Governance reforms, states council headed by scientist CNR Rao in its recommendation report to PM.
Concerned over the quality of higher education in the country, the Science Advisory Council to the prime minister in the Department of Science and Technology stated that governance reforms are need of the hour in Indian universities.
“Governance reforms are badly needed in our universities, especially state universities, which carry the excessive burden of affiliated colleges,” the 32-member-council, headed by eminent scientist CNR Rao, stated in its recommendation report to prime minister Manmohan Singh.
Further, the council also expressed concern over India’s performance in higher education, which it has stated as ‘not been altogether satisfactory’ and that very few institutions can be found in the ‘top category in international rankings’.
The council said that a serious effort should be made to improve the situation if India has to move towards becoming a global player. The council has also stressed the need to eliminate bureaucracy and outdated procedures, which dominate the management of education, science and technology.
On the funding side, the council recommended that more investment be made to the Science, Technology and Investment (STI).
“This (funding) requires not a mere increase in investment in S&T from the present roughly 1% of the GDP to the promised 2% of the GDP, but also the moral and intellectual support of society as a whole to STI. Only then, India will be able to have our institutions in the top 50 or 100 in the world,” the council recommended.
Also in the wish-list is increasing private sector investments in R&D and extension of government support to outstanding individuals, groups and institutions with sufficient long-term funding.
The council, which compromises eminent scientists, heads of academic and scientific institutions, said that increase in private sector investment in R&D and its partnership with the public sector in translational research is crucial.
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