Educational Policy- Part XVI Indian Education is not ‘world class’?

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India’s higher education needs a revamp and this is the stated objective of the new policy as well. So, it naturally raises many questions – what is it so bad in the present set-up? Who is to call it so bad and on what basis? Can anyone give an assurance that the revamp would provide education of better quality that would suit ‘the needs of the 21^st century’ (the pet subject of the committee)?

The chapter is captioned – ‘Quality Universities and colleges: a new forward looking vision for India’s Higher education system’. We do understand, accept and endorse the need for a change. No system, pattern or arrangement can be permanent for unreasonably long time. Everything, particularly in the field of education and knowledge, has to keep changing to stay relevant. But why do not we call it a simple, regular, on-going process instead of bringing the ‘quality’ factor into it? Why should we consider a routine work of improvisation to be something like a revamp?

The game of cricket has undergone a sea change during the last few years. Not long ago, against a genuine spin attack, a perfect forward defensive stroke with bat and pad close together was a treat to watch and the crowds would instantly stand up and applaud the sound technique of the batsman. Can we expect the same today? We want the batsman to charge ahead and hit the ball over the stands for a six. Neither a perfect defence nor an attack has anything to do with the quality of the game.

Similarly, we are not prepared to enjoy a rally in tennis. We are happy with smashes and aces rather than nudges and passes. . It is all about the changing tactics or techniques of the players with the changing times. Isn’t it?

Same is the case with higher education as well. The perpetual demands for change in the higher studies – be it in the syllabus, in the approach, in teaching or in learning- are there always. This change has to be stable – meaning a gradual up-dating or up-gradation rather than a thorough overhaul as it is projected in the Policy report.

All the complaints or accusations against the present education system put forth by the self styled educationists are nothing more than ill conceived ‘outbursts’ of commercial ‘hunters’ who are hell bent to say or do anything to gain attention of the media and the public. It is not at all wrong if someone does something to promote his business.  He has every right to do it. But it is our duty to keep the narrow minded theoretical observations off and work on improvising the system for the good of all. 

To ‘create world class multidisciplinary higher education institutions across the country’ is the prime objective and on the face of it we would only be happy about it. But we fail to understand why it should always be ‘creating world class’ in India where it could have been an ‘Indian class’ that the world would thrive to follow!

Sadly but truly, invariably every time, ‘world class’ is measured by the European / American standards which need not be applicable to us. Why should we think that our education should conform to the models of the West? Can we not have our own Oriental Knowledge and Wisdom that suits our needs or the needs of the World? Why should there be a single polar attitude? Do not the Arabs, the Chinese, the Japanese or the Russians keep promoting their own areas of knowledge with all the suitable changes to face the challenges of the modern world? 

The Arab education offers everything at par with any other educational systems anywhere in the world.  It is sheer ignorance or ‘selective innocence’ to think it is all about religion or fundamentalism.

This is the reason why many ‘progressive’ thinkers shout from roof tops when the U.P. government does anything to promote Sanskrit. Easily one of the most ancient languages of the world, Sanskrit has so much of depth in it to offer in the field of Knowledge and Wisdom that many Western thinkers have started doing researches on the contribution of Sanskrit for the modern science and management concepts.  Yet, Sanskrit is being targeted by the so called rationalists for all that is sacrosanct in it.

Generalisation is woefully absurd and atrocious. How can a language be attacked for what it is or what it was? It is nothing but senseless narrow minded politics.

Revamp of higher education, if at all needed, is possible only if we come out of the shackles of false notions and prejudices. Indian Science, Indian History, Indian Philosophy and the very Indian Life have an enormous amount of unexplored potentials of Knowledge and Wisdom that would be beneficial to the entire human race. Have we ever tried to unearth any of these traits in right earnest?

Ability to handle machines is not the only area of expertise. There are many more that help the human race live a happier life. Have we ever recognised this fact? Is it not important that they are brought into the realms of higher education?

To drive men into a machine mode can never be the goal of the education. While the report rightly talks about ‘capabilities that will separate humans from robots’, it also says that ‘the higher education system must aim to form the hub for the next industrial revolution.’(P 203)

The report is spot on when it says – ‘the most harmful expression is in the enormous number of mono-field, stand alone institutions’. ‘Even in institutions that offer programmes across more than one discipline, there are silos that separate disciplines within these disciplines, e.g. students in engineering are generally encouraged or even allowed to take courses outside of their single programmes (i.e. in the arts, humanities, social science or even in the pure sciences) thereby producing thousands of students with identical educations rather than true individuals and humans exercising their own creativity and developing their own talents and interests.’  (a silo – a tall tower used for storing grain; an underground chamber in which a guided missile is kept for firing. Thank – Google / Oxford dictionary)

The report cites various reasons for the sorry state of affairs. ‘The lack of research at most universities and the lack of transparent and competitive peer reviewed funding across disciplines research; suboptimal governance and leadership of higher education institutions’ appear to be real and acceptable. But, the report adds to the list the problem of ‘a regulatory system allowing fake colleges to thrive while constraining excellent, innovative institutions’. (P205) 

 We do not know how a ‘regulatory system’ can ‘allow’ fake institutions to function, leave alone thrive. If it is true – it has to be true since it is now a part of the policy report – it indicates serious lapses in the system that have to be immediately addressed and eliminated.

How shall we overcome these challenges? Shall we ever?

(to continue

Baskaran Krishnamurthy.

Mail: [email protected]