 HIGHER EDUCATION (GENERAL
AND TECHNICAL)

Shri Chitta Basu, MP, General Secretary, All India Forward Block, 28, Gurudwara Rakabganj Road, New Delhi (15.10.90)

- Higher education, particularly in general streams, should be restricted to the meritorious few, and this is possible only when a relevant system of vocational training is made available for general students.

- In higher education the idea of declaring some of the colleges as autonomous colleges to the exclusion of others be dropped. This is also an elitist approach. All colleges should be developed uniformly.

Dr. K. Bakta Vatsal Rao, 2-2-1144/1/B, PO Lane, new Nallankunta, Hyderabad (6.10.90)

- Duplication of courses in the universities within the State should be avoided. While respecting the autonomy of universities, steps should be taken to monitor the activities of the universities.

- We have come to a stage when we have to evaluate our research programmes and funding agencies. A committee of experts should be constituted at the national level to look into research programmes in progress in different universities.

Shri S.P. Patil, Headmaster, Z.P. Primary School, Pune (30.9.90)

- Academic life in colleges and universities should be reorganised.

- At the level of higher education also vocational courses should be introduced.

- Higher Education Councils should be set up at the state level to monitor the working of autonomous colleges and to help them in developing courses and study programmes. Open university system and rural university system should be strengthened.

Shri Shashi Bhushan Singh, Noomar, Dadha, Monghyr, Bihar.

- Access to higher education should be restricted and only brilliant students should be encouraged to go for the same.

Shri T.B. Govinda, Rao, General Secretary, Bharatiya Shikshana Mandala, Karnataka, 21, 6th Cross Road, Chamarajpet, Bangalore (9.10.1990)

- The policy document has not made adequate provision for educational research at any level. Professional excellence depends on research.

Shri Gujraj Singh Sikarwar, MLA, Madhya Pradesh Janta Dal, Lalitpur Colony, Gwalior (5.10.1990)

- The pattern of higher education should be uniform throughout the country.

The Principal, Adarsh Inter College, Shambhuganj, Jonpur (6.10.90)

- Access to Higher education should be restricted. It should be open only to those who possess genuine aptitude and talent for pursuit of scholarship.

The Principal, Mahila Mahavidyalaya, Karad, 415110 (11.10.1990)

- A national fund for professionalizing the technical, business and commerce education should be developed. Industrial units business establishments, banks etc. should have education wings. The in-house training facilities of these institutions may be thrown open to the students.

Shri Harminder Singh Dhanoa, Lecturer, Govt. College of Education, Patiala AND Dr. Sunil Dutt, Lecturer, Sohan Lal DAV College of Education, Ambala City.

- For delinking degrees from jobs, it is essential to establish a National Testing Service to conduct tests to determine the suitability of candidates for specified jobs. Such a test can also be used for further promotions.

Justice C.S. Dharmadhikari (Retd.), 343 `Gharkul' West Park Road, Dhantoli, Nagpur-12 (6th October, 1990)

- Universities should be faculty-wise and not region- wise.

Dr. R. Bandyopadhyay, Director, Centre for Applied Systems Analysis in Development, D-5/8, Salunke Vihar, Pune-411022 (19.10.90)

- Falling standards of higher and technical education are due to the mushroom growth of sub-standard-colleges. Effective steps for curbing such growth and for revitalisation of the existing institutions should form part of the total programme of 'Educational Reorientation'.

- Changing the role of universities and institutions of higher learning in response to the needs of the regional development is highly desirable, but may not be easy. A small task force of experts be appointed to look into this aspect and submit concrete suggestions for achieving this without sacrificing academic rigour and excellence. In fact, such linkages will improve the academic quality of the programmes of the higher education in all areas.

- All admission tests to professional colleges (IITs, Regional Engineering Colleges, Medical Colleges, etc.) be abolished and seats be allocated district-wise according to the proportion of final year students in a district to the total number of such students in the country (or state). These allotted seats be then filled up strictly according to the following criteria:

(a) Performance of the candidates in the final year test.

(b) Individual choice of the candidate.

- All existing ITIs should be upgraded where the initial entrants should be outputs from class X of schools. Existing diploma level polytechnics should be utilised for giving 3 year courses after +2 stage. Degree level courses should be of 4 year duration after +2 stage. Post-graduate/research work in vocational/professional subjects should be done at University and advanced level institutions. Expenditure of such institutions should be met by the government, R&D organisations and R&D units attached to corporate organisations.

- Most of the cost of higher education (professional, vocational, general) should be met by the user organisations. Further, to stop brain drain it should be made mandatory that all candidates going through vocational and professional courses (non-sponsored candidates) must serve the country for a period of 5 years after successful completion of the course.

Prof. Hira Adyanthaya, Dean, Tilak Maharashtra Vidya-peeth, Vidyapeeth Bhavan, Gultekadi, Pune 411037 (16.10.90)

- If education in colleges and universities is to be creative, innovative teaching methods must be introduced

Shri Y.K. Gupta, Reader in English, Regional College of Education, Mysore-570006 (8th October, 1990)

- Research is considered and practised as a prerogative of higher institutions of learning. It should find a place at the elementary stage itself: beginning in its simplest and gradually acquiring its sophisticated forms at higher stages of education. There should be close coordination between the world of education and the world of work in respect of conducting researches.

Shri Omkarnath Das, Lecturer (Mech. Engg.), ITT, Chowdwar (8.10.90)

- Higher education should be viewed as an opportunity and should be available to a restricted and deserving few only. The only way to ensure this is a national level aptitude and ability test and recommendation of school teachers. Since the students from nonformal schools cannot be ignored, such test should not have any age limit.

Dr. Usha Nayar, HOD, Department of Women's Studies, NCERT, New Delhi (23.10.90)

- UGC's scheme for setting up women's studies cells/centres in colleges and universities need professional backing and more funds.

- Considering that the present requirements are very large, private sector may be encouraged to open new women polytechnics. World Bank funds for this purpose can be utilised.

Dr. C.M. Bhatia, Ex-Vice-Chancellor, University of Allahabad, 8-Vijay Nagar Colony, Agra (19.10.90)

- University education must be tuned to excellence. For this their elementary and basic essential requirements must be provided for. Those universities which do not come upto the mark should be closed down. University autonomy should not mean freedom not to teach.

Prof. Sourindra Bhattacharyya, MP (Rajya Sabha) (22.10.1990)

- Higher education has received inadequate attention in the paper in as much as various aspects of University as also college governance has received no consideration, nor the question of improving the generally prevailing low standard of majority of college and quite a large number of universities. The absolute silence of the Perspective Paper on Autonomous Colleges may give rise to misgivings as to whether the Committee also considers such institutions to be a 'pace-setter' to its fortunate counterparts with its class distinction.

Shri B.L. Seth, President, Rajasthan Shikshak Sangh, 45, Ganesh Nagar, University Road, Udaipur (22.10.1990)

- At the moment higher and technical education is almost free. This Is not desirable. Cost of higher education must be charged from the beneficiaries.

Dr. (Smt.) Jyoti H. Trivedi, Raj Mahal, Juhu Koliwada, Bombay (17th September, 1990)

- The university education for various disciplines should prescribe pre-requisites, the core of which should be uniform in the whole country and different for specialisations as determined by the University. The universities could take a common entrance examination for admission which should be strictly on merit. The University's role should be dissemination of knowledge, in depth research and extension. The universities should be centres for development of educational technology. Universities should also be centres for continuing education of the more advanced type.

- At present there is duplication in advanced research as many institutions do research in the same area. This should be avoided.

Shri D.J.K. Cornelius., A-916, Poonamalle High Road, Madras (24th October,, 1990)

- Tertiary or post-school education should be directed to the attainment of capabilities for inquiry and application. It should develop capabilities to make the fruits of science available freely through the materials and resources in the cultural setting for the benefit of society. Vocational training will be all inclusive at this level, and should include, medicine, engineering etc.

Dr. (Mrs.) Radha Thiagarajan, Vice-Chancellor, Alagappa University, Alagappa, Nagar, Karaikudi (19.10.1990)

- Any kind of research done in the university departments should have practical bearing on social issues. All researches should be socially relevant. The research findings should be widely disseminated. Every university department should publish research monographs and they must be distributed among other universities for avoiding duplication and to strengthen the dissemination of knowledge.

- In every university, a department of Women's Studies must be created and research centres should be developed.

Dr. S. Unnikrishna Pillai, Principal, Regionl Engineering College, Calicut, Kerala-673601 (18.10.90)

- Extensive decentralisation is needed in the higher education sector. Autonomous Colleges, and Deemed Universities must be encouraged extensively.

- Most University set ups are such as to cause a steady erosion of standards of both the teacher and the taught. The various bodies are so constituted that populist decisons are inevitable. Enforcement of a "Model University Act" and a set up for accreditation of the university/college programmes are essential for improvement of quality of higher education.

Dr. L.K. Singhal, Vice-Principal, Govt. Boys Sr. Sec. School, Badarpur, New Delhi (23rd October, 1990)

- There should be no correspondence course for university degree. Such courses add more to the rows of unemployed graduates.

Prof. B.S. Sonde, Prof. S.V. Subramanyam and others, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore (18.10.90)

- It is perferable to link higher and technical education to the needs of the society. Feedback mechanism between higher education and social needs must operate. Extension activities by institutions of higher learning to improve school education are very important. But the number of the universities and other institutions who are doing so is very few. The experience of IISc, Bangalore in this area is very useful and relevant.

- Research is the process of generating new knowledge. By this very definition the research scientist becomes an indispensable person in the developmental process., But in almost every developing country, there has been disappointment of the role the scientist has played. The reason for this is that the scientific research in many of these countries are mere extensions of the research interests of developed countries. Research must be real. The scientist must retain his freedom and his place in society. He must tackle questions which have significance for society. These can broadly include all the problems relating to the social, technological, biological and geographical features of the society around him. He will then be able to make a distinct contribution to the human knowledge and to the society. The scientists and technologists of a developing country must tune their activity to their surroundings and tackle problems with a pragmatic and practical approach and become vital parts in the socio-economic political structures and thereby contribute to the development of the society.

- It Is desirable to have greater autonomy for colleges In drawing up the detailed syllabus, teaching, conduct of examination and evaluation. The degree to the student may be awarded in the name of the college belonging to the particular university. The university shall have the control over the college in drawing up the general level of syllabus, financial allocation and staff student strength. This will eliminate many of the evils of the present educational pattern and make the colleges accountable.

Shri Rajesh Kumar Jain, 330 Income Tax Colony, Uttari Pitam Pura, Delhi (23rd October, 1990)

- India is a land of farmers and a large section of the society is backward. Agricultural colleges should be opened in large number and they must bring the fruits of modern science to the farmers. In agricultural colleges the instruction should be imparted in classrooms as well as in fields. This will have positive effect on agricultural production.

Dr. T.H.V. Prasada Rao, Principal, M.V.S.R. Engineering College, 6-1- 486, Saidabad, Hyderabad (14.10.90)

- Selection of subject for the thesis to obtain Master's degree and doctoral degrees particularly in technical subjects must be based on industrial needs leading to the solutions of actual and live problems in the industry. They must be preferably product oriented.

- The thesis at master's and doctorate levels must be funded by the industry. This practice must be institutionalised so that industry is automatically and willingly involved in the growth of need based applied research work at the institutions and universities.

HIGHER EDUCATION (GENERAL AND TECHNICAL)