Towards excellence in higher education
K. SITARAM
HIGHER EDUCATION is in a quandary all over the world. The recent dillydallying with the proposal of introducing a four-year degree course and the half-hearted reform of starting a five year postgraduate scheme are indications of the problems in Andhra Pradesh.
Some time ago the University Grants Commission derecognised at one stroke a host of universities claiming to offer popular high profile courses. Even some prestigious universities in the U.K. are criticised for admitting mainly foreign students who can pay a hefty fees.
Higher education is the top end of the educational ladder. The lower rungs should certainly be strong to let a deserving student climb up. The following plan can perhaps be a step in that direction:
As it is now, the period of school study can be ten years. Since we are decades away from schools sans books, our teaching can be broadly book-based, strengthened by computer lessons and related classroom instruction. The syllabus should however be updated periodically.
After school, a four year graduate programme will probably be in order. This means that the two year Intermediate (or Plus Two) and the subsequent three year graduate study are sought to be abridged to a four year course, making full use of the available devices. As regards the general graduate syllabus, we think there can be special study of four subjects, not just three as is the case now. The teaching schedule can be roughly as follows:
If there are, say, five chapters in any subject, two computer lectures on each topic by experts followed by self study of the references indicated in the lectures, aided by classroom teaching, would be appropriate. In any case, verbatim reproduction of the material in the textbook should be scrupulously avoided.
The next stage, which is crucial for higher education, is postgraduate study. Even here, although deep erudition is obligatory, interdisciplinary nature of learning is to be aimed at. It is no longer possible to be an expert in any subject ignoring totally other closely related areas. Because of easy access to reference material intensive study of two related domains of knowledge should be the objective.
Some possible combinations of subjects are Mathematics and Physics, Physics and Chemistry, Chemistry and Biology, Economics and Commerce, History and Archaeology, etc. The duration of postgraduate study can still be two years.
Research for a doctor's degree can be in any one of the two subjects chosen for specialisation in the postgraduate course. As published work is easily available, the period of research can be limited to two or at most three years.
The present practice of research scholars staying on for several years in universities and very often indulging in non-academic activities can thus be curbed. As a matter of fact one of the essential purposes of higher education is to produce original thinkers, who revel in expanding frontiers of knowledge. Unfortunately this is not happening to the desired extent at present in our country.
Jobs with fat salaries in Information Technology, the banking sector and industry are weaning away brilliant students. Knowledgeable citizens should come out with suggestions to regulate this trend so that the pure stream of knowledge does not get bogged down to serve mundane ends.
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