‘Uncage higher education’

Renowned scientist and educationist Yash Pal, whose report on reforms in higher education early this year received wide acclaim from reformists, has said it is high time that the whole education sector goes for an absolute freedom movement. A movement that creates an atmosphere where talent is not caged in a set pattern, as is being practiced in the present education system.

Delivering a lecture at the Ahmedabad Management Association here on Wednesday, Yash Pal said that in the journey of preparing the report he found that most of the universities had lost the basic qualities to be called a university. There were no connections between departments in varsities and they acted like separate entities.

He was delivering 8th Shri Ramanbhai Patel Memorial Lecture on ‘Inner process of developing an advice to radically change the culture and management of higher education’. 

“Most of the varsities in the country have lost their meaning. They are becoming narrower in focus. There are gaps in every department. For example, department of political science has no links with department of physics because of rigid and outdated approach,” Yash Pal said.

Sharing his experiences while preparing the report, Yash Pal said that he found that because of political interference in the running of education institutions in the present system, posts of heads such as vice-chancellors had become a ground of political battles.

He said over the years nearly 16 governing bodies, such as University Grants Commission (UGC) and All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), were set up just to separate different streams of education. He said these apex bodies were riddled with corruption, wanton interference and delays.

“These bodies are doing nothing expect creating drift among different streams of education. It’s high time for a freedom movement for universities. They should have the power to teach what they want. All decisions must be taken by the varsity head,” he said.

“We must create institutes such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology. I have also suggested that IITs should start courses other than engineering, like music or humanities,” he said.

Clad in jeans and red kurta with sport shoes, the veteran educationist said that he has recommended for a National Institute of Higher Education that will control the entire education system. Top functionaries of the body should not be appointed by the government.

“After thinking for three months, the committee has suggested that appointments to important posts in the proposed institute should be done by prime minister himself with the help of leader of opposition,” he said.