The varsity has the infra to transform into a premier multidisciplinary education and research institution. It must reflect not only on its past but more urgently on its future
I was witness to the birth of Goa University on June 30, 1985. As active student leaders, we were championing its formation from 1977. It evolved from the Centre of Post Graduate Instruction and Research (CPIR), founded in June 1965 in Panaji and affiliated with the University of Bombay through a special resolution following negotiations between the governments of Goa, Daman and Diu, and Maharashtra. Full credit goes to then-chief minister Dayanand Bandodkar and the then director of Education P S Varde. Goa has forgotten to celebrate 60 years of CPIR. As Goa University completes forty years on June 30, 2025, it faces an opportunity to critically reflect on its academic trajectory and institutional priorities. The forthcoming NAAC peer review for its fourth cycle of accreditation will determine whether the university can rise beyond its current B++ grade. The Self Study Report (SSR) submitted in April 2025 highlights structural reforms, new academic programmes, and digital upgrades. However, a closer reading of the SSR and AQAR 2023-24 reveals systemic weaknesses, underutilised infrastructure, and serious concerns about learning effectiveness, faculty strength, and graduate employability.
One of the university’s enduring challenges is the absence of a strong reading culture. Despite digital access to JSTOR, Web of Science, and INFLIBNET (now ONOS), fewer than 400 students are active users. The main library is accessed by less than 60 per cent of enrolled postgraduate students. This suggests a broader disengagement from scholarly resources. Both students and faculty tend to prioritise exam-focused preparation over deeper academic inquiry. This undermines Goa University’s vision of becoming a centre for advanced learning and research. This problem is exacerbated by an outdated examination system. Direct-answer formats and predictable questions foster rote memorisation. Liberal evaluation policies allow students to earn high scores without demonstrating deep understanding. Many departments hesitate to adopt rigorous marking for fear that poor results may deter admissions. Though the SSR does not confront this directly, the impact is evident in the weak conceptual clarity of even high-scoring graduates.
Without rigorous assessment practices, postgraduate degrees lose credibility in both the academic and job markets. The university’s work schedule further limits its potential. Despite a large campus and well-equipped classrooms, Goa University runs on a five-day week with only six instructional hours per day. This leads to underutilised infrastructure and missed chances to enrich academic life with seminars, workshops, and public lectures. A centralised state university must do more to prepare students for a competitive, globalised environment. This concern is magnified by the scale of students Goa University is expected to serve in the near future. With 67 affiliated colleges and 27,000 undergraduate students, the university is poised to become the key destination for postgraduate and integrated programmes. The AQAR 2023-24 reported 4,779 eligible applications for all its courses—evidence of the university’s growing significance but also of rising pressure on its limited academic bandwidth. On campus, ten postgraduate schools enrolled 2,423 students, including 1,081 in the final year. This surge strains the teaching, evaluation, and student support mechanisms. Equally worrying is the university’s record on employability. In 2023-24, only 81 students were placed through formal campus recruitment. The median annual salary was Rs 3.85 lakh—modest for postgraduate qualifications today. Placement efforts appear fragmented, with minimal central coordination, few industry partnerships, and limited skill training. There is no structured alumni tracking or data on graduates’ performance in competitive exams or interviews. Anecdotal feedback indicates that even high scorers struggle to articulate core concepts during recruiter interactions.
To its credit, the university has taken steps to align with national education policy and global benchmarks. It has reorganised into ten interdisciplinary schools, launched four-year undergraduate and integrated programmes, introduced digital governance systems, and implemented solar energy and water conservation measures. The university has also been selected under the PM-USHA MERU Scheme and stands to receive significant central funding. Yet, these structural reforms have yet to produce measurable academic outcomes or improved student performance. Its global profile remains modest. Foreign students comprise only 1.2 per cent of enrolment. While over 80 MoUs with international institutions have been signed, very few have translated into active collaborations, exchanges, or joint research. Without meaningful global engagement, these agreements remain largely symbolic. Community outreach, often cited in institutional reports, also lacks continuity. Initiatives like village adoption under Unnat Bharat Abhiyan tend to end with funding cycles and are seldom woven into coursework or long-term planning. There is limited evidence of sustained engagement with local communities, industries, or policymakers.
Goa University has the legacy, infrastructure, and responsibility to transform into a premier multidisciplinary education and research institution. As it marks four decades, it must reflect not only on its past but more urgently on its future. The upcoming NAAC review will not be influenced by lofty vision statements. It will assess the university’s tangible achievements, sustained efforts, and actual outcomes. The path to a higher grade will demand that the university face its internal challenges with honesty, take bold corrective action, and commit to building a culture of academic rigour and excellence for the decades ahead.
(Nandkumar M Kamat, who has a doctorate in microbiology, is a scientist and science writer)
