Page 44 - English Tehelka Issue 7 - April 15, 2018
P. 44

Education




                Education sector reforms:                                                                                        in secondary classes have become   of mathematics we teach our grade  need to infuse new dimensions in

                                                                                                                                                               12 students is far more than what
                                                                                                                                 redundant with changes in issues
                                                                                                                                                                                             the subjects taught in schools and
                                                                                                                                                                                             let every child be able to contribute
                                                                                                                                                               is taught in countries like United
                                                                                                                                 surrounding social and economic
                       Better late than never                                                                                    milieu. Good concepts that involve   States, Germany and Canada. In the   his best to society.
                                                                                                                                                               first year of engineering all basic
                                                                                                                                                                                               Education is the most powerful
                                                                                                                                 visuals, practical knowledge and in-
                                                                                                                                                                                             tool to change the world, but when
                                                                                                                                 teresting facts should be introduced  concepts are taught to the students
                                                                                                                                 in the syllabus to inculcate analyti-  so if the topics which are not used in  the world is changing, there is an
                                                                                                                                 cal and constructive thinking and   higher class are removed it will not  overwhelming need to upgrade this
                From changes in school curricula to more autonomy for universities, the HRD Ministry has                         no need for rote learning.    affect the understanding of engi-  tool. With global universities setting
                                                                                                                                   With rapid technological ad-
                  rightly introduced changes in the country’s education system that will go a long way in                        vancement and growing global in-  neering courses. The syllabus of en-  their foot in India and the new-age
                                                                                                                                                                                             private Universities offering foreign
                                                                                                                                                               gineering entrance exams can also
                  improving the quality of education and changing students’ lives, komal amit gera writes                        tegration of India with rest of the   be modified on the lines of changes   collaborations and state-of-the-art
                                                                                                                                 world, we need to mentor our stu-  brought in the school syllabus”, he   infrastructure luring the talented
                                                                                                                                 dents for the challenges and be able  said.                 pool of students, the higher educa-
                        he Union Ministry of Hu-  Universities with ratings over 3.6   to prepare their own syllabus, con-       to match steps with their peers in   Indian students lack an edge in   tion system also needs to shun its
                        man Resource Develop-  from National Accreditation and   duct their own examinations, de-                rest of the world.            research at international level be-  conventional approach.
                        ment (HRD) has recently   Assessment Council (NAAC) will be   clare their results and give certified       Sarit K Das, Director, Indian Insti-  cause our education system condi-  The  proposal  of  greater  au -
                        come out with two land-  granted autonomy. The minister in   degrees.                                    tute of Technology (IIT), Ropar, per-  tions their minds only for learning   tonomy to the higher institutes
               T mark decisions regard-      his tweet said that this is in line with   As schools are the preparatory           ceives that the students in schools   and then writing the same. Our   and Universities, if implemented
               ing school education and institutes   the vision of Prime Minister Naren-  grounds for the students who ulti-     should be equipped with the skill   students are unable to stretch the   with certain checks and balances,
               of higher learning/Universities.  dra Modi towards a more liberalised  mately enter the Universities, there       of how to apply the knowledge and   power of imagination as the win-  would indeed help institutes to leap
                  The ministry intends to reduce   regime.                 is a need to amend and correct the                    not on how to learn. Many students   dow of their mind that wishes to ex-  forward.
               the syllabus of National Council of   These Universities and Institutes   things at the bottom of the pyramid     who enter IITs miss the rigour of   plore new ideas is tightly closed by   The relaxation and restriction on
               Educational Research and Training   will have the freedom to admit   too. The government, in a welcome            using  their  knowledge  because   parents and teachers to save their   opening overseas campus is some-
               (NCERT) by half so that students can  foreign students and hire faculty   decision, has decided to reduce the     during their foundation years they   minds from distractions in learning  thing that many Universities and in-
               follow their pursuits and get time                          workload of school students. The                      go through intensive learning. Too   only what others have said. Gradu-  stitutes were eyeing at. Under more
               for activities other than academics.                        Union Minister has said that the                      much of syllabus leads to mugging   ally, they lose the spirit to express   autonomy they plan to spread their
                  On the higher education front,   Indian students         syllabus of school students is more                   up the contents. There is an empha-  their novel ideas and do not follow   wings outside India.
               the University Grants Commission                            than that of B.A. and B.Com courses                   sis on how to cover the syllabus but  their hearts.           The top ranked management
               (UGC) has granted greater autono-  lack an edge             and needs to be reduced by half.                      on the contrary it should be how to   Though a little late, finally our   institute of India, Indian Institute of
               my to 62 higher education institutes   in research at       This is expected to be introduced                     un-cover the syllabus. “The amount   policymakers  have  realised  the   Management (IIM) — Ahmedabad,
               including five central and 21 state                         from April 2019.
               universities which have maintained   international             There is no gainsaying that the
               high standards.                 level because our           students at school level undergo          • Learning
                  A comprehensive list of pro-                             tremendous stress these days to           matters
               posed educational institutes and   education system         balance class performance and ex-         Ropar's IIT
               universities shortlisted for more                           tra coaching. The real aim of educa-      Director Sarit K
               autonomy contains 52 Universities   conditions their        tion, that is holistic development of     Das perceives
               including five Central Universities   minds only for        a human beings, gets diluted under        that the
               such as Jawaharlal Nehru Univer-                            the weight of too many books and          students in
               sity, Aligarh Muslim University and   learning and then     needless revisions of the course          schools should
               Banaras Hindu University, 21 state   writing                curriculum. The excessive academ-         be equipped
               and 24 deemed Universities and                              ic pressure labels many students as       with the skill of
               two private Universities. There are                         slow learners and parents are found       how to learn
               eight colleges on the list.   members from other counties. The   running from pillar to post to or-
                  Under  the  revised  status,  all   new guidelines will also allow them  ganise good councillors. Every child
               those included in the list would   to pay more than the Seventh Pay   is not cut out to excel in academics
               be  allowed  to  launch  new  pro-  Commission  recommendations,   and learn and reproduce complex
               grammes, departments, centres,   which would enable them to at-  mathematical and chemical equa-
               opening off-campus centres with-  tract the best of academicians and   tions in examinations to boast of
               out approval from the UGC, though   subject experts. The autonomous   high scores. Relevant modifica-
               they will remain under the purview  universities would be free to forge   tions in the school curriculum are
               of UGC.                       academic collaborations with the   imperative.
                  The  Union  HRD  Minister   world’s top universities.       Many topics being taught in sci-
               Prakash Javadekar said that the   The Universities will be allowed   ence and mathematics to students



                                         tehelka / 15 april 2018  44  www.tehelka.com



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