PATNA: Pataliputra University vice-chancellor Gulab Chand Ram Jaiswal on Friday said the university would hold a ‘Vidya Jagriti Abhiyan (literacy awareness campaign)’ in Patna and Nalanda districts from the first week of August. Principals of all 25 constituent colleges of the university in the two districts and faculty members will also participate in the campaign to boost literacy among the downtrodden and underprivileged class of people.Jaiswal said under the campaign, college teachers and NSS volunteers would visit a nearby village or slum area at least once in a month to educate illiterate people about importance of literacy and better hygiene. “This woulds be a new experience and test of nerve and skills for teachers in addition to conventional classroom teachings,” the VC said.Jaiswal, a scholar of BHU in commerce, said he personally volunteered to engage at least two classes a week in MBA department at College of Commerce, Arts and Science. He got his name listed in the college routine as well. “The governor-cum-chancellor Satya Pal Mallik had urged all VCs to engage classes in their respective universities to motive teachers to be regular in their classes,” he said, adding he was keen to share his knowledge with students and guide them for a better future.“Unless teachers are regular in colleges and engage their allotted classes as per routine, students will continue to suffer for no fault of theirs. The university will not tolerate any laxity on the part of teachers. Problems facing students must be addressed on priority basis at each college,” he said.Vice-chancellor of the newly created Munger University Ranjit Kumar Verma, an internationally acclaimed scholar and scientist, has also volunteered to engage one class a week in physical chemistry at the post graduate (PG) level courses being taught at R D College and D J College in Munger. “This will motivate teachers who often shirk their duty to engage classes. However, the university will keep a tab on the activities and presence of teachers on the college campus each working day,” he said.Principals of some constituent colleges of Pataliputra University have also volunteered to engage classes in their respective colleges. Principal of city-based B D College Sanjoy Kumar will engage one or two classes in zoology at the honours level per week while principal of M D College, Naubatpur, Kanhaiya Prasad Sinha, said he had started taking honours classes in history. Similarly, principal of RLSY College-Bakhtiarpur Pravin Kumar has also offered to engage two classes per week in geography at honours level.

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