In defence of `premier' intitutes
S. MUTHUKUMARAN
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The problem lies not with the education but in our inability to utilise the expertise available
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THE AUTHOR of the article "Premier engineering institutes" (Open Page, May 13) questions the usefulness of the IITs. This write-up examines the issues raised therein.
In the career of any engineering graduate, whether he takes up research, teaching, design, construction, operation or maintenance, initially most of his responsibilities will be technical with very little administration or management; but in due course as he rises in the organisation or gains experience, his position will demand more and more time for administration or management.
Anyone who manages an engineering organisation can be successful only if he has knowledge of the professional work that is carried on in the organisation. Thus even if one takes up management or administration immediately or within a few years after passing, his knowledge is not wholly wasted.
Another aspect that is associated with studies in a good technical institution is that the student gets a training to work hard, to take initiative, to work under all situations and has the opportunity to acquire leadership qualities, entrepreneurship abilities and the like. Acquisition of these qualities and abilities stands him in good stead in whatever position he finds himself and in tackling problems at home and in the work place.
Several qualified persons migrate to other countries and do not contribute to the development of this country because this country has lost the ability to utilise their knowledge. Quite often it is seen that the opinions or recommendations of politicians, administrators and cine stars are given undue weightage as against those of qualified economists on economic issues, qualified engineers on engineering problems, qualified educators on academic matters and qualified doctors on health problems.
This naturally leads to a situation where a well qualified person is forced to search elsewhere for opportunities for fulfilment of his aspirations in life. The problem is therefore not with the education or the educated but with those in power who do not utilise the expertise available in the country but import technical knowledge and invite experts and industries or contractors from so called advanced countries.
Further, neglect of higher education will ultimately lead to the country being ever dependent on other countries for development and improvement. What is wanted is that those in positions of power are to be required to utilise fully the expertise available in this country before importing expertise from other countries. This would happen only if decision making persons undergo training within this country as envisaged by Rajiv Gandhi.
Another issue that is often raised is the relative importance of investments in higher education and primary education.
It is true that investment in primary education has to be substantial as all young ones are to be provided with free education at the primary level. After the Constitution was amended to shift education from the State List to the Concurrent List, the Union government has been providing substantial grants especially under the recently introduced SSA scheme.
But whether these amounts are used for the purpose for which they are released is anybody's guess. There is a need to discuss this not only on public platforms but also in the higher educational institutions as the input into them is the output from the schools and as the higher institutions provide teachers to the schools.
The question to be asked and answered is whether the schools syllabi are to be loaded with several languages and information or should consist of teaching well the home language and the required additional languages, knowledge and skill according to their individual needs and aptitude so that the children will blossom into useful, knowledgeable citizens with a sense of pride in their knowledge, vocation or profession and everything associated with their country. A right choice will lead to the prosperity of all citizens and in turn the country.
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