The Glocal University

Let us look at education in a broader context. It is necessary to look at education and development together. That enables real life, activity based learning and makes education holistic. More importantly, such an education binds young minds to solving problems before our society and nation. Does the quality of research suffer if linked to development? The answer is “NO”. On the contrary, the research to solve problems that needs to be solved creates greater impact as compared to research on problems that can be solved. Rather than blindly copying what others are doing, we should orient our research and education to include developmental issues, especially the larger developmental challenges in rural areas.

Maharashtra Government had appointed three high-powered committees in 2010 for reforms in higher education. I chaired the apex committee. We had collectively suggested a broad framework for creating an enabling atmosphere for the state to bring quality improvement and make higher education more student-centric. We had recommended emphasis on all three layers of education viz.,—Learning up to the current frontiers of knowledge in an ambiance of research that expands these frontiers, thorough capability in procedural knowledge to implement activities to achieve pre-laid aims, and inculcation of requisite skills.  We had also pressed for new university campuses in rural areas to focus on research oriented to problems of the neighbourhood. For instance, you could do research in the rural setting even on Nano technology but with a specific objective in mind, which is to solve a local problem. Such research campuses which we call ‘cillage” (best of city in a village) should be able to attract best research talent to do research in coordination with  relevant technology demonstration activities  around the  university campus  for supporting development and livelihood activities in the neighbourhood. Involving local artisans in implementing various research applications could facilitate grass root innovation in high tech areas of value to the neighbourhood development.  Live linkages between the university research and the local talent pool would ensure knowledge continuity and prevent technology obsolescence.

We have the Akruti (Advance Knowledge based Rural Technology Initiative) programme at a few places in Maharashtra. These programmes are based on the Akruti technology pack from BARC.

University researchers and Akruties have to engage with each other in order to gain new grounds and come up with new technology. Such a framework is being created at the Shri Vithal Education and Research Institute (SVERI) at Gopalpur near Pandharpur. SVERI has signed an MOU with BARC for setting up rural human resource facility in the college. Under this arrangement people in the neighbourhood Akruties and other places can be trained at SVERI, and their technology related problems resolved by faculty and students of SVERI. In the process this would create learning opportunities for students and research challenges for the faculty. This would be the first approach towards “cillage” – becoming a new development model for rural India. This is an ongoing knowledge based livelihood generation model. With incorporation of a financial inclusion such an approach can keep itself continuously rejuvenated and replicate itself on the basis of its resource (financial, human, technological) generation. In a sense that becomes the ‘DNA of rural development!’

Building a village campus is not easy. It is difficult to persuade faculty to go to a village. Unless and until you create in a village setting facilities like you have in an IIT campus like better housing facilities, better educational opportunities for children, you will not be able to attract quality faculty. I see no reason why young people who wish to make a difference would not be attracted to such a place provided we are able to create an atmosphere which is conducive to productivity. 

New technologies in the areas of micro engineering and photo chemical etching are being explored for the benefit of rural people at SVERI. We have parked requisite facilities there and apart from engineering students, they have involved local artisans in a training programme.

Traditional art, Warli paintings, can now be replicated by them on a sheet of metal instead of the usual paper thereby creating a new value added product. With the help of engineering students, we can refine this process further and make a difference to the livelihood opportunities in the area.