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Education
Achieving world standards
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Somebody should be willing to bell the cat. If not in India those abroad could take up this challenge.
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THE SUPREME Court ruling dated Oct. 31, is manna for higher education. For the majority, the Bench also held that all citizens have a right to establish and administer educational institutions under the Constitution.
Since the 1950s, the egalitarian-mass reach of all sections was without increased investment in all universities. Still, we compare adversely, the measly output of Indian universities, with the wide range of research patents, discoveries and current policy options, pouring from reputed universities. Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, Columbia or Yale have libraries and laboratories, as worthy habitat of academics.
Oxford and Harvard have annual incomes of GB Pounds 408 millions and US $ 2,200 million. Bodleian of Oxford has 7 million volumes in 109 miles of shelving. Harvard has 14 million volumes and is second only to the Library of Congress. And they run to stay where they are.
The current move is for Imperial College and University College of London, to merge, only to become the Harvard of Britain! Mergers give economies of scale. Not long ago, the three Presidency Universities of Madras, Bombay and Calcutta TRIO - claimed world standards in students, teaching, thesis, and publication. Then higher education was for only a few. Increasing expectations is now the challenge.The highest judiciary in the land has taken this bull by the horn.
Let the rich pay the market related fees, and the poor get subsidies, loans, and merit scholarships. Sans capitation fees, incomes should arise from endowments, fees, research grants, patents, discoveries, and Alumni. There will be public accountability and wider participation.
China like Japan develops English based IT industries in hardware and software. France and Germany give the youth English skills. Two-century vintage English in India, could deliver innovative world output.
Soon during 2003-2006, three oldest Universities - TRIO - founded in 1857, would celebrate Post-Centenary Golden Jubilee. At the Centenary, in 1957 each got Rs. 1 crore. With NRI goodwill and awareness, global funds of 10 million UK Pounds, 10 Million US dollars and equal rupee grants to match, is basic target for each of these TRIO to deliver national facilities nearing world standards. Somebody should be willing to bell the cat.
If not in India those abroad could take up this challenge. The law permits and times require it.
Vedagiri Shanmugasundaram
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