Behind the Indian Education and Political Jingoism

How firmly do you believe that our politicians should be educated in real and bookish terms to be educated and behave like one?

According to EDUCATION AND POLITICS IN INDIA, the book on Studies in Organization, Society and Policy and edited by Susanne Hoeber Rudolph and Lloyd I. Rudolph, they believe that “studying the politics of education is to identify and analyze the institutions and processes that shape educational policy and performance.”

In the excerpt they have said that the way higher education in India has expanded, added research need was generated in the fields of

• educational
• so­ciology
• economics
• finance
• manpower planning
• administration

Politics should not be done on education at least. Because we are a neglected lot in general. Education in India contains some political constraints, that neither specifies nor confronts them, Susanne Hoeber Rudolph and Lloyd I. Rudolph believe. A study by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council reveals that a majority (70%) of the total universities in India has been graded of poor quality. What should that translate? Has our education system collapsed under the top leadership which is responsible to impart basic free and quality education?

With ‘corruption’ stemming deep down into our systems and has been sinfully accepted as an institution, the ultimate sufferer is not from the urban and/or who is rich, it’s the poor, marginalized, someone who lives in the rural India and not aware of government education propaganda and plans. The poor child from the village needs to know, what the future is up for him.

Indian Education Scene at a Glance

We have collated some data from the EPSI – Educational Promotional Society of India site. Hope it helps.

·        India has a total of 31,324 Colleges and 544 Universities

·        Growth of Higher education needed as per five year plan – 37%

·        Growth of Higher education increase/year – 11%

·        Demand for Higher education increase/year – 20%

·        Human resource demand is increasing/year – 18%

·        Shortfall in no. of seats required and available - 45%

While most cynics have cited foreign varsities and owners are profit mongers and someone who would encourage mindless commercialization, cheating and brazen commercialization of education the increased budget this year will provide some respite to the poor and the needy.  The Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) released early this year despite revealing encouraging results for Tamil Nadu, the basic infrastructure is still lacking. In March 2013, Multibillionaire Indian industrialist Mr. Mukesh Ambani proposed to build a ‘Harvard University’ like replica in India itself. This (news) comes at a condition, the central government needs to pass - the ‘Private Universities Bill (Self-Finance Universities' Bill)’.  The HRD and other eminent scientists believe that there should be a higher participation of PPP – Private Public Partnerships in the education sector.

Pic source- wikimedia

Bills and Trivia on Indian Education

Trivia # 1.India has the lowest higher educational enrollment ratio in the world around 11%. Did you know that ONE child out of NINE in India is able to join a college? The ratio in the US is 83%

Trivia # 2. ONE out of TEN students holding various degrees in Humanities get’s a job, whereas 2/3^rd of Engineering graduates are still looking for employment. Source: a recent NASSCoM-McKinsey joint study.

Trivia # 3. Mega universities like IIT are facing a faculty shortage f around 20-30%

Trivia # 4. An Indian course curriculum is revised once in 5-10 years.

Trivia # 5. More than 50% of India’s population is under 25 years of age and a majority of them are illiterates.

Trivia # 6. Poor research- What is out contribution in terms of submitting articles, scientific papers and in the field of science and engineering globally? It is a shocking 3%, considering that the US is world’s 1/3^rd contributor in this field.

Trivia # 7.  Indian students 2011-12, have spent over US $13.5 Million in foreign education.

Trivia # 8. Women in India receive 1.8 of schooling in average, whereas 53% of them (5-9 years) are illiterate. India also has the highest number of illiterates in the world. 

 Education Bills

The government is expected to introduce and later pass Key bills related to education this year. We have assimilated a list of bills that are either pending and/or waiting for introduction or approval.

1)    The foreign university bill

2)    The malpractice bill

3)    Self-Finance (private) Universities' Bill

4)    National Commission for Higher Education and Research (NCHER) Bill 2010

5)    National Accreditation Regulatory Authority for Higher Educational Institutions Bill, 2010

6)    Institutions (regulation of entry and operations) Bill, 2010

7)    Educational Tribunals Bill, 2010

8)    National Academic Depository Bill

Questions about Education in India- 2013 and Beyond

From a distinguished platform of the United Nations the whole world heard what Malala Yousafzai (aged 16 from Pakistan) had to say about the grief stricken state of her country and how the basic right to education for girls in this part of the world is difficult, unlike girls of her age in any European country enjoy.  Addressing before the elite in the UN, the young brave-heart Malala said, “They (Taliban) thought that guns will silence us but they failed.” She appealed to all the girls of the world to ‘pick the book and the pen’ and fight injustice. The first recipient of the Malala day award is Razia, a young girl and a former child labor from India, Merrut, who studies in class five and associated with several Non governmental Organizations to support child education. Razia is a change that the world can not ignore for long.

Malala is an inspiration for Peace and Education- Q for India

I heard Malala’s interview with CNN’s Amanpor and she was incredible and erudite.  Her UN speech was the spell bound where literally the whole world patiently heard what a determined girl from a backward Pakistan had to say. The United Nations will now start observing  12^th July as Malala day (also her birthday) to recognize the struggle and self resilience displayed by this young girl from Pakistan against the dangerous Taliban in adverse conditions.  Not having proper education results to a lot of problem, Malala believes that growing up in a state ridden with terrorism is definitely not easy and proper education is the key to change. A Book, a pen, a teacher can change the world.

 Two Questions

1. Do you think that IT and Technology companies in India should invest in education via philanthropy?
2. Should the new company law where spending 2% of total profits made by corporates and business house in India give a much needed education booster from 2013-14 onwards?

Philanthropy is one big space to be filled with actual generosity, after all investing in a person through education is seen as a big challenge as well as oppurtunity by some.  Was reading a TOI article where Naukri.com boss Sanjeev Bhikchandani speaks willfully about the Ashoka University anc 11 others in the wider farm lands in Kundli, Haryana. There is a HCL funded Shiv Nadar University   and many others to be named here.

Pic Source- DNA