NEW DELHI (PT1): Campuses in the country are swinging to the openness ushered in by the infotainment explosion of the 90s but awareness about sex, drugs or AIDS is still a taboo to University mandarins.
University bosses have reacted tepidly to a proposed compulsory self-study course seeking to create the much needed awareness about the vagaries of the changing times ~AIDS, population explosion, drug abuse and ecological degradation.
Less than one third of the country’s 200odd varsities have responded to the April proposal of the University Grants Commission (UGC) to introduce the course which will include population education, drug abuse and environment education with accent on AIDS and chances of it Setting underway this year, as desired by the apex University body’s is remote. ‘The letter addressed by the UGC to all Universities says that the syndrome is a serious menace facing the country.
There are about five million students and 275,000 teachers in our colleges and Universities, It is sizeable population of youth intellectuals whose Participation the program can have a sizeable effect ‘on tackling the AIDS men: ace,” says Dr.R, P, Gangurd additional secretary, UGC.
A reminder has been sent to remainder of the 60 Universities: Who have replied to the pro; which the Apex University bod hoped to introduce in this demi session, according to office sources.
Article extracted from this publication >> September 16, 1994
