Sardar Patel University Vallabh Vidyanagar 59th Annual Report 2014-15 (Under Section 40 of Sardar Patel University Act. 1955) From the Desk of the Chief Editor Gaudino (1965: 1) argues that a university “is not more abstract than corporate body. It cannot isolate its identity from the circumstances which surround it.” Elsewhere in the work cited, he offers insight into the way in which a university is brought into being: (1) The university begins in an Act of establishment by legislative authority, (2) The Act lays down what it is to do or be, (3) The University is given authorities, bodies, and boards to control its activities, (4) The life of the University moves under the direction of its officers, and (5) The activities are carried on by the teachers within an apparatus of instruction: admissions, courses, terms, examinations, degrees etc. (The Indian University, Popular Prakashan, Bombay, 1965) Barnes (1986: 180) defines a university as an institution of higher learning, consisting of several colleges, and competent to awards advanced degrees and engages in research activities (The American University: A World Guide. New Delhi: Allied Publishers, 1986). He identifies elsewhere in the work cited, a set of three conditions that it must meet to be called a university: (a) it must offer graduate, i.e. post-baccalaureate degrees, at least a Master of Arts or Master of Science, but probably the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, (b) it must have more than one graduate, i.e. first degree programme, and (c) the faculty in it must engage in research and publication (Adapted, op cit, pp.23 and 26). A university, therefore, (i) is an institution of higher learning, (ii) has the power to grant and confer degrees, (iii) is the body of teachers and administrative staff, (iv) has students: undergraduates, graduate, and research scholars, (v) has a college or colleges that are its constituents or are affiliated to it, (vi) has infrastructural and physical facilities of its own, (vii) imparts education and conducts examinations, (viii) engages in research and publication, and (ix) offers extension services and undertakes corporate activities. Autonomous as a matter of principle, it has the right to make a choice of new disciplines it would like to add to the list of specialisations it has to offer. A university differs from the other institutions of higher learning such as colleges and polytechnics that also cater to tertiary education. It is usually known by the kind of contribution it makes in the five major areas of functioning, viz. teaching, research, extension services, consultancy, and corporate activities. Teaching and research are complementary much in the same way as extension services and corporate activities are. Each of these binary divisions is congruent and even interdependent. Unless founded on a strong research support, teaching becomes tedious and trite. Universities that have ceased to remain alive to the needs of the society they seek to serve and keep working toward their fulfilment, or those that suddenly come to discover that extension services are meaningless and corporate activities are but only a waste of time, end up snapping their fragile bonds with the society. A good university has its ears held close to the ground in order to hear the rumblings of the oncoming change, and has both the will and the ability to affect suitable changes in keeping with the newer needs identified in the process. Sardar Patel University feels blessed because it is one of the select universities in the state to have received funds made available by the state government under the Rastriya Uchcha Shiksha Abhiyan. We, as a university, have never fought shy of making full and complete disclosure on the state of our curricula, teaching-learning processes, examinations and evaluation, research, extension services, consultancy services, activities, achievements, shortcomings, finances etc. This report is the sum total of all this and more and the last chapter titled “Looking Ahead” lists what we propose to do in the year to come. This report in your hand is the product of team work and many minds and hands. All the Heads of the Departments contributed their share. The members of the editorial board including Professor (Dr) N V Sastry, Dr Dinesh Karia, Mr Bharat B Patel, Dr (Ms) Jyotiben Tiwari, v Director, G H Patel Computer Centre, Sardar Patel University, Dr (Ms) Rupal Vasant, Dr Mayank Bhatt, Assistant Registrar (Academics) and Mr Tushar Majmudar, Deputy Registrar (IQAC, ISC) of the editorial board for their intellectual inputs and active contribution; and the technical assistance of Dr Chandresh Gadhavi, Mr Kaiwal K Patel, and Mr Nirav B Patel, for collecting, collating, composing, and correcting the final report proof-read and approved by the editorial board. We seek your continuous support and will be happy to receive constructive feedback! Vallabh Vidyanagar J H Khan 17 February 2016 vi EDITORIAL BOARD • Prof J H Khan (Chief Editor) • Prof N V Sastry • Dr D J Karia • Mr Bharat B Patel • Dr (Mrs) Jyotiben Tiwari • Dr Rupal Vasant • Mr Mayank Bhatt • Mr Tushar Majmudar TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE • Mr Kaiwal K Patel • Dr Chandresh Gadhavi • Mr Nirav B Patel • Mr Pradip R Parmar vii Professor (Dr) Harish Padh Vice Chancellor Sardar Patel University, Vallabh Vidyanagar, Gujarat (India) Foreword I feel very pleased to give you this brief overview of the achievements of the university in the academic year 2013-14 by way of my foreword to the Annual Report for 2014-15. We are grateful to the UGC, other governmental agencies, groups, and individuals for their generosity in providing funds for various research and other activities in the University throughout the year. I shall mention briefly what we have been able to achieve. UGC Grants to the University The UGC has sanctioned funds to the University as follows: 1. 103.00 lac and 01 Project Fellow to the Department of Materials Science, Sardar Patel University under Centre for Advanced Study Phase-III for 5 years from 2015-2018. 2. 82.00 lac and 01 Project Fellow to the Department of Home Science, Sardar Patel University under SAP-DRS for 5 years from 2015-2018. 3. 25.00 lac and 01 Project Fellow to the Department of Gujarati, Sardar Patel University for 5 years from 2015-2018. 4. UGC Emeritus Fellowships to four of our teachers: (a) Dr M K Patel, Retired Professor and Head, Department of Business Studies, Sardar Patel University; (b) Dr B R Brahmbhatt, Professor, Department of Gujarati, Sardar Patel University; (c) Dr (Ms) Urmilaben Thaker, Retired Professor and Head, Department of Information and Library Science, Sardar Patel University; and (d) Dr S J Bhatt, Retired Professor and Head, Department of Mathematics, Sardar Patel University. Congratulations to these four colleagues on their achievement which is the outcome of their total output as scholars in their respective areas of specialization. 5. The UGC has sanctioned three innovative courses under B.Voc. beginning the academic year 2015-16: (i) Export and Import Management; (ii) Supply Chain and Logistics; and (iii) Insurance and Financial Management to C P Patel and F H Shah Commerce College, Anand which is affiliated to Sardar Patel University. Agencies of GoI The National Board of Higher Mathematics (NBHM) has sanctioned a grant of 20.00 lac to the Department of Mathematics under the NBHM Regional Library in Mathematics (Western Region). We thank UGC and NBHM for this funding, and commend the teachers in these Departments and college for their effort. Major Seminars/Conferences/Workshops 1. CISST, Sardar Patel University organized a Workshop on Liquid Chromotography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) on 21 and 22 January 2015 under the PURSE-DST Programme. It also organized a Workshop on Interdisciplinary Studies in Science and Technology (ISST-2015) on 19 February 2015 under the PURSE-DST Programme. ix 2. G H Postgraduate Patel Institute of Business Management (Department of MBA), Sardar Patel University organized a National Seminar on “Global and Rural Marketing” on 31 January 2015. 3. Department of Psychology organized a National Conference on “Psychological Well-Being of the Differently-Abled Persons: Intervention, Strategies and Remediation” on 21 and 22 February 2015. 4. Shree P M Patel College of Paramedical Science and Technology, Anand, which is affiliated to Sardar Patel University organized a day-long workshop in collaboration with Biotechnika Healthcare Pvt Ltd on 09 March 2015. Memorandum of Understanding An MoU was signed for a collaborative Project on “Preclinical Pharmokinetic Study of Aphrodisiac Phytoconstituent” between CISST, Sardar Patel University and Ramanbhai Patel College of Pharmacy, CHARUSAT, Changa. Foreign Visits Professor (Dr) N V Sastry of the Department of Chemistry of this University visited St FX University, Antigonsih, Canada at its invitation under James Chair of Pure and Applied Chemistry for three months between January and March 2015. Nominations and Honours 1. Professor (Dr) N V Sastry of the Department of Chemistry of this University was appointed as one of its Nominees by the Government of Gujarat on our University Syndicate for a period of three years, i.e., 2015-2018. 2. Professor (Dr) Priti Srinivas Sajja of the Department of Computer Science and Technology, Sardar Patel University was appointed Director, University Granth Nirman Board by the Government of Gujarat for a period of three years. I congratulate these colleagues for their nominations and achievements! Achievements: Teachers and/Researchers 1. Dr Y M Dalwadi, Assistant Professor, Department of Business Studies of this University passed the NET-Lectureship Examination in June 2015. 2. A paper each authored jointly by P Gajjar, V Aishwarya and N Dave; and another by H Parmar, H Baraiya and A Shastry respectively of the Department of Home Science, Sardar Patel University won the Best Paper Award Publications Teachers in the Departments have continued to publish books and research papers in research papers in National/International Journals throughout the period under review.