his views as a first generation entrepreneur at a programme - Meet Success First Hand - held in the city on Wednesday.

Speaking on the occasion, Viswanathan called for reforms and decontrol in higher education, all for giving the real feel of flexibility and liberalism for the large number of students pursuing professional courses.

“There is a necessity for the private people to enter the field of education as the states are unable to spend more on education,’’ he said.

 “Higher education normally happens in universities in foreign countries where there are facilites for research. But, in India, it happens in colleges sans the research element,’’ he added.

On commercialisation of education, he said parents should be ready to spend more money on quality education for their wards as the states had not given any sops to private universities to create the necessary infrastrucutre.

In this context, Viswanathan urged the State governments and the industry as a whole to step in and facilitate education to those who really needed it, after proper discussion with the private

universities and other stakeholders.

He also made a dig at the reservation system followed by the governments, both at the Central and state level, as it did not help the economically weaker sections of society.

Earlier, R Veeramani, Chairman, Gem Group, introduced G Viswanathan to the members of Indo-American Chamber of Commerce.