Kakatiya University making rapid strides: V-C Thatikonda Ramesh

Warangal: Despite the havoc caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the varsity has managed to streamline the academic programmes, Kakatiya University Vice-Chancellor (V-C) Thatikonda Ramesh said here on Monday. Speaking to media persons on the occasion of one year after he assumed the office, he said that the varsity in accordance with the UGC instructions was able to conduct academic programmes successfully by adopting 'blended teaching', a practice of using both online and in-person to impart education. The academic courses offered by the School of Distance Learning and Continuing Education (SDLCE) which were hampered by the Covid-19 and other reasons for the last two years have also been regularised, he added.

The V-C said that the varsity had bagged a prestigious project, Development of Novel Technology Enabled Irrigation Water Management System to Improve Productivity of Agricultural Operations – from the Telangana State Council of Science & Technology (TS COST). "Several research papers by the faculty and students have been published in international reputed journals such as Elsevier, Springer, Taylor & Francies, Sage, Scopus etc.," the V-C informed.

Referring to the campus placements, Ramesh said that as many as 486 students (388 girls and 9 boys) belonging to engineering, pharmacy, science and management streams have got jobs in multinational companies. The CTC packages achieved by the students range between Rs 4 lakh and Rs 14 lakh per annum. A mechanical engineer of the varsity making it to the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) is the notable achievement, the V-C said.

The varsity set up PV Vignana Kendra with the support of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. The Kendra has conducted 15 seminars and 10 Memorial Lectures in the name of PV, Prof Jayashankar, Kaloji Narayana Rao, Dr K Balagopal and others.

Dwelling on developmental activities, the V-C said that the State Government allocated Rs 27 crore more compared to last financial year. Stating that the varsity has witnessed a jump in the number of girls' admission by 72 per cent, the V-C said that a women's hostel is being constructed with an outlay of Rs 7 crore funded by the ITDA, Eturnagaram.

All the pending works have been completed in the engineering college including new classrooms, digital library and a hostel building, Ramesh said. The construction of the second floor of the administrative building will be completed by August, he said.

He said that labs in the Kothagudem mining college have been upgraded with the support of TSGenco which sanctioned Rs 1.10 crore.

Referring to the welfare of the employees, the V-C said that they have promoted 49 teaching faculty in accordance with the GO 14. Non teaching staff also got promotions, he added. KU is the first varsity to implement Revised Pay Scale 2020, and it benefited 350 retired employees. On the academic front, the varsity has entered into MoU with the British Council, NIT, IICT, CDAC, TS COST and CCMB etc, Ramesh said. "The target is to achieve NAAC accreditation with a good CGPA. The varsity is all set to organise convocations on July 1 and in February 2023. A compound wall will be constructed after identifying the borders of the varsity. Efforts are on to establish an Academic Staff College, the V-C said.