Let's give colleges autonomy: Kapil Sibal

Updated on: Tuesday, January 12, 2010

New Delhi: Human resource development (HRD) minister Kapil Sibal has grand plans to reform our education system.

After advocating a formula that would test the analytical ability of students instead of promoting learning by rote, Sibal wants educational institutes to be free from university affiliations. At present, institutes with degree courses need to be affiliated to state universities.

There is a need for a paradigm shift in the structure of knowledge. There is a need for having stand-alone centres of wealth creation. Good, quality institutions should be free from affiliation. Why can't we have autonomous colleges? This can be done by having a separate body to conduct examinations for all educational institutions, said Sibal.

The minister said that the colleges and institutions seek affiliation from state universities for the purpose of examination. He believes the way ahead can be that an independent body conducts examinations for these institutions instead of the state universities.

This would help institutions, particularly the technical ones, to become independent and concentrate on research.

Concerned that the Indian institutions lag in research output, the HRD minister said it was time the country thought differently and gave its education institutions freedom to think freely.

According to him, they should be free from the affiliation process of universities, who use institutions to make money. He said all major universities in America were set up by businessmen, but Indias business community hasn't realised the potential in this sector.

Mukesh Ambani recently announced plans to set up a world-class university that would promote research in all disciplines. A lot more people are coming to me now. We are opening up the education sector for private,Sibal said.

Sibal's remarks were prompted by a study on engineering education in India conducted by IIT-Bombay professors Rangan Banerjee and Vinayak P Muley, which found that though India produces roughly 2.3 lakh engineering graduates, only 1% out of them go for research.

According to Banerjee, there should be at least 20,000 PhDs per year, possibly half of them supported by the industry if India is to grow into a major economic power.

Sibal added that China produces 50,000 PhDs every year, but the number is 8,000 in India. While 6,700 people are doing research in Scandinavian countries per one million popultion, the number is 4,700 in the US.

The number in India is just 156, he said. At least 10% of our engineering students should do research. But educational reform are essential for this, Sibal said.

Let's give colleges autonomy: Kapil Sibal

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