‘Teaching-learning systems should be modernised to achieve desired results'
Not a single Indian institution figures among top 200 institutions in world: APSCHE Chairman
Higher education requires budgetary allocation of at least 1.5 per cent of GDP, he says
GUNTUR: India is currently going through a knowledge revolution, which has to be properly utilised to achieve qualitative growth in higher education. It is essential to create knowledge of good quality and disseminate it equitably to win global acclaim for institutions of higher learning.
Five Chinese universities and four from Hong Kong figured in top 200 institutions in the world but not a single Indian institution could be seen in that list. American and British universities have always occupied the top 10 positions.
The reasons for our shortcoming are well known but few things are acted upon to prove that the Indian intellectual capital is really worthy of global repute.
‘Forgotten reports'
From the first Education Commission headed by Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan to the latest National Knowledge Commission, the deficiencies in higher education have been highlighted in ample measure and remedies suggested, but these reports are simply read and forgotten.
“Unless urgent action is taken to bridge the gaps, Indian institutions will remain insignificant players on the world stage,” said P. Jayaprakash Rao, Chairman of A.P State Council of Higher Education.
Addressing a seminar on ‘Challenges of Higher Education in India' organised by the Department of Management Studies of TJPS College here on Friday, Prof. Jayaprakash Rao said there was a need for establishment of a larger number of institutions to achieve greater access to higher education without compromising on quality.
Unfortunately, many private institutions, whose participation was essential and inevitable, were profit-oriented.
This had a serious impact on the quality factor. India had a major demographic advantage in the form of a huge number of youth, but their skills needed to be improved by providing them quality education.
While a concerted effort should be made by the teaching fraternity to improve quality, the managements of colleges should look to tap endowments, which was a highly successful concept in western countries, rather than entirely depend on government funding.
The teaching - learning systems should be modernised to achieve the desired results.
Prof. Jayaprakash Rao said being a major component of the services sector, which makes a substantial contribution to economic growth, education required higher budgetary allocations (at least 1.5 per cent of the GDP for higher education and 6 per cent for education in general).
Other aspects have to be dealt with in a comprehensive manner to achieve a cutting edge for the Indian higher education sector in the comity of nations, he added.
Acharya Nagarjuna University Rector K. Viyanna Rao, former Registrar and Dean (UGC Affairs) of Osmania University S Pullaiah, TJPS College Secretary and Correspondent T. Srinivasa Babu, college principal C. Anil Kumar, convener S. Anitha Devi and others spoke.