Noted educationist and University Grants Commission (UGC) member Prof Dr Biswajit Chanda has said that the quality of higher studies is directly linked with the quality of a country’s universities, reports UNB.

“A class should consist of only 35-50 students. If needed, the number of sections should be increased to accommodate a large number of students. In our country, sometimes there are 2000-3000 students in a single section, which erodes the quality of education to a great extent. The standard of higher education won’t develop if we can’t keep the number of seats in check,” Biswajit said.

“Appointment of competent teachers along with curriculum and skills development are some of the steps that are needed to be taken immediately to ensure top-notch education. Proper infrastructure and training of teachers also need to be in place. Most importantly, cooperation and participation of students are necessary to create a sound learning environment,” Biswajit added.

Asked about UGC’s monitoring system, Biswajit assured that his organization is constantly monitoring the higher education landscape of the country.

“Recently, some questions have surfaced regarding the quality of higher education at some universities, specially the private ones. UGC is repeatedly warning these universities to maintain a certain standard. There are some private universities which are providing world class education nowadays. This shows the impact of UGC’s strict monitoring,” said Biswajit.

Biswajit also added that UGC is thinking of arranging a six-month-long training program for the university teachers, which the apex academic body is thinking will make the in-person learning process more efficient.

Bd-pratidin English/Ishrar Tabassum