ITSR CHETHALAYAM
Institute
of Tribal Studies and Research
The
University of Calicut is a premier Higher Education Institution in
Kerala, working towards the goal of excellence in higher education
and research in all areas of human knowledge and development.
Established in 1968, the University emphasizes sustained development
of the scientific and technological sectors, the promotion of the art
and culture of Kerala, the advancement of the educationally backward
section of the population and the furthering of development in the
lesser developed regions of Northern Kerala.
Institute
of Tribal Studies and Research (ITSR), located at Chethalayam,
Sulthan Bathery, Wayanad, is a new centre devoted to Tribal Studies
and to serve the specific aspirations of the tribal community of the
state of Kerala especially that of Wayanad district. The residential
UG programme in the Department of Sociology will be a unique event in
the History of Kerala and the history of higher education in the
state.
Mission
and Vision
The
mission of the Institute of Tribal Studies and Research (ITSR) set up
in Wayanad district of the state of Kerala is to attain excellence in
academic quality, scholarly engagement, leadership, cultural
enrichment and service of the tribal population of Kerala, The ITSR
has an interdisciplinary focus that also recognize the diversity of
tribal communities, cultures and languages. The mission serves the
following purposes:
-
To implement student programmes that support and nurture personal development and academic success in higher education
-
To provide outreach programmes which encourage tribal students to excel in school and pursue higher education.
-
To partner with tribes in programmes that meet education of tribal population, professional development and other mutually beneficial needs.
-
To facilitate appropriate design and implementation of action research and other projects on issues and concerns that impact the quality of life of tribal people.
-
To conduct seminars, symposia, conferences, and forums that present issues and topics relevant to the tribal people.
The
Vision
of the Institute of Tribal Studies and Research (ITSR) is grounded in
the rich history and heritage of the tribes of the state. The vision
of the Institute is to continue the legacy of the University as a
leader in the education of the region of Malabar. The Institute is
intended to be innovative and responsive to the educational needs of
the tribal communities, and individuals. The ITSR will ensure
learning opportunities and experiences which promote leadership,
development, professional preparation, civic responsibility, and
cultural stewardship among the tribal groups. The Institute is
committed to the values that promote equality, compassion and respect
for human dignity in the richly diverse university environment. And
above all the Institute will act as a worthy research centre
exploring the rich history of the region, the legacy of the tribes in
various fields of human endeavor, their indigenous knowledge systems
and specific art forms and culture.
All
the interventions of the Institution with the tribal community will
be in on par with vision of our First Prime Minister Jawaharlal
Nehru who laid down the fundamental principles in this regard
which comprise :
1.
Tribal
peoples should develop along the lines of their own genus and we
should avoid imposing anything on them. We should try to encourage in
every way, their own traditional arts
and culture.
2.
Tribal
peoples’ rights in land and forest should be respected.
3.
We
should try to train and build up a team of their own people to do the
work of administration and development. Some technical personnel from
outside will no doubt be needed especially in the beginning but
introducing too many outsiders in to tribal territory should be
avoided’
4.
We
should not over administer these areas or overwhelm them with a
multiplicity of schemes. We should rather work through and not in
rivalry to their own social and cultural institutions.
The
scheduled tribe population in the state of Kerala is mainly
concentrated in Wayanad District. About 40 percent of the total
tribal population of the State lives in Wayanad. Wayanad is the
abode of culturally different tribal communities such as Paniyas,
Adiyans, Kattunaikans, Kurumans, Kurichiyans, Karimpalan, Kurumbar,
Kadar, and Koragar. The tribal communities have to be approached with
different educational schemes and teaching strategies so as to suit
to their way of life and cultural background. The University of
Calicut is planning to provide the best possible education to the
tribal communities through teaching, research and extension
activities.
Major
Programmes Offered by ITSR
PROGRAMME
I – ACADEMIC PROGRAMME
Name
of the course:
Residential UG Programme in Sociology
The
academic year
in which the course is proposed to be started: 2015-16.
Number
of students
expected to join for the course: 40 per year
PROGRAMME
II – SHORT TERM SKILL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES
Major
Objectives
The
major aim of the institute is to equip the first generation tribal
students with the knowledge, skills and attitudes to serve as agents
of social change through providing them informed choices and
opportunities which they lack at present. Bringing innovation and
excellence in the higher education of tribal students and
facilitating solution to the local/regional problems of tribals by
way of training the required human resources from the tribal
community itself are also aimed at. The specific objectives are:
-
To promote higher education of tribal students
- To enable tribal students critically analyze the socio-cultural, political and economic reasons for their marginalized position in the society.
-
To provide the theoretical, research and practical dimensions essential for the understanding, analysis and further action in addressing the issues of marginalization.
-
To make them aspire for better job opportunities and make them economically independent.
-
To build up conscientiousness and empower tribal youth
-
To bring the tribal students to the mainstream and enable them to become agents of social change.
Any activity of development should ensure that the tribal
people could set their feet string in their own cultural plain while
at the same time their fetters are removed so that their hands are
free to move up and down and around to accept anything that suit
their development and advancement. Education, here, is a liberator
and it should uplift the tribal community to freedom and
self-reliance and proposes a new approach in tribal education.
The
Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Castes and de-notified tribes constitute
the weakest section of India's population, from the sociological,
ecological, economic and educational angles. Since independence, the
greatest challenge that the Government of India has been facing is the
proper provision of social justice to the scheduled tribe people, by
restructuring their socio-economic conditions. The tribesman lives not
only for himself alone, but also he is an integral part of the tribal
life into consideration, setting up of an institute like ITSR in situ
the very niche of tribesmen of Wayanad, can become a milestone in the
history of overall development in India, especially in the state of
Kerala and and pave way for uplifting the tribal community of the state
as a whole and bring them forward into the main stream of the Indian
life.
DIRECTOR’S
MESSAGE
The
Institute
of Tribal Studies and Research (ITSR) is a unique phenomenon that has
happened to the State of Kerala under the auspices of the University
of Calicut, a premier Higher Education Institution of Kerala, is the
first attempt of its kind by any University in the State.
The Vision
of the Institute of Tribal Studies and Research (ITSR) is grounded in
the rich history and heritage of the tribal community of the state.
The Institute is intended to be innovative and responsive to the
educational needs of the tribal communities and also the
courses and various pedagogic tools help the students to develop not
only a holistic academic perspective but also an ability to seize
opportunities in a highly competitive environment.
The Institute will ensure learning opportunities and experiences
which promote leadership, development, professional preparation,
civic responsibility, and cultural stewardship among the tribal
groups. The Institute is committed to the values that promote
equality, compassion and respect for human dignity, sense of social
responsibility, human values and care for environment. The major
impetus is on creating
an environment conducive to learning for the students of tribal
communities. All
the interventions of the Institution with the tribal community will
be on par with the vision of our first Prime Minister Jawaharlal
Nehru who has laid down the fundamental principles for the
development of this ethnic community of our nation. Above all the
Institute will act as a worthy Research Center exploring the rich
history of the region, the legacy of the tribes in various fields of
human endeavor, their indigenous knowledge systems and specific art
forms and culture and thus pave way to bring
them to the main stream of national life.
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