The Hindu : Opinion / Letters to the Editor : World-class varsities

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Friday, Oct 24, 2008
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Opinion - Letters to the Editor

World-class varsities

The authors of the article, “Towards creation of world class universities (October 23),” are to be congratulated for touching the most relevant aspects of the Indian university system. Reforms are urgently needed in infrastructure, salary system and the governance that would make the professor supreme. Registrars and other administrative officers must stop wielding unwritten powers.

K.S. Rao,

Hyderabad

* * *

Instead of spending thousands of crores on setting up more “islands of knowledge,” incentivising private sector participation and creating support infrastructure would be a better option. The state should be a facilitator rather than the prime mover or executor. If you cannot reach out, at least help those who are willing to do so.

Tarak Shah,

Ahmedabad

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Philip G. Altbach and N. Jayaram have clearly analysed the present situation. The lofty plan of creating ‘world-class’ universities, though laudable, has to be coupled with fundamental changes in the structure and function of university education. It is paradoxical to expect merit and mediocrity to coexist. Universities have to be temples of learning and centres of excellence. “World-class” will remain only in name if we revel in mediocrity with the recent government decision regarding reservations of seats in the IIMs and the IITs.

K. Rajagopal,

Visakhapatnam

* * *

I agree that meritorious students should be admitted to these universities but what if there are not enough meritorious students? The best way is to make sure that quality primary education is provided to students irrespective of their caste background. Instead of allowing different entities such as the State Education Departments, ICSE, CBSE, and so on to follow their own standards, why not follow one uniform education system? What is the point in spending so much on building a beautiful roof when the foundation of the building is not strong?

Dundi Ajay,

Bangalore

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