Seats in government universities should be increased to pursue higher education: VIT Chancellor

The existing number of seats in government universities in the country should be increased to make higher education easily accessible for students in rural areas and tribal hamlets, said G. Viswanathan, founder and Chancellor, VIT.

In his presidential address on University Day and Annual Sports Day 2026, which was organised by VIT at its campus here, he said that there was a need for greater public investment in higher education by State governments and the Centre. “Some universities are reducing student intake due to financial constraints. In Tamil Nadu, out of 22 universities, only two have more than 10,000 students. Government universities should increase their annual intake capacity to provide easy access for poor students,” he said.

Stressing the importance of faculty, Mr. Viswanathan noted that teachers contribute 90 per cent to the success of educational institutions, with the remaining 10 per cent coming from administration and infrastructure. The government should introduce some form of financial assistance for students studying in private institutions, he said, and appreciated the contribution of the Indian diaspora in terms of remittance. For example, NRIs sent around ₹12 lakh crore back to the country as remittance in 2025, with Maharashtra, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu topping the list, he said.

The event witnessed around 3,800 students receiving medals and awards. Scholarships worth ₹2.23 crore were also distributed, including the Rajeswari Viswanathan Memorial Scholarship and Chancellor’s Special Awards and Gold Medals.

Biju George, Director, Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore, was the chief guest. Sankar Viswanathan and Sekar Viswanathan, vice-presidents, VIT, were also present.