Business sense marring quality education

INDIA HAS an opportunity to become the world leader. Not on the basis of its economic strength or military power, but on the steam of its knowledge potential. This is possible provided the country stressed quality teaching in higher and technical education. Today, only 25 per cent of the total number of engineers produced by the nation are employable, the rest suffer due to insufficient knowledge.

This was the common refrain of scientific advisory council to PM CNR Rao and Governor TV Rajeswar who were addressing the fourth convocation of the UP Technical University on Wednesday. Both expressed deep concern over poor quality education imparted by engineering colleges.

Not only has India yet to compete with developed nation like US and other European nations, it faces stiff challenges even from Asian countries like Singapore and Taiwan.

Rao said: “India is a young nation as 65 per cent of its total population is below 35 years of age. Even US, European nations and China do not have this distinction. So, India has to produce large number of graduates in different fields.”

He added: “Engineering colleges in the country admit about 4 lakh students while US enrolls only 75,000. What concerns most is the poor quality of education imparted in our colleges.”

Rao, a Padma Vibhushan, said: “Modern time is all about inter-disciplinary streams. In foreign universities, engineers have already started working on advance sciences. Engineering today is not all about constructing bridges and building.” He regretted the fact that China had surpassed India in presenting scientific research papers.   

On the other hand, the Governor said: “By 2010, there will be 1.75 million jobs in the country. But due to poor quality of education, there is an apprehension of knowledge shortage. The possibility cannot be ruled out of these jobs getting migrated to foreign nations like Singapore, Taiwan and China. UPTU V-C Prem Vrat and State Minister for Technical Education also addressed the gathering.