Sangma over Pranab

Posted on June 21, 2012 by indra

I am emotionally weak. I am old. I got morose when Anna and more so, Kejriwal charged Pranab with corruption and when person as old as Advani wished to set up a candidate against him just for opposition.

I and many like me must be envying the possibility of Pranab getting a peaceful and royal retired life in Presidential palace at Raisina Hill for the next five years and even thereafter with all the perks going with the highest post of the country. Now Sangma has also got a support from the main opposition party.

As I think over a little more, I feel like preferring Sangma over Pranab. And here are my reasons:

1. Pranab might be very good as troubleshooter for Sonia’s government lately. However, his performance as the senior most cabinet minister has not been so great. Pranab rather messed up India’s story through his last budget He didn’t do anything, not even for medication for the old men like me, particularly those who are in the rural India.

2. Pranab was not the outright choice of Sonia. The political constraints and circumstances made her choose Pranab. Left to her, Sonia would have chosen Ansari. Credit goes to the direct and indirect pressure from Mamta-Mulayam episode for Pranab’s projection for the role.

3. While Pranab performed well, he hardly dared to change the narrow-mindedness of Sonia, be it on Lokpal Bill or Black money issue in national interest. He was never brave and remained loyal to an unexplainable extent to Sonia after the initial abrasion. India doesn’t need the re-establishment of royalty.

4. Once President, Pranab will go out of the way to help Sonia, particularly if Election 2014 demands it.

5. As much as I know, Pranab had been softer to the leftist rulers of Bengal when they were brutally trying to suppress Mamta and damaging the industrial fabric of the state.

6. Pranab never went out of the way to help Bihar or even Bengal to come out of their poverty and backwardness. He has not done anything in Bengal in his entire illustrious career for which he can be remembered by the people of the state.
7. Pranab appeared to perform extraordinarily good because Congress under Sonia hardly nurtures brilliant and efficient ones and reminds me of a Bhojpuri saying, jahan rookh n brichh wahan rend pradhan.

8. All the governments till date have neglected North-east with huge potentials to contribute to the mainstream. With Sangma as President, I hope it will get some importance. I wish Sangma goes to propagate higher education in the people of the region.
9. PA Sangma had been a brilliant speaker even with all his limitations.

10. Sangma has withstood the opposition of Sharad Pawar and resigned NCP.

11. Mulayam is supporting Pranab after a deal and Shiv Sena with all the characteristics of antinational gesture such as torturing the poor people from Bihar and UP is supporting Pranab.

12. Sangma will be much lesser a politician in the highest post than Pranab.

I wish both would write through media some sort of manifesto about how they will function in the highest position of the country.

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India Story: Bloom or Gloom

Posted on June 20, 2012 by indra

Be it horrendous news reports of rating agencies such as S&P or Fitch or of the ever increasing double digit inflation, from every side it appears that the India story is full of gloom. However, as usual there are some sectors and individuals who keep the hope alive with all odds against them and in spite of all the governance or policy paralysis in a democracy, particularly one like India where every person worth a mention has got a different view on every issue of national importance. That must be the reason that all the burning issues, be it poverty or universalization of education, infant mortality or dowry tortures have remained as pertinent today as on the day of Independence. Should we be morose or live with hope? Here are some that do make us feel good.

India’s private sector remains one of the strongest among the major economies of the world. Indian companies are not only innovative but also very capable in leadership and organization. It fights all odds-higher taxation, power outages, and unscrupulous competition. India Inc plans to take the innovative route to cost-cutting when the cost of input goes higher. For example, while Maruti Suzuki, in a bid to bring down cost of manufacturing vehicles, plans to use plastic to build fuel tanks as against conventional steel in models such as the new Swift, FMCG major, PepsiCo India, has opted to save cost by using palm oil instead of rice bran oil for cooking its snacks. It will be good if India’s other manufacturing companies to take inspiration from the iconic companies in Japan, for example Toyota Motors rather than GM or Ford in USA.

Toyota retains a 44% market share in Japan, almost three times that of Nissan or Honda, its main domestic competitors. That gives it economies of scale. It aims to produce at least 3m cars a year in Japan, and is cutting costs to such a degree—through lines that can be flexed according to demand, through cars that sit side by side rather than nose to tail, and thanks to robots that do almost everything except procreate—that it reckons it can turn a profit from making 50,000 vehicles a year at a single factory, compared with about 200,000 previously. Is that is exciting?

Here is another hope. As reported, on June 1, forty of India’s wealthiest gathered in Bangalore for a closed-door discussion on philanthropy hosted by Bill Gates, Azim Premji and Ratan Tata. While some were interested, but still hesitant to give away large chunks of their wealth, for the others, the question was not ‘how much to give’, but ‘how to give’ in order to maximize impact.” I am sure they will hear the voice of the time and focus on the education of rural India. It is only through education that India can come out of deprivation and poverty. Let the government and its operators- politicians and administrators, go on doing the doling to feed the interests of their own middlemen.

Indian youth is another hope. While a lawyer education minister keeps himself busy in creating controversy on his own, the million of students with dreams of higher education are going for all routes to succeed in life. Here is an example: Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology recently teamed up to form edX, a not-for-profit online education initiative. edX launched a course, ‘Circuits and Electronics’, in this February and 1, 20,000 students registered to take the course worldwide. India was the second-largest country in terms of people registered for the course.

Today a laptop/tablet or even a smart phone with internet facility is getting transformed into a school, a college or a university. Initiative such as Udacity, Coursera, iTuneU and edX are making it possible. Knowledge is getting free. I am sure with the previous example that the youths of the country will not miss this opportunity and expand and deepen their domain knowledge and realize their dreams of studying in Stanford, Princeton or Pennsylvania, MIT or Harvard or even in our own IITs or IIMs and compete with others in global job market.

And I have a reason to believe that it will happen. As reported, by 2015, India will have more Facebook users than any other country on Earth. I wish the whole lot use it more productively.

India’s governments have a history of responding with bold reforms only when the country’s back is to the wall. Political leadership will get up from the slumber.

The world is looking towards India to get its act together… Will India’s own political leaders realize that and get into some serious business rather than only politicking?

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Economy: India Loosing Focus

Posted on June 17, 2012 by indra

Denunciation of S&P’s warning to lower investment rating expected better reaction than those from Moily orAshwani Kumar.No amount of solaces through press statement or articles in media from the government’s own economists, be it Rangarajan or Kaushik Basu but visible actions can improve the poor perception. S&P is not the lone talking the slowdown. The views of Moody, OECD, and HSBC are also on the same line. Eurozone crisis might have affected but it is not the cause of the downfall or blurring of the India story. Manmohan Singh who gets so much importance from Obama for his advice as reported in media would have chalked the clear short term and long term roadmap for the government to follow and monitored the same to avoid a repeat. With Congress assuring his job till 2014 election, his response must be more forthright, positive and different to prove all his detractors and opposition wrong.

Sonia and her team was busy sorting out the way to overcome the hurdle created by Mamta-Mulayam duo in getting the party’s presidential candidate to reach Raisina Hill. Manmohan who started well with announcement of the intention of overseeing speedy implementation of all high value infrastructure projects would have focused on some more actions.

Manmohan would have at least selected to get GST and land acquisition bill on fast track through a steely determination as showed at the time of getting Nuclear Bill through. The two bills would have changed the perception of the domestic as well as foreign investors in India story. If Manmhoan could talk about getting the presidential candidate accepted by the opposition leaders, he could have certainly worked some overtime on just two important tasks. It would have been a visible seriousness of the government for reform. If Sonia can talk or meet with Mulayam, why can’t Manmohan do with Yaswant Sinha or Advani?

Unfortunately, the recent government actions such as increasing MSP of grains or holding up the decision on diesel prices has not signaled its inclination towards tough decision for improving the economy. The situation can only aggravate the bad situation to worse with prospect of monsoon deficit.

Manmohan would have focused on the governance task in New Delhi and made the administration work. Manmohan’s promise of monitoring of infrastructure projects too is halfhearted. Many feel bad when an economist prime minister has not realized that with electricity how a nation can become a super power. With effective implementation and restructuring of governance, Manmohan would have focused on overcoming the capacity shortage of water, electricity, road, broadband, air transport and port. Manmohan could even now reorganize his cabinet and put together all infrastructure activities under one of the senior most ministers. However, Manmohan Singh as usual preferred instead to participate in the Group of 20 (G-20) developing nations’ meet in Mexico and the Earth Summit in Brazil next week.

Interestingly, Kapil Sibal, Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Ghulam Nabi Azad, foreign secretary Ranjan Mathai and ambassador Nirupama Rao with Sam Pitroda were in Washington pleading India’s case. Surprisingly, I hardly found any significant coverage of the talks, or of India, in the US media.

I wish after ensuring the easy passage for Pranab, Sonia focuses on changing the poor perception about the India story through the appointment of a right Finance minister to replace Pranab, who can undo some of the damaging decisions of the government that has made the India Inc suspicious about the government’s intention.Indecision is costly, but wrong decision are damaging.

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Mischievous Mamata

Posted on June 15, 2012 by indra

While the nation is getting rated ‘junk’ category, inflation running high making even the better ones in billion feel miserable, share market in turmoil, deficits unmanageable and the India story getting tarnished with the news of scams after scams and black money, it seems the ruling party and the government is under the control of the most incapable hands and minds. India Inc is worried. Foreign investors are getting out of India. Leadership hardly shows any sign of facing the situation and innovating ways to overcome the hurdles or find way out of the labyrinths. The media news doesn’t speak for any active action plan.

Every Indian knows what the president does but for spending few hundred millions on making foreign tours with the extended family members. However, the most powerful political leader is busy seeing her own candidate in the ceremonial palace for the first citizen. And that is at the cost for the nation. The PM was already inert. The allies have signaled lack of confidence in his ability. FM is himself is a candidate of prudential election. How can a person in Pranab position steer the finance of the country today?

A real drama went on for the whole day on India’s TV channels on June 13. Mamta was outright the heroine of the day. But more than a heroine, she had been mischievous all through. She kept media informed but in her typical way. The media totally failed to read her mind. Sonia Gandhi failed much more and miserably.

Mamta made the media know that Sonia had invited her for consultation on the name for the next president of the country. After coming out Mamta again talked to media and informed that Pranab Mukherji is Sonia’s first choice and Hamid Ansari the second. By the statement, she made clear to the minority mass that Hamid Ansari is not the first choice of Sonia. She moved to Mulayam for a meeting.

After half an hour meeting, when Mamta and Mulayam came out, Mamta gave Mulayam the chance to announce to media first. Mulayam announced the names of the three-Kalam, Manmohan, and Somnath. Both wished all political parties to have a consensus on one of the three.

The two names had hardly any surprise. While Kalam had been the popular choice of the country, the name of Somnath was to just satisfy the Bengali mass in her home state to compensate for the rage for not naming Pranab.

But the biggest surprise was the inclusion of the name of Manmohan, the person who is the Prime Minister and who has not shown any inclination to go out unless thrown out or removed by Sonia. The initiative of Mamta and Mulayam clearly raised question about the usefulness of the ineffective economist, Manmohan as the prime minister any more. The naming of Manmohan as president clearly showed the wish of even the allies.

Sonia appears to be loosing the control. Mamta is challenging Congress to throw her out of UPA. It must be a miserable time for Sonia and the whole of Gandhi clan. Sonia would have weighed the consequences of taking Mamta on her side much earlier.

Many think as an honourable person, Manmohan would have on his own stepped down. But he would not and be in the chair as any loyal person till Sonia wishes. I don’t know how the history of India will record the political contribution of Sonia. Has she degraded and degenerated the highest posts of the president and the prime minister by putting her loyal acquaintances?

However, let Sonia and Manmohan appreciate the critical situation of Indian economy.

Sonia must end the confusion and declare the name of UPA’s candidate fast. If she retains Pranab Mukharji as the candidate, she must also declare the name of the person who shall hold the portfolio of finance ministry and who shall be the leader of the house. Alternatively, let her see in no uncertain way that the finance portfolio remains with Manmohan and give him the freedom to prove his worth as economist and steer the country out of the present troublesome storm.

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My India: Anguish or Anger

Posted on June 13, 2012 by indra

I dreamt of India as emerging, shining and competing China. All my blogs on China vs. India were based on my conviction: If China can do, so can India.

But since last two years or so, things are declining. India has suddenly slowed and slowing further. There is darkness on horizon. The gloom is infectious and exponentially enveloping the people of the country, as those who can do something to stop the slowdown and correct the situation are having different priorities.

I am in anguish. But it is not only me. Deepak Parekh, Narayana Murthy, Premji, and Rahul Bajaj-they all have expressed their anguish. I am sure that Congress doesn’t consider them also anti-national as they consider Anna.

I am in US. However, I can’t detach myself from my country, even though in wonderful company of my sweet grandchildren. The bad news make me moose.

I was surfing the site of New York Times’ Business section. I happened to go through two reports- one related to India and the other to China. I am giving below the first paragraph from both with link:

India related

NEW DELHI — Like China, India has long been eager to showcase the best features of its fast-growing economy on the international stage. But whenever it gets a chance to shine, something almost invariably goes wrong.

China related

GUANGZHOU, China — With China’s domestic economy stumbling badly this spring as construction and retail sales slow, this country is unleashing a fresh surge of exports that is preserving millions of jobs in Chinese factories but could fan trade tensions with the West.

I switched over to the Economist. The Economist had few headlines in the related to India: ‘Stopping the spiral’, ‘Farewell to Incredible India’; ‘A Bric hits the wall’; or ‘Travellers checked’. India is growing less hospitable to foreign investors. Should one stop surfing or watching the news channels?

I had thought Pranab Mukherji had done something great when he had proposed some retrospective tax in his budget this year. Thereafter, I heard many talking against that. I didn’t bother. But when even Narayana Murthy considers that as an action that has gone against India’s investor-friendliness, I rethink over the same. Should not Pranab retract his step?

Ruchir Sharma has warned India in ‘Breakout Nations; S&P report now names India ‘The First Fallen Angel’. Everyone is pointing finger to the way India is getting run by UPA-II government with Manmohan as Prime Minister and Sonia as the defecto power behind it.

No amount of brave face or statement from Pranab or even some gestures from PMO can amend the wrong. It has already created the unwanted gloom. Manmohan must show his magic and Sonia must support. Economy must be the focus without any politics. But there is hardly an indication of change. Congress may survive two more years in government, but the country will lose the opportunity once more and go backward in development by years.

An eminent journalist writes, ‘anybody who cares for India is today in deep, deep anguish’. Why do Manmohan and Sonia not hear the voice of the people?

Some from the opposition gives me an answer, ‘Sonia hardly bothers in real term. Who stopped her to treat her constituency as a model for development and transform that into a model for others to emulate? The same is true for Rahul or for that matter the Congress Party. Perhaps, they are just incapable and they don’t wish to use the services of those who can bring the required effectiveness in the governance.

A journalist writes, ‘Institutionally, the Congress has demonstrated no political commitment towards nor placed any priority on sustaining high growth and deregulating the economy, at least not in the time since 2004.’

“If the India story has fallen off the tracks, does one need to point fingers only at Prakash Karat and Mamata Banerjee — or should one also interrogate the role of Sonia Gandhi and how niggardly she has been in spending political capital on economic reform?”

I was shocked when the economy is so critical the country’s TV channel discusses who meets whom for the forthcoming next President election or the new system of IIT_JEE.

Is the time approaching fast for the Indians to get in to ‘anger’ mood or mode from the present one of ‘anguish’?

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Why is Kapil Sibal so Adamant?

Posted on June 10, 2012 by indra

As reported, at least one of the older IITs, IIT-Kanpur has decided to go for an open war against Sibal’s wish and has decided its own way to pick students for the next academic year. The institute has shot down the IIT council’s proposal of a common entrance test for all centrally-funded engineering institutes and announced its own exam. The IIT-Kanpur’s special senate meeting attended by around 80 members unanimously passed a resolution to that effect.

Why has been Kapil Sibal so adamant? Any such controversy neither builds a good image of the government nor of the globally recognized brand of the institute.

Instead Kapil Sibal should work on some other priorities. It would have been a better service to the nation if Sibal would have gone for the initiative first to have common and agreed curricula for the subjects such as English, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Biology for class XII of all the boards in the country. Interestingly, USA with differing curricula in its 50 odd states is also working on an initiative to have ‘Common Core State Standards’ for English, Mathematics and Science in K-12. Has Sibal surrendered because of the fear of facing so many states?

But Sibal would have certainly assisted IITs to become globally more accepted and sought for institutes. Why can’t the IITs be lucrative enough to draw the best students from all over the globe, as Stanford or MIT does? Can the embassies in different countries sell IITs’ image and encourage parents to send their children to it? Will Sibal work for and ensure that the infrastructure in IITs are improved to world class standard so that the foreign students from developed countries don’t repent for their decision, if some decide for it?

Kapil Sibal however, has succeeded in dividing the older IITs and perhaps in this manner, he might be able to introduce the new system. As reported, IIT Delhi and Bombay could back IIT Kanpur in holding their own entrance test or join it, while Madras, Roorkee, Kharagpur and Guwahati will stand by the Centre’s decision. I doubt if the directors are not divided for certain vested interest and some are siding with the minister for certain personal reasons, perhaps benefiting them somehow.

‘One-nation one-test’ proposal will certainly affect IITs’ exclusiveness. A decision such as this can’t be agreed upon by vote as claimed by Sibal and can’t be executed so abruptly. Sibal would have taken time and convinced all the faculty and alumni representatives. After all, Sibal himself a professional must understand the mindsets of professionals for a major change. IIT-JEE has a long clean history and has been a brand itself.

However, a quick final decision will be necessary for distressing those who are to appear in 2013 examination. It should certainly not suffer from the present policy paralysis in the government. It is unfortunate that the media reports, grouping of the older IITs in two: one with Sibal and the other with exclusive IIT-JEE are also varying. Again, frustratingly, the different bodies from the same institute are expressing different views.

Let the final change be brought in 2015 after due debate and discussion.

Will Mr. Sibal agree or will he push it harder for getting one more feather in his cap of so-called reforms in education?

As one editorial of a national newspaper puts, ‘Leave IITs alone’A former director of IIT-C also plead for the same,

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Education: Neglected Priorities

Posted on June 6, 2012 by indra

In all the hue and cry of IIT-JEE 2013 and RTE, Mr. Sibal and his HRD ministry has overlooked the core issue of education. What must be the priority for education in the larger national interest? WHERE MUST THE GOVERNMENT AND THE SOCIETY FOCUS?

Many and I too, believe that work on education in the metro and urban sector is generally on track. Even if the government schools are not up to the mark, the rise of private sector in education is significant in urban India. Many private institutions, the costliest in the world class category as well as the cheap ones, have come up and are further getting added. Many have started to think differently about the methodologies for imparting knowledge and to find better ways to make the children learn instead of the traditional rote way. Many are getting inspired from the work being done in developed countries. Innovative approaches are being tried. Many agencies, individual NGOs and even corporate houses are actively getting associated with education.

However, the rural India is not getting the due attention from the private sector and without the same nothing significant will be achieved as it constitutes the major population the country. Education in the rural India depends almost totally on the government schools. The system might have covered the population but the quality is suspect with the deteriorated discipline among the teachers and the society getting exponentially disenchanted with the present system of education.

Over the years, the better offs or so-called upper castes with sufficient landholdings and living still in the rural India are not having the same emphasis on the education of their children as they did in past.

Women are still the largest among the illiterate mass contributing hardly anything to the family earning or even managing the home budget. The work on the education or skill training of grown up mothers who had to drop out for many reasons is hardly there. So is the case of SC, ST, handicapped and even Muslim families with no land holding and totally dependent on the temporary engagement for menial work for earning the livelihood. The drive to educate these groups would have been taken up with the seriousness of the project to eliminate polio from the country. For example, Nitish instead of distributing transistor radio sets to Mahadalit would have also ensured setting up of radio stations providing education in an innovative enough manner so that the users of those transistor radios get enlightened and benefited with a change in their mindsets about the necessity of the education that is free and that will take the generations out of poverty.

Unfortunately, it appears the politicians and religious gurus wish to keep these deprived groups in rural India illiterate and ignorant perpetually as otherwise they will go out of job and flouring livelihood. With good education, they will not be brought under their influence and serve their vested interests.

I find hope in two recent news reports: Premji had recently organized a meet of super rich of the country for charity for the society. The government plans to make CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) as mandatory. Can the top 100 corporate houses of India and the extended business community focus on quality rural education and skill training for every one?

It is the only way that rural India can start participating in the growth of India with least physical doles and subsidies from the government.

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IITs: The Way for Entrance in 2013

Posted on June 4, 2012 by indra

IIT-JEE 2013 will be different. Instead of just one examination, the candidate will have to perform in three, the board examination, as well as one main and an advance test conducted on the same day.

Why should Kapil Sibal and his HRD ministry instead of facilitating IITs to grow and go global keep on interfering with its already well-established system of the entrance examination? Is that so critical an issue for the country? India by now has 16 IITs. The older ones are known and respected world over. The newer ones under the mentorship of old ones, will get assimilated into the brand.

Why has Mr. Sibal stirred the hornet’s nest?

Will the new entrance system improve the quality of incoming candidates?

Will the schools, particularly in rural India, improve the quality of teaching because of the performance of its students of class XII in the board examination is getting weightage?

With the menace of the unscrupulous coaching industry get reduced? Perhaps the answer for all the questions will tilt towards a doubtful yes.

The coaching industry has already prepared itself and communicated well through media. It will improve its margin with hardly any further value addition than it does today. It will be costlier and exclusive for richer section of the population. It will be a further drain even for the middle class.

The media has reported the opposition to the new idea of Sibal. A distinguished alumnus, a former director of an IIT, and many columnists, have expressed their opposition to the new system. The faculty members, alumni associations and the students of IITs and parents have protested and threatened to go to the court.

Mr. Sibal, who couldn’t stand the onslaught on the issue of cartoons in text book recently, perhaps will have to surrender again. As such he has already respectability among the elite groups that matter.

IIT-JEE is an established system, perhaps the toughest one in the world. It has been greatly respected with no scam till date.
Instead of getting into the controversy, the HRD ministry would have spared IITs and let it’s JEE system evolve as it has already done. It should be left to the IIT council consisting of the faculty members, representative of alumni and industry to continue with the task, if necessary.

However, as only small percentages of successful students of IIT-JEE get into IITs, any college including the private ones should be free to admit the students based on the scores in IIT-JEE. If these colleges build an image of its teaching quality and provide world class infrastructure, many students not getting the branches of choice may join them. It will improve capacity in more sought after branches.

The colleges such as BITS, Pilani or BIT, Ranchi and many others that have established a reputation can join the group. It will bring a competition in attracting good students.

Mr.Sibal and his ministry of HRD must focus on facilitating IITs to become the best institute with its quality of produce. Let IITs be more autonomous in real sense of the term. Let it focus on research and development and innovation. Let it have the newer branches of technologies. Let it attract the best teachers from world over?

Will Mr. Sibal create better hostel facilities for students so that an engineering student get a room each as was the case in our days? Can he get a super specialty hospital and medical college serving the community around, integrated in each IIT?

Let Mr. Sibal work for a better industry and institute tie-ups? Let him make it attractive to the best students from the developed and developing nations.

Mr. Sibal! Please let IITs be on its own for JEE.

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Higher Education –Some Myths

Posted on June 1, 2012 by indra

Indians in general must go for a change in perception about education and its various aspects. Some myths must die.

Every student and more so his parents do everything to get his ward admitted in the best college, say IITs for engineering. It’s stressing both physically and mentally. It’s a drain on hard earned money too. Same is the case with those joining medicine or other professional institutes for higher education. Does the name of college that one student attend matter? I shall like to narrate my story. I wish it provides the guideline.

While I graduated from IIT, Kharagpur and my eldest son followed me by getting in there after 28 years, the second one went to BIT, Ranchi and the third one through state JEE got admitted in REC (Now NIT) Kurukshetra. Perhaps as I was in manufacturing sector, they all picked up mechanical engineering. After graduation, while the eldest got a job offer from Bajaj Auto, the second one got into Tata Tinplate and Tata Elexi, and the youngest in L&T. All the three are in 40s today. After finishing their MS in different subjects from Purdue, San Francisco and Arizona University, they all are engaged in US. My eldest daughter-in-law graduated in metallurgy from REC, Jamshedpur, did her MS from Dallas and presently working for an Irish company from US. She might be in the best in status and the best paid among them.

I don’t think the college they graduated mattered nor did the marks they obtained in school and board in the professional careers of all five. Even if they would have decided to remain in India, they would have been well off but for the quality of life. Why do we, Indian parents worry so much about the marks or grade differential even beyond decimals?

I have some more engineers from the private institutes of India in my extended family. The two sons of my cousin in Vadodara studied and passed out from government and private engineering colleges of Gujarat. They completed their masters and now employed. To my surprise, one of them plans to join faculty of engineering college. They are hardworking and leading a pretty well life. Let the parents and the students understand that the institutes contribute pretty little. The important for success is one’s hard work, perseverance, will power and self confidence. My advice is to work hard to get into the best ranking institute. But do not unnecessarily stress yourself and get worried if you fail to get into an institute of your choice. Don’t waste another year for getting into that.

I have seen parents and students both grieving over the branch of study that are available in the institute they have got. It hardly matters if you get into chemical, metallurgy or even agricultural engineering. Why should you not get into three years physics course in IIT, if you have been offered one? Take any branch that you get but do really good in that. What is important is the intense learning of the subject that you are pursuing and be the best in it.

Except for few, all the professional institutes, even in private sector, provide ample opportunity to master the subject and achieve excellence. However, one must get into the best available and affordable.

However, every one today need excellence in certain soft skill on which some institutes are still not focusing. For a successful career or perhaps even for succeeding in one’s own business, the skill in communication (speaking, presentation) particularly in English that has become the language for business, and sufficient working knowledge of computer applications are essential. If the institute doesn’t have the facility, one must join some good institutes in the locality that provide it and be proficient.

I don’t agree with dropping out for getting into business. The examples of Apple’s Steve Jobs, Microsoft’s Bill Gates or Face book’s Zuckerberg who didn’t pursue the formal higher education need to be taken in right spirit. Education must provide the passion for knowledge and its application. It comes from within. It can happen with anyone.

It is unfortunate that many in industry hardly pursue the passion of keeping themselves in touch with the latest trends in their areas of activity. Indians are worse off.

In years to come, the certificates, marks and grades or the institutions will hardly matter. The selection will be entirely on the basis of the capability to perform the required assignment well.

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Higher Education Sector Needs Re-engineering

Posted on May 31, 2012 by indra

Over the years at this time of the year when in Noida, I get shocked with the news related to the admission menace of the about million or more young boys and girls of the country who out of their aspiration for a secured better professional career seek admission in the institute of their choice after completing their class XII with flying colours with distinctions in many subjects. The policy makers and administrators of the country must answer some .pertinent questions.

Should not a student getting 80% and more marks get admissions in a good college for pursuing the subject of his choice? How can a college decide on 100% as cut off marks?

Why are the students in Delhi with that high a score not getting admission in the colleges? Why are the students from Patna or Kolkata seeking admission in Delhi for even the science, commerce and pure humanity courses?

Why do IITs (15 of them now) only admit the top 10,000 students from an entrance examination in which more around 5, 00,000 students appear? Is there much difference between the intelligence levels of those selected and those falling in between 10,001 and 20, 000? Will the students in the later group if studies engineering in tier 2 colleges be a worse engineer or less successful in career?

Why is the curriculum of the science (math, physics, chemistry) as well as English not the same for CBSE as well as other state boards?

Why shouldn’t IIT-JEE follow the same curriculum of the class XII boards?

Why should after 12 years of schooling, the students can’t master one foreign language, English if the country has decided to have the higher education in that language?

In simple language, after 65 years of independence, the best colleges in the capitals of various states of the country remained the same. Unfortunately, the best colleges have not expanded and added capacity. Because of the political patronage and lack of autonomy, the quality of at least some of those best colleges has deteriorated. Neither the Science College of Patna nor Presidency College of Kolkata is the same as they were in 50s and 60s.

I wish all the educational institutes of excellence-universities, colleges, and professional institutes would have enhanced its capacities by 5% every year along with its infrastructures.

A college like Presidency College or Science College could have by now a separate school for each of the subject it teaches. Imagine of a school of physics teaching the subject from class XI to Master and PhD level.

Imagine of old IITs at Kharagpur, Bombay, Chennai, Kanpur and Delhi with at least fifty schools of different specialized admitting 25,000 students every year.

While the new institutes must get set up but the older must initiate a growth plan of at 2.5% every year with corresponding expansion of all the infrastructure-teachers, hostels, residential facilities and everything else necessary for a knowledge town including incubation centres for start ups.

The capacity expansion must not be thrust upon as it was done by this government to take care of the reservation. I wish reservation could go and the demand for the same must come from the students and other beneficiaries in the institutes rather than parliamentarians.

Mahabharata would have got a twist in the story if Drona would have accepted Karna and Eklavya, and interestingly they would not have sought any reservation for their entrance or promotion.

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