Mr. Sam G Pitroda, Chairman, National Knowledge Commission said these lines in his keynote address, on Video Conference, at the Education Summit 2009 organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in Chennai on February 17.
Today there has been a paradigm shift in the way knowledge is being delivered through a lot of other mediums like television, internet, mobiles etc apart from classroom learning, Mr. Pitroda added. The key challenge in the 21st century is on the innovation in the education system, said Mr Pitroda.
He further said that the old model of education has to be replaced by a new model through which teachers can be mentors, and children can learn from each other and not only through teachers. Research scientists should be able to teach in colleges and universities apart from doing research in labs. He urged the Government to support funding the R & D activities at Universities and Colleges.
Mr. T V Somnathan IAS, Secretary to Chief Minister (Monitoring), Secretary to the Government, Planning Development and Special Initiatives, Government of Tamil Nadu in the panel discussion said, "Higher education serves three major purposes in India - first being the single ladder of social mobility, second higher education keeps young people away from the market for a specific span of time, and third it gives an opportunity to create a new elite community where caste and creed is no barrier".
Mr. G Viswanathan, Event Chairman & Chancellor - VIT in his theme address said, "Given the fact that only 15 percent of graduates in India are fit for employment, how will we solve the education problems in our country even though the government's eleventh 5 year plan, also called an education plan, gives more importance to education - the increase is from 6 per cent to 20 per cent from earlier plans".
Another important issue he addressed was to have junior colleges rather than continuing 10+2 in the same school. Students pursuing 10+2 in the same school will more or less be taught by the same teachers in the same environment whereas a junior college will give them the feel of higher education.
Mr. Pradipta K Mohapatra, Immediate Past Chairman, CII(SR) & Chairman- Governing Board Executive & Business Coaching Foundation India Ltd, in his special address said, "Higher education in India, which is de facto privatized on a massive scale, is clearly an important candidate for reform to improve quality. In past five years the rate of enrolment in higher education has taken off, from 7 percent to 13 percent of young Indians. But the quality of teaching at India's universities and colleges need to be improved, he said".
The education system in India has to be revised, teachers should be facilitators and should aid in offering quality education to the students, he added.
