The scholarly report reflects sincere idealism and deep erudition.The only question is whether the ground truth of the problem has been understood so that a realistic solution can be attempted?
Dr. H.C.Pande
The draft education policy 2019 is an excellent document covering the whole spectrum of education.The eminent people who have put together this document have painted a complete picture leaving no room for an additional brush stroke or two.The scholarly report reflects sincere idealism and deep erudition.The only question is whether the ground truth of the problem has been understood so that a realistic solution can be attempted?
The problem is enormous and,the resources,both men and material,have to be optimally employed even for a partial solution of the problem,and,as more resources are made available in due course,the entire system can be brought up on par with that in advanced countries.
For higher education,in particular,there can be no compromise on quality.Any dilution of standards at this level creates long term damage defeating its very purpose.It is better to have no graduates than sub-standard degree-holders.
With the population of a billion and quarter the pressure on the institutions of higher learning for admissions is way beyond the facilities available and creating proper facilities takes time.Establishing new colleges with minuscule equipment and skeleton staff is no solution and would,on the contrary,result in further lowering of standards. As it is,there are any number of sub-standard colleges and even universities which should in fact be closed down.
In the present system,as it exists, it is possible to ensure quality education by utilizing the set up in an integrated manner.The system,as of now, consists of university departments,constituent colleges,affiliated colleges and open university.The available resources should be first utilized to bring up the standards of university departments and constituent colleges to globally acceptable levels by providing qualified and competent teachers in adequate numbers and building up the required laboratory facilities,as well as,learning resources.Reinforcing the affiliated colleges can then be taken up in turn.Clearly the number students seeking admission in superior institutions would,for a long time,be always far greater than the seats available so the enrollment in the courses has to be strictly on merit.This would leave a whole army of disappointed youth desiring to pursue higher education.This is where the open university system would play its given role by accepting every student seeking admission.
In the light of the above one can conclude as under :
1.Existing institutes maintaining reasonable standards should be supported for further academic excellence.
2.Sub-standard institutions should be closed down post-haste,with the proviso that they can re-commence their educational programs once they have qualified and adequate number of teachers in place.In the interim,they can be part of the open university system.
3.The open university system should be further strengthened so that right to education is not denied to any citizen.
4.There should be nominal tuition fee,as the properly trained and adequately qualified man-power,being turned out of the higher educational institutions,is in itself the return on investment.
5.Be it degrees or research papers it is the quality and not numbers that matter. Firm and time bound action is necessary;half hearted measures would be a waste of effort as well as time.
(Dr H C Pande is Vice Chancellor Emeritus , BITS, Mesra)
