APSCHE SILVER JUBILEE YEAR (1988-2013) SOUVENIR ANDHRA PRADESH STATE COUNCIL OF HIGHER EDUCATION HYDERABAD 2014 HIGHER EDUCATION DEPARTMENT J-Block, 4th Floor, Room No. 407, A.P. Secretariat Hyderabad - 500 022 ✆ : Off. : +91-40-2345 1424 Fax : +91-40-2345 4576 Ajay Misra, I.A.S., Principal Secretary to Government MESSA E I am indeed very happy to know that the A.P. State Council of Higher Educa- tion (APSCHE) is celebrating its Silver Jubilee Year 2014, After serving the cause of Higher Education in the Sate for 25 Years. As an apex body, the Council, in consultations with all the statkeholders, has contributed immensely in defining the direction and imporving the quality of Higher Education in the State. I wish that the Council may document and codify all its proceedings as a guide to the managers of Higher Education in the State and the Country. I congratulate the satff of the Council on this occasion. Ajay Misra PROF. G.J.V. JAGANNADHA RAJU Former Chairman, APSCHE Former Chairman, NBA-AICTE Former Chancellor, SCSVMV Former Vice-Chancellor, Acharya Nagarjuna University MESSA E I am glad to learn that the Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education, which is the first of its kind in the country, has completed its 25 years of existence. The Council has been playing a key role in coordinating and advising the Government, Universities, Central Agencies and Service Associations for furtherance of Higher Education in the State of Andhra Pradesh. During the 25 years of its journey, the Council has achieved many milestones in providing access and maintenance of standards in Higher Education through innovation of new courses, restructuring and updating syllabi, training of teachers, performance criteria for self assessment of the Universities and teachers, reforms in conduct of entrance tests, admission of students to such courses and according approvals to new educational institutions. I deem it a privilege to be the first Chairman of the Council and also in having the opportunity to hold this position a second term as the third Chairman. I personally feel that the Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education is a great asset to all the stake holders. I hereby convey my best wishes to all the Staff members of the AP State Council of Higher Education. I hope the Council will continue to make its contribution to the field of Higher Education and wish all success to the silver jubilee celebrations. Prof. G. J. V. Jagannadha Raju P.K.Doraiswamy, IAS (Retd.) Former Special Chief Secretary & Former Chairman, APSCHE MESSA E I am glad to note that the APSCHE, the pioneer in this field, is completing 25 years of active and productive functioning. Though the underlying idea was that the higher education system should be freed from political and bureaucratic interference in its functioning and should be left to be managed by a composite buffer body representing the various stakeholders of the higher education system. This was not understood not only by the State governments but also by many others including even some academicians who looked upon it as another level of unnecessary interference and bossing. From my own personal experience, I can say that even Education Secretaries who may be expected to take a more objective, knowledgeable view, were often a victim of this misperception. I hope by now all the stakeholders of the higher education system have realised that the SCHE is an asset and not a liability. I congratulate all those connected with APSCHE and wish the Council continued useful contribution to the higher education system in A.P. P.K.Doraiswamy Prof.Y.Saraswathy Rao Former Chairman, APSCHE & Former Vice-Chancellor, Sri Krishna Devaraya University MESSA E I am happy that the State Council of Higher Education has completed 25 year of service in the cause of Higher Education in our state. I heartily congratulate APSCHE for celebrating the Silver Jubilee in 2014. As a full fledged Member and as a Chairperson for an interim period in 1995, I have experienced its role in multiple dimensions. As an apex body acting as a bridge between the State Govt. and the State Universities and as a guide, coordinator and facilitator in terms of ensuring uniform standards and High quality of Higher Education, the A.P. State Council has successfully performed its assigned role all these years. Now is the time to extend its areas of operation by assuming a bigger role. The A.P. State Council can now play a significant role as a coordinating Nodal body for NAAC, in order to expedite assessment and accreditation of a large no. of Colleges and Universities in the South, which task has become unwieldy for one single office at Bangalore. Since assessment and accreditation once in 4 or 5 years is now mandatory for sanctioning UGC Development grants, our State Council, is an appropriate body to take up this new task and ensure equity and quality in all the southern states, on the same lines as UGC and ICSSR through their Southern Regional offices cater to the needs of the Southern States Gender equity at the top level of APSCHE is another aspect to be focused upon. In 1995, it was resolved by the State Council to earmark one of the two positions of Chairperson or the Vice-Chairperson to women. It is yet to be implemented. In 2014, the process can be initiated to ensure that women are equal partners in the Higher Education sector. I hereby convey my Blessings and Good Wishes for Success in all Endeavors. Prof. Y. Saraswathy Rao Prof. C. Subba Rao Former Chairman, APSCHE MESSA E It is indeed a matter of great satisfaction that APSCHE is celebrating its Silver Jubilee in 2014. That APSCHE has survived as an institution for so long is not a little due to the active support and participation of all universities in the common pursuit of promoting excellence in the field of Higher Education. The success of this unique academic institution, less managerial and more collegial in orientation, lies in the manner in which it has promoted ‘consensus-building’ as a value among all stakeholders involved in Higher Education. In spite of academic and judicial hostility in the initial years of its existence, it has stuck to its commitment to act as an effective bridge between the Govt. on the one hand and institutions of higher learning on the other. Silver Jubilee is the right time for stock taking and self-examination to see how best APSCHE could serve the cause of higher education in the years to come. I wish all success for APSCHE in its renewed dedication to the cause of meaningful service to Higher Education. Prof. C.Subba Rao Prof. K.C Reddy Former Chairman, APSCHE MESSA E I am very happy to know that APSCHE has completed 25 years of purposeful service as a co- ordinating Apex body in the field of higher education. I join all other friends to congratulate the staff of APSCHE for their dedicated service to make things happen at the Council. 25 years is neither too long nor too short in the life of an Institution, but for one like APSCHE it has been both challenging and satisfying period . As all of us agree, A.P.State Council is considered to be the ideal form of an institution to not only help the universities and other institutions in the State providing appropriate academic inputs but more importantly co-ordinate between the State and the Central agencies including UGC and AICTE. APSCHE is recognized across the Country both for its structure and good work that has been done over a period of 25 years. Expansion of higher education has been quite significant in Andhra Pradesh in terms of national averages and also in terms of historical numbers. This is the time to reflect on issues of both quality and relevance. I believe that APSCHE will have a major role in formulating appropriate initiatives to strengthen teaching-learning methods including designing relevant curriculum and more importantly to empower the students with skills that will help them to participate in the socio-economic activity in the emerging interdependent knowledge economy. Probably there is urgency to move from a more regulatory system of academic governance to a system where all the players are taken into confidence as partners and become an academic leader. Easier said than done, but the beauty is only when difficult things are done. I congratulate all the illustrious leaders who shaped the Council to its present respectable status and complement the employees who are very few in numbers but have been doing great job. Prof. K.C Reddy Prof. P. Jayaprakash Rao Former Chairman, APSCHE MESSA E I am happy to note that Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education has completed twenty five years of existence and celebrating its Silver Jubilee this year. I congratulate all the staff of APSCHE on this happy occasion. APSCHE being the apex organization dealing with higher education in the State has been performing a fine job over the years coordinating the activities of all higher educational institutions and governmental agencies. The role of APSCHE in the coming days is going to be more challenging as issues related to higher education are becoming more and more complex as a result of globalization, technology revolution and increased private participation in the field. In this knowledge-driven economy, the mandate for our higher education system these days is not only to provide access and dispense knowledge equitably but also to create new knowledge of innovative nature and utilize it effectively to produce efficient work force to meet the demands of the fast changing employment market and for various other societal requirements.