Dr. C.V. Raman University: The "Raman Effect" in Education

By Santosh K. Choubey, Chancellor, Dr. C.V Raman University
Dr. C.V. Raman University: The

In the beginning of 20th century, Professor Eliot of Presidency College, Madras (Today's Chennai), saw a little boy sitting in his B.A. Class. Assuming that he might have strayed in to the classroom, the Professor asked, "Are you a student of B.A. Class?" "Yes Sir," the boy answered. "Your name?" the professor asked. "C.V. Raman," he replied. This incident made 14-year old Tamil Brahmin boy well-known in the college. The youngster later became a world famous scientist and India's iconic figure in Physics with his Nobel Prize winning inventions that taught the world why the sky and sea are blue.
 

Named after the first Nobel Laureate of the country, Dr. C.V. Raman University (CVRU) inherits many such characteristics of Dr. C. V. Raman; especially the wisdom that grew much faster than his years of living. Founded in the year 2006, in a short span of nine years, CVRU has imparted quality education to over one lakh students across the country and has established itself as a premier world-class University in Chhattisgarh, and more importantly, in Central India as a research and education hub. Years ago, if it was Dr. C. V. Raman who conceptualized the reasons behind possible changes in the wavelength of light in his discovery called "Raman Effect," today, CVRU stands to be the reason for an ordinary student's transformation into an extraordinary individual, like Raman's prism that divides a ray of light into a rainbow. CVRU utilizes the full potential of the latest scientific knowledge and new educational technology in the process of encouraging greater flexibility, accessibility and innovation in education to educate the mass irrespective of physical and geographical boundaries.

While education opens new vistas of growth and beckons new windows of opportunities, CVRU does not only equip students to survive at the workplace but also with skills to prosper. Various science exhibitions, seminars and workshops are a routine part of course modules coupled with extracurricular and co-curricular activities at the University. They nurture students with "ready to work" approach from the very first day of entering the campus and expose them to advance technology-based projects. The practical guidance on Virtual Machine, SAP, Control System Design, AutoCad, FPGA Design, DSP Controller Real Time Operating System, PLC and many more for engineering students is one such example to show the commitment of CVRU to produce graduates who can establish a professional connect as soon as they begin job. Hence, CVRU regularly hosts placement patrons like Wipro, Tata, HCL, Reliance, HDFC, ICICI, Birla Sunlife, L&T Infotech and many more. The professional industry has also shown ready interest to absorb eligible students of CVRU, who possess an inbuilt professional approach towards future.

Thought and Conception

One of the major reasons behind the success of CVRU is the expertise of its sponsoring body AISECT, a frontrunner in the field of skills & ICT based education since 1985. Through sustained and innovative ICT and skills-based initiatives, AISECT has already trained over 1.7 million people, generated over 15,000 rural entrepreneurs, created employment avenues within their network for more than 75,000 people and empowered the lives of over 4 million people. The recognition of AISECT's unique business model as "the most sustainable and scalable form of IT penetration and popularization in India" in a pilot study conducted by World Bank in collaboration with IIM-A portrays the quality of service that the organization has been providing. 

Establishing CVRU, the first private university of Central India in Kota, a remote village in Chhattisgarh, was not surprising as AISECT is one of the few organizations that aims to bring about an inclusive change in the previously untapped regions in the semi-urban and rural areas of the country. Indeed, it was a great challenge for the organization, considering the risk factors involved in setting up a world-class university in an obscure village. Today, Dr. C.V. Raman University presents students across the country a learning platform with best-in-class facilities in regular as well as distance learning modes. The University has eight faculties providing a more than 100 courses as undergraduate programs, postgraduate programs and research programs, which provide CVRU students the ability and freedom to choose and pursue the field of their expertise. 

Developments

Since 2006, the University has been going through various achievements and it continuously makes development for providing quality education. CVRU is the only university in Chhattisgarh that has been selected as the Center for Knowledge Acquisition and Upgradation of Skilled Human Abilities and Livelihood under the self-financed category for the execution of the Deendayal Upadhyay Kaushal Kendra Yojana. The Centre will conduct UG, PG and research level skill development courses for telecommunication, retail and IT. CVRU offers short-term skill development courses to students in addition to their regular courses through its CVRU Academy for Skill Development. The Academy is currently affiliated to the Electronic Sector Skills Council and plans to apply for affiliation of various other Sector Skills Councils including Telecom, Retail and Construction.

In CVRU, special emphasis is laid on project-based and participative learning with an emphasis on self-learning. It has collaborations with NSDC, NIELIT and NPTEL for redefining the higher education norms in India. Besides all these educational developments, CVRU made a major development by launching its community radio station, '90.4FM Radio Raman' that broadcasts educational and entertainment based content, along with recorded lectures to far flung areas. This is the first ever community radio station to be operated by any University in India. Tie-ups within the industry provide the students with the chance to augment their knowledge through industrial tours, seminars and workshops attended by industrial experts. 

The University emphasizes on research development and is setting up the CVRU Research Centre where research work will be conducted in areas like biotechnology, biochemistry, food processing, life sciences and basic sciences. CVRU Bio-Tech Park is also being developed in 7 acres of land in order to aid the research process.

As a provider of distance and regular programs in higher education, CVRU has instilled a strong faith in the fact that age, distance or any other physical inability should not hamper the purpose of education. Perhaps, this is the reason, today huge number of students have passed out, acquired necessary degrees and more necessarily gained knowledge of a lifetime to move ahead in life from CVRU. While the number of people who are certified by CVRU is still counting, the university is succeeding in its mission to provide education to the unreachable sections of the society. 

Panel: Faculty of Open and Distance Education

The recent development in distance education and the appendage of technology has enabled large-scale interactive participation and open access via web or other network technologies. Recognized by the Distance Education Council of India in 2009, the Institute of Open and Distance Education was established at CVRU to provide higher education to unreachable sections of the society by the use of information technology. The study material provided by the University is very comprehensive that covers the subject in elaborate and extensive manner. Online counseling and doubt clearing on various topics is provided to students who enroll in various distance-learning modules. To provide flexibility, special weekend classes are organized in collaborations with multiple departments of CVRU. Each department is headed by a coordinator who plays instrumental role in developing academic courses with the help of regular faculties, visiting professors and other corporate offices. At present, CVRU offers distance-learning courses in the form of degree, diploma and certificate courses in Information Technology, Management, Commerce, Arts and Science.

Message from the Chancellor

"Considering the demands of the Industry and to meet the professional needs, our emphasis is to inculcate skills and craftsmanship in the students. Our core objective is to promote a holistic approach to learning along with, importing the fundamental values regarding work ethics and etiquettes. The career counseling and placement cell in the University helps in strengthening ties with the corporate world through various internships and project work, which helps in successful recruitment by top companies. Come and be a part of Dr. C.V Raman University and help us in creating well rounded professionals for India."