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Sunday, Jan 07, 2007
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I was not consulted: Bhargava

P. Sunderarajan

I have disagreements over several points in Knowledge Commission report

— Photo: V. Ganesan

MAKING IT PUBLIC: P.M. Bhargava, Vice-Chairman, Knowledge Commission, answers questions at the Annamalai University campus in Chidambaram on Saturday. Beside him is T.N. Srivastava, former member of the Planning Commission.

CHIDAMBARAM: After differences over the reservation bill, which led to the resignation of two of its members, the National Knowledge Commission, headed by Sam Pitroda, is againin the spotlight.

Its Vice-Chairman P.M. Bhargava on Friday complained that he had not been consulted or informed before the Commission submitted its report on higher education to the Government.

"I came to know about the submission of the report only from newspaper reports. I have disagreements over several points in the report. For instance, I want universities to offer undergraduate courses also and [I am] for the abolition of the concept of affiliated colleges. These points are not there in the report. One should learn to respect dissent," he told reporters after making a presentation at a symposium during the 94th session of the Indian Science Congress here.

Mr. Bhargava said he was not consulted earlier too. "I was consulted only when the panel submitted its White Papers last year on e-governance and translation. At least four other reports have been submitted on vocational education, libraries, language and integration of knowledge systems. But I was never consulted or informed."

He said the Commission was not meeting regularly. "The Prime Minister is looking for revolutionary recommendations from the Commission. The panel can bring about a renaissance in the country. Even the National Security Advisory Board, which consists of several eminent persons including the former chiefs of the three arms of the defence force, meets twice a month."

The Commission was meeting, on average, only once in four months. "The last meeting was held in October and we do not know when it will meet again."

Mr. Bhargava said he met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh two weeks ago and mentioned about its functioning. He was invited for another meeting over lunch on January 9.

Earlier, in his presentation, Mr. Bhargava emphasised the need to strengthen the school system so that there would be no need for reservation in higher education after 15-20 years.

One way could be the introduction of the concept of common school, in which all schools would be run by local self-governments with Central funding and would provide free education for all.

Under the scheme, private individuals might be allowed to construct schools but on condition that the Government operate and maintain them. The schools would be neighbourhood institutions as in France. "Even in India, before [the] 1960s there were only government schools. All our leaders in the past had gone through those schools only."

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