Ideas 2008

Y.S.RAJAN IN HIGHER EDUCATION PANEL OF

SEMINAR “IDEAS INDIA 2008” DATED 19/12/2008

 

Ideas 2008

  • I have some basic questions about this oft quoted “15% - ONLY EMPLOYABLE” of our Engineering/Professional College outputs. If it were so for a period beyond say 4 to 5 years, there will be negative feedback of parent resistance first and then public outcry. But Engineering Colleges are growing at 5% rates despite severe restrictions of the Licence – Control systems in place. Probably the quoted study was done for a narrow spectrum of Employers.
  • I wish to emphasize this because we need to understand the HUGE DIVERSITY of Indian Employment market.
  • Also we need much greater GER in our higher education as human capital will not form from demographic numbers.
  • Our main purpose ought to be
  1. GREATER NUMBERS CATERING TO DIVERSE NEEDS
  2. RAISING THE AVERAGES CONTINOUSLY, AND

              2.REMOVING THE FETTERS THAT INHIBIT THE MARCH TOWARDS EXCELLENCE

  • Without massive numbers and continuously raising averages, the peaks of excellence will be fragile, as most things in life follow Gaussian/normal distribution
  • The undisputable link between higher education and higher incomes of people, appears to be of a universal nature. It is true of India
  • Also during the fifties and even during the eighties, most companies in India had above 75% workforce as illiterate or just with marginal school certificates. Now such categories have come down to about 30%. All the reason, that compulsions of equity will demand more persons (close to 40% age cohorts getting at least average level higher education). Out of these several bright peaks also to be achieved.
  • SOLUTION: Remove fetters of central controls of approval, accreditation, monitoring etc.

Allow foreign entities as freely as Indian ones but operating in India.

Replace them with guidelines reflecting DIVERSE NEEDS.

No intermediation like Affiliating Universities required. All colleges get authority to GIVE DEGREE. Let them declare whether they aim at :

  • Teaching only
  • Teaching - cum - industrial consultancies
  • Teaching, Consultancy, Research
  • Research and higher level teaching
  • Continual Education etc.

They self-certify annually.

Also independent CHARTERED EDUCATIONIST Report.

It will be a self-regulating systems.

  • Such a freedom required for schools as well in order to feed higher average students to higher education. Today schools are the biggest bottlenecks for the quality of higher education.
  • ACHIEVE THRU SPEEDY ACTIONS

THE BEST WITHIN THE

REALITIES OF CONSTRAINTS

RATHER THAN

MERELY TALKING OF AN UTOPIAN BEST AND PRODUCING REPORTS