No marks for innovation | Latest News India - Hindustan Times
close_game
close_game

No marks for innovation

Hindustan Times | By
Feb 21, 2008 08:45 PM IST

If the base of our higher education system is weak, the entire edifice will totter as it is doing now. We need more central universities, but not at the cost of beefing up existing faculties.

When in doubt, set up a committee to prepare an action plan. This is the way our education establishment works and the University Grants Commission (UGC) is no exception. It has been directed by the HRD Ministry to work out, you guessed it, an action plan on the modalities of establishing 16 new varsities and 370 new colleges in backward blocks. The UGC, it would appear, has suddenly woken up to the fact that universities with 500-600 affiliated colleges are facing difficulties in monitoring quality. Like delimitation, the UGC also wants to carve out smaller universities from existing ones. Nothing wrong with all this; we do need more central universities and colleges. But will this really solve the problems in the higher education sector? Going by past experience, the answer would be no.

HT Image
HT Image

The 11th Five Year Plan is to increase outlay in higher and technical education ten times, an amount of Rs 84,743 crore. This is a positive step and could, if utilised effectively, increase enrolment in higher education. India suffers from a very poor 7 per cent enrolment rate in higher education as opposed to an average of 25 per cent in other developing countries. In the developed world, it ranges from 60 per cent to 100 per cent. We are looking, optimistically, at a rate of 15 per cent by 2012 that is bound to fall short going by our tardy record. The UGC’s proposal for 16 varsities is just over half of the 30 proposed in the new scheme of things. The bulk of the money allotted is to go into upgrading facilities in existing central universities. This raises doubts as to how much will actually go into the new ones proposed.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

The UGC seems to be going down the ‘quantity over quality’ path. The lacunae are also seen in the step-motherly treatment meted out to graduate varsities. If these are neglected, this will reflect on the calibre of students who go into the post-graduate courses offered by central universities. Graduate-level colleges don’t have qualified teachers, are hampered by outdated or no infrastructure, and lack innovation vis-à-vis new disciplines. In other words, they churn out unemployable graduates. If the base of our higher education system is weak, the entire edifice will totter as it is doing now. We need more central universities, but not at the cost of beefing up existing faculties. A lesson the UGC does not seem too keen to learn.

Unveiling Elections 2024: The Big Picture', a fresh segment in HT's talk show 'The Interview with Kumkum Chadha', where leaders across the political spectrum discuss the upcoming general elections. Watch now!

Get Current Updates on India News, Election 2024, Arvind Kejriwal News Live, Bihar Board 10th Result 2024 Live along with Latest News and Top Headlines from India and around the world.
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Share this article
SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
OPEN APP
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Thursday, March 28, 2024
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Follow Us On