GU not an IDEAL design destination
Last year, VC announced setting up a design school at GU for which it roped in IDEAL, a private institute. But it turned out to be damp squib, finds out Mirror
Yogesh Avasthi
The ‘first-of-its-kind design school’ at Gujarat University, which the Vice Chancellor went gaga about last year, has apparently left the premises without a whimper.
Back then, Parimal Trivedi had gloated about getting IDEAL (Institute of Design Expression Art & Learning), a private institute, on GU campus to offer quality career-oriented courses in various design disciplines on the lines of National Institute of Design.
Trivedi had said that admission to degree and diploma courses would begin in April 2009. Even that had created a huge controversy since IDEAL is a private institute with a functional centre in Gurukul. The VC was accused of accommodating a private institute on varsity campus by labelling it as GU’s brainchild.
Cocking a snook at his critics, Trivedi had gone ahead with getting brochures with programme details published. But Mirror has learnt that a board with ‘IDEAL’ written on it and a few chairs, tables and studio equipment was all that came from the institute. It was to operate out of the new building near the life science department. Everything was set. But the faculty members never turned up and Trivedi’s ideas never took off.
Not the one to back out, the VC has now tweaked his masterplan a little. He has, of course forgotten that last year he told Mirror (February 18 report) that IDEAL was not associated with any private organisation.
Now, he has smartly backtracked from his statement saying: “There were some issues regarding infrastructure and hence the delay in launching the courses. But we have taken care of things. We will not use the name ‘IDEAL’ for our design institute. We will now call it School of Performing Arts. Faculty members of IDEAL, a private institute, have agreed to offer their services.”
However, sources said, IDEAL was never given in writing that they could set up the institute and that is why they did not turn up. No MoU was signed between the institute and GU, they said. Officials at IDEAL refused to comment on the issue.
Yogesh Avasthi
The ‘first-of-its-kind design school’ at Gujarat University, which the Vice Chancellor went gaga about last year, has apparently left the premises without a whimper.
Back then, Parimal Trivedi had gloated about getting IDEAL (Institute of Design Expression Art & Learning), a private institute, on GU campus to offer quality career-oriented courses in various design disciplines on the lines of National Institute of Design.
Trivedi had said that admission to degree and diploma courses would begin in April 2009. Even that had created a huge controversy since IDEAL is a private institute with a functional centre in Gurukul. The VC was accused of accommodating a private institute on varsity campus by labelling it as GU’s brainchild.
Cocking a snook at his critics, Trivedi had gone ahead with getting brochures with programme details published. But Mirror has learnt that a board with ‘IDEAL’ written on it and a few chairs, tables and studio equipment was all that came from the institute. It was to operate out of the new building near the life science department. Everything was set. But the faculty members never turned up and Trivedi’s ideas never took off.
Not the one to back out, the VC has now tweaked his masterplan a little. He has, of course forgotten that last year he told Mirror (February 18 report) that IDEAL was not associated with any private organisation.
Now, he has smartly backtracked from his statement saying: “There were some issues regarding infrastructure and hence the delay in launching the courses. But we have taken care of things. We will not use the name ‘IDEAL’ for our design institute. We will now call it School of Performing Arts. Faculty members of IDEAL, a private institute, have agreed to offer their services.”
However, sources said, IDEAL was never given in writing that they could set up the institute and that is why they did not turn up. No MoU was signed between the institute and GU, they said. Officials at IDEAL refused to comment on the issue.
