The All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) will no longer have the power to clear proposals by institutes to increase their intake.
Union Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal has made it clear that engineering institutes will no longer have to wait for clearance from the AICTE before increasing their intake. However, they will have to submit a proposal.
A review committee will visit the institute and clear the proposal. If the institute meets all norms, the added seats will be valid. Else action will be taken against the institute.
This will certainly help good engineering colleges expand rather than waiting endlessly for AICTE approval. Earlier, many colleges had complained that AICTE officials -- both in Delhi and regional offices -- had demanded bribe to allow an increase in seats.
Till next time.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Friday, July 31, 2009
Doctor? Lawyer? Look at IIT
Well, well. The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) are finally moving beyond engineering and technology.
Check it out @ http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=d1680b14-6bcd-43d2-8550-5a56ba779b39
Now the question, are you guys happy? Do you think the IITs will be able to achieve in Humanities and Law and medicine, what they did with engineering?
Till next time
Check it out @ http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=d1680b14-6bcd-43d2-8550-5a56ba779b39
Now the question, are you guys happy? Do you think the IITs will be able to achieve in Humanities and Law and medicine, what they did with engineering?
Till next time
Thursday, July 30, 2009
One board for the country??
Union Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal says he does not want a uniform school board. Rather he wants uniform quality across boards.
India has 41 education boards across the country. And many of them are unhappy with Sibal's suggestion that their quality is not good enough.
Sibal is assuming that the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is the highest benchmark, and wants states to reach that benchmark. But many states including Orissa, West Bengal, Bihar think their Math and Science curriculum is far superior to that of the CBSE.
What the states should do is bring together the best practices of all the state boards and frame a broad framework, that can be followed by all the boards.
This will ensure that the quality of education improves and the diversity of states is also maintained.
Till next time.
India has 41 education boards across the country. And many of them are unhappy with Sibal's suggestion that their quality is not good enough.
Sibal is assuming that the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is the highest benchmark, and wants states to reach that benchmark. But many states including Orissa, West Bengal, Bihar think their Math and Science curriculum is far superior to that of the CBSE.
What the states should do is bring together the best practices of all the state boards and frame a broad framework, that can be followed by all the boards.
This will ensure that the quality of education improves and the diversity of states is also maintained.
Till next time.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Time to change the face of education in India
Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Kapil Sibal gave an impassioned speech recently, while addressing a gathering of principal secretaries/secretaries of state education departments in the Capital.
Sibal asked all states to submit a vision document for 2020 – on the kind of education states would like to impart – both qualitatively and quantitatively.
Sibal said that if India were to compete with the world then Gross Enrollment Ration should touch 30 by 2020. In order to achieve this near impossible feat, states have to pitch in.
He added that the center could provide a benchmark and would be open to provide all the help it could. But the real work had to be done by the states.
True.
If Sibal is serious about his intent and commitment to revolutionizing the education system in India, then this is a golden opportunity the states must not miss.
India is a federal country and so, we have state lists and concurrent lists so that power is shared by the center and state. Education – so vital to India’s growth – is one such subject.
It is up to the states to ensure that their schools provide quality education; to ensure that higher educational institutions are not just money minting mechanisms but genuine players.
States have to create opportunities for their children and at the same time, bring some standardization into these opportunities. This will ensure mobility within states.
Sibal is Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s envoy. He is implementing the PM’s vision and therefore, has the full backing of the establishment. What the states must do is grab this opportunity and change the face of education and knowledge in India.
Till next time.
Sibal asked all states to submit a vision document for 2020 – on the kind of education states would like to impart – both qualitatively and quantitatively.
Sibal said that if India were to compete with the world then Gross Enrollment Ration should touch 30 by 2020. In order to achieve this near impossible feat, states have to pitch in.
He added that the center could provide a benchmark and would be open to provide all the help it could. But the real work had to be done by the states.
True.
If Sibal is serious about his intent and commitment to revolutionizing the education system in India, then this is a golden opportunity the states must not miss.
India is a federal country and so, we have state lists and concurrent lists so that power is shared by the center and state. Education – so vital to India’s growth – is one such subject.
It is up to the states to ensure that their schools provide quality education; to ensure that higher educational institutions are not just money minting mechanisms but genuine players.
States have to create opportunities for their children and at the same time, bring some standardization into these opportunities. This will ensure mobility within states.
Sibal is Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s envoy. He is implementing the PM’s vision and therefore, has the full backing of the establishment. What the states must do is grab this opportunity and change the face of education and knowledge in India.
Till next time.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Nursery blues: Point System leaves parents in a lurch
“Our fault is that we are happily married (and not single), have a first born boy (not a girl and not a sibling) and both parents and child are healthy (not disabled).”
This is what a disgruntled parent wrote on the online forum www.nurseryadmissions.com. She was amongst the many such parents who have failed to secure a nursery seat for their child for the coming academic session, despite having applied in many schools.
The point system formulated by the Ganguly Committee has ensured that many parents are left high and dry, by not being able to score points on the specified parameters. Here is how the parameters have ensured sleepless nights for parents.
Alumni: Many parents are not alumni of the best schools in Delhi because they were born and brought up in other states. They have settled in Delhi after securing jobs. The Ganguly Committee seems to have forgotten the cosmopolitan nature of Delhi while formulating the rules.
Sibling: Older schools like Springdales, St Columba’s, Mother’s International, etc have given hefty points for sibling and alumni, thus making it impossible for many parents to score.
Girl child: Although schools give 5-10 points only for girls, parents of boys who are first born are furious that they have to lose out for no fault of their own.
Neighbourhood: An oft-repeated complaint is from parents who apply to neighbourhood schools. Despite staying within 5 km from the respective schools, many have not got admission.
Which means that schools are not following the point system strictly. There have also been allegations against many reputed schools by parents. For instance, a parent told me that Modern School, Vasant Vihar asked the couple if they owned a house or were living in a rented accommodation. When would they be buying a house? And other questions to find out the economic status of parents.
Other schools have openly asked in what way parents can contribute to the school’s development.
Clearly, there is no one to regulate if schools are implementing the point system fairly. There is no authority to check backdoor entry or to ensure that parents get a fair deal. It is time parents collectively raise their voice against this system. The point system clearly does not work. So schools, parents and the government should begin work on an alternative.
Like one couple said, “Between both of us, we pay Rs 97,000 as tax every moth. Why the hell are we paying so much tax if we cannot find a decent school for our son?”
Till next time.
This is what a disgruntled parent wrote on the online forum www.nurseryadmissions.com. She was amongst the many such parents who have failed to secure a nursery seat for their child for the coming academic session, despite having applied in many schools.
The point system formulated by the Ganguly Committee has ensured that many parents are left high and dry, by not being able to score points on the specified parameters. Here is how the parameters have ensured sleepless nights for parents.
Alumni: Many parents are not alumni of the best schools in Delhi because they were born and brought up in other states. They have settled in Delhi after securing jobs. The Ganguly Committee seems to have forgotten the cosmopolitan nature of Delhi while formulating the rules.
Sibling: Older schools like Springdales, St Columba’s, Mother’s International, etc have given hefty points for sibling and alumni, thus making it impossible for many parents to score.
Girl child: Although schools give 5-10 points only for girls, parents of boys who are first born are furious that they have to lose out for no fault of their own.
Neighbourhood: An oft-repeated complaint is from parents who apply to neighbourhood schools. Despite staying within 5 km from the respective schools, many have not got admission.
Which means that schools are not following the point system strictly. There have also been allegations against many reputed schools by parents. For instance, a parent told me that Modern School, Vasant Vihar asked the couple if they owned a house or were living in a rented accommodation. When would they be buying a house? And other questions to find out the economic status of parents.
Other schools have openly asked in what way parents can contribute to the school’s development.
Clearly, there is no one to regulate if schools are implementing the point system fairly. There is no authority to check backdoor entry or to ensure that parents get a fair deal. It is time parents collectively raise their voice against this system. The point system clearly does not work. So schools, parents and the government should begin work on an alternative.
Like one couple said, “Between both of us, we pay Rs 97,000 as tax every moth. Why the hell are we paying so much tax if we cannot find a decent school for our son?”
Till next time.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
To teach or not to teach
Well that is the question that many IITians ask when they are on the verge of completing their PhDs. Though many would like to opt for a career in academia, the lack of options often makes them look the other way.
Early this week I spoke to a couple of students from across the IITs. Many wanted to be teachers but they were worried about the lack of options. The seven old IITs are where most of the students would like to work. But the IITs follow a rigorous selection procedure for their faculty and how many of them are able to get through is anybody's guess. Now 6 more IITs have opened up, where the infrastructure is still not fully developed. Since they are not fully functional most students would not like to give it the same branding as the older IITs. Students are apprehensive whether they would be able to pursue quality research along with teaching in any other institution other than the IITs.
That the IITs face a faculty crunch is a known fact. That they have brought some serious additional benefits as incentives for people joining as faculty is indeed a welcome move. But again, if the norms of selection of faculty are not relaxed then these measures would just not be sufficient. That the pay commission has hiked the salary of lecturers putting it at par with the bureaucrats is still not a bonus. The need of the hour is to engage students in fruitful engagements as well as to create awareness about the entire system. We need to motivate young minds to enter this noble profession rather than lament the loss of talent to corporate houses.
Early this week I spoke to a couple of students from across the IITs. Many wanted to be teachers but they were worried about the lack of options. The seven old IITs are where most of the students would like to work. But the IITs follow a rigorous selection procedure for their faculty and how many of them are able to get through is anybody's guess. Now 6 more IITs have opened up, where the infrastructure is still not fully developed. Since they are not fully functional most students would not like to give it the same branding as the older IITs. Students are apprehensive whether they would be able to pursue quality research along with teaching in any other institution other than the IITs.
That the IITs face a faculty crunch is a known fact. That they have brought some serious additional benefits as incentives for people joining as faculty is indeed a welcome move. But again, if the norms of selection of faculty are not relaxed then these measures would just not be sufficient. That the pay commission has hiked the salary of lecturers putting it at par with the bureaucrats is still not a bonus. The need of the hour is to engage students in fruitful engagements as well as to create awareness about the entire system. We need to motivate young minds to enter this noble profession rather than lament the loss of talent to corporate houses.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Wanted: Leaders willing to innovate and engage
Everyone is increasingly talking about the quality of education in India. The fact that government schools across the country have failed to perform is well known. Moreover, the malaise has spread to higher education too, with many colleges and universities in India scoring an average or less in terms of teaching and infrastructure.
The ASER survey has pointed out how little children going to government and private schools across the country learn. The NCERT survey says the same thing. Data collected by the government also points towards rampant absenteeism by teachers and huge drop out rates.
Accountability:
The biggest problem for Indian government employees, including teachers has been the lack of accountability. Government school teachers are secure in their jobs. They cater to mostly poor families, where illiterate and unaware parents do not question the schools’ performance or the child’s failure to learn.
Moreover, teachers are protected by teacher unions, who oppose to any kind of change in the system --- be it a change of syllabus, compulsory attendance for teachers, pay on account of performance or innovative teaching and learning methods.
The lobby for maintaining status quo is so strong that the handful of teachers who want innovation and change often end up doing things individually or at a smaller level. The first thing the government needs to do is engage teachers’ unions and talk to them. Just as America’s new education secretary-designate Arne Duncan has done with the Chicago Public Schools.
As CEO of the third largest school district in the US (with 400,000 students), Duncan has forged alliances with the local teachers’ union. He took them on board for many of his controversial reforms that the union was wary of, including school choice, pay for performance and a willingness to close down failing schools.
Innovative leadership:
Under Duncan’s leadership, Chaicago’s schools for the past seven years have seen an increase in some state test scores, the graduation rate has risen 6 per cent and 53 new schools have opened (as reported by Time magazine, Dec 16,2008). Duncan has spearheaded merit-pay incentives for both teachers and students and suggested opening the country’s first gay-friendly high school. In each of these endeavors, he has tried to get the backing of Chicago’s often recalcitrant teachers’ union. This effort has earned him praise from both of the nation’s largest teachers’ unions.
The Delhi experiment:
Closer home, the Delhi government schools have vastly improved performance, thanks to an active and interested administration. The state government ahs invested in infrastructure, motivated teachers and given incentives to performing students. Delhi government’s flagship Rajkiya Pratibha Vikas Vidyalayas are at par with many public schools, albeit minus the style and the aura. At almost no cost, they take in the best students after Class V, employ the best teachers, provide infrastructure and work on improving a student holistically.
But all this happened because the people at the helm of things took the initiative. Other state governments can take a leaf out of these two examples and begin working on their school education system.
Government schools all over the country have superior infrastructure as compared to the small English medium schools that have come up in town and villages. With the implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission, the salary of school teachers has also improved vastly. All that is needed is a leadership that engages with the education system.
Till next time.
The ASER survey has pointed out how little children going to government and private schools across the country learn. The NCERT survey says the same thing. Data collected by the government also points towards rampant absenteeism by teachers and huge drop out rates.
Accountability:
The biggest problem for Indian government employees, including teachers has been the lack of accountability. Government school teachers are secure in their jobs. They cater to mostly poor families, where illiterate and unaware parents do not question the schools’ performance or the child’s failure to learn.
Moreover, teachers are protected by teacher unions, who oppose to any kind of change in the system --- be it a change of syllabus, compulsory attendance for teachers, pay on account of performance or innovative teaching and learning methods.
The lobby for maintaining status quo is so strong that the handful of teachers who want innovation and change often end up doing things individually or at a smaller level. The first thing the government needs to do is engage teachers’ unions and talk to them. Just as America’s new education secretary-designate Arne Duncan has done with the Chicago Public Schools.
As CEO of the third largest school district in the US (with 400,000 students), Duncan has forged alliances with the local teachers’ union. He took them on board for many of his controversial reforms that the union was wary of, including school choice, pay for performance and a willingness to close down failing schools.
Innovative leadership:
Under Duncan’s leadership, Chaicago’s schools for the past seven years have seen an increase in some state test scores, the graduation rate has risen 6 per cent and 53 new schools have opened (as reported by Time magazine, Dec 16,2008). Duncan has spearheaded merit-pay incentives for both teachers and students and suggested opening the country’s first gay-friendly high school. In each of these endeavors, he has tried to get the backing of Chicago’s often recalcitrant teachers’ union. This effort has earned him praise from both of the nation’s largest teachers’ unions.
The Delhi experiment:
Closer home, the Delhi government schools have vastly improved performance, thanks to an active and interested administration. The state government ahs invested in infrastructure, motivated teachers and given incentives to performing students. Delhi government’s flagship Rajkiya Pratibha Vikas Vidyalayas are at par with many public schools, albeit minus the style and the aura. At almost no cost, they take in the best students after Class V, employ the best teachers, provide infrastructure and work on improving a student holistically.
But all this happened because the people at the helm of things took the initiative. Other state governments can take a leaf out of these two examples and begin working on their school education system.
Government schools all over the country have superior infrastructure as compared to the small English medium schools that have come up in town and villages. With the implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission, the salary of school teachers has also improved vastly. All that is needed is a leadership that engages with the education system.
Till next time.
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