Indian Education System Revamp

I have been receiving some interests from some universities and colleges, mostly engineering from India to adopt to the best systems in education. The education system in India seems the best; at least the IITs and IIMs. But the level two systems probably a way behind the best. The recent influx of IT curriculum has come into the campuses in India, but the infrastructure and training is not geared up for that. It is happening with small increaments and will take years. Further, the salaries and the lack of challenges for he professors and lecturers are not good.

I never imagined Engineering Colleges or Unviersities without a good Workshop or Laboratory; but that is happening now. My basics are clear from making "Dirty Hands" in Babcock Systems or German Measuring Devices it the Hot Workshops; toiling hard with sweat to make a hexagonal rod from a round one.

However, during 2001-2003 I have been visiting all IITs and engg colleges as part of National Innovation Foundation(NIF) giving projects to students and have guided students for projects (around 20-30). In the span 2003-06; I have been visiting faculty to engineering colleges giving lectures on Project Guidance, Entrepreneurship, Life after engg, recent trends on technologies, motivation etc. This was sponsored by colleges and was organized by NGOs, Pune management association, Instt. of Engrs - as activities towards revamping the system of education. The industry was supporting us a lot and the best was getting industrialists and professionals from the field to come with us and sharing the experience. In one way. we used to conduct one day camps, faculty meetings and trying to bring about industry-institute collaboration.

However, the model had some potential and we were working to put forth a national model towards this. The bottom line was hands-on, projects, system revamp, changing faculty mindset, industry interaction etc. Our lectures and activities were major success and before coming here I used get paid-invitations to deliver the same.

I came across a recent artivle in The Chronicle : India's Knowledge Commission Calls for a Major Overhaul of Higher-Education System : http://chronicle.com/temp/email2.php?id=2shW9t6xcknGyHqPzw8gDxsgpDmH8kCZ_

" India needs to increase its number of universities to 1,500 by 2015, from 350 now, an advisory body said........" it goes...and refers to the following report :-

http://knowledgecommission.gov.in/recommendations/higher.asp

It is intersting to see thing to imporve..but the problem remains Quantity Vs Quality..May be a well judged balance is the need of the hour...