50 years ago, IITs and other schools were easy to get into without any preparation. Students studied at home, participated in extracurriculars, and did their best on board exams.
Central and state governments must provide education, healthcare, and shelter, not the private sector. The government must build several high-quality schools, colleges, universities, and medical institutes. Visionary academic leaders should be appointed at the top and given autonomy. We must encourage unicorn entrepreneurs and wealthy people to become philanthropists and fund such educational organizations.
Learning should not overburden young students.
Today, class 11 and 12 students must prepare for the CBSE Board exam, JEE, CUET, NEET, and other exams with distinct question papers. How can an ordinary (or good) student cope? It would be hard. The “coaching industry” has been criticized recently, but few have urged the government “regulate” the coaching class business. Corruption and malpractice will result, which is disastrous. Every coaching institute needs a counseling department that interacts with pupils. We established an admission exam that demands coaching, so I don’t blame the coaching sector.
Why is it so hard to get into a decent government-supported college after independence? Applicants have increased dramatically in recent years, which is wonderful news. But, national and state governments should prioritize education, healthcare, and shelter. Private companies cannot take up that obligation from central and state governments. Many private colleges are pricey and lack academic quality, although a few are excellent. Students are keen to get into IITs or top colleges for this reason. If parents have to spend a lot for private education, they might as well send their kids to Europe, Australia, or the US. Indeed, this is happening. However, the current generation is not interested in returning to India. Some of them moved outside India for a “better quality of life” (including getting their children into good schools/colleges), not money.
Thus, central and state governments must invest heavily in education and healthcare and establish many schools, colleges, and medical colleges. Appointing the right individual to lead each academic institution is the government’s primary priority. Ashutosh Mukherjee, appointed vice-chancellor of Calcutta University by the British government in 1906, built an academic powerhouse. C V Raman, Satyendra Nath Bose, Meghnad Saha, Prasanta Mahalanobis, Jagadish Chandra Bose, Sisir Mitra, and others were recruited to do great work and create top-notch students. People claim Indian science flourished under foreign domination. Ashutosh Mukherjee founded the Bengal Technical Institute in 1906, which became Jadavpur University, and the University College of Science in 1914, which became Rajabazar Science College of Calcutta University. We have many people with Ashutosh Mukherjee’s vision (or Homi Bhabha’s or Vikram Sarabhai’s)—we just have to identify them (which would take a lot of work) and allow them the flexibility to build world-class institutions. We are lucky to have exceptional young students who are driven to work hard and generate outstanding outcomes, as well as outstanding men and women who can become outstanding instructors and researchers with strong (and clean) leadership.
The primary question is how to fund so many institutions that would create wonderful jobs. A probable solution is that many donors in India and overseas must be inspired to give, but they also demand accountability and involvement. The following story may be relevant:
Abraham Flexner (1866–1959) devised and convinced the department store-owning Bamberger family to donate to Princeton’s Institute for Advanced Study. Flexner became the Institute’s first director in 1930, after the Great Depression. He asked his visitors, “Have you ever dreamed a dream?” and told them about establishing a learning and research university in America. Abraham Flexner’s major achievement was convincing Albert Einstein to join the Institute’s faculty and appointing brilliant people. By doing this, Princeton became a learning temple. Princeton University, Stanford University, Harvard University, and other Institutes of Excellence made the US great. I was fortunate to study for my PhD at Cornell University.
We have many unicorn founders—we must encourage them to start excellence institutes. Is that possible? Definitely possible. Swami Vivekananda encouraged Jamshetji Tata, who gave 30 lakhs of his personal riches to construct IISc Bangalore and persuaded Maharaja Krishnaraja Wadiyar of Mysore to donate over 370 acres of land and funds. IISc is a widely renowned institution. Mahendra Lal Sircar, a visionary with personal riches and substantial public contributions, founded the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science at 210 Bow Bazar Street in Calcutta in 1876, where C V Raman completed his Nobel prize-winning work in the late 20s Sircar believed that science’s backwardness caused the country’s backwardness and that original research was the solution.
Today, nearly 25% of our population—300 million people—lives below the poverty line.
Without government assistance, we should continue the work. Without limits or restrictions, we will accept government or other funding. I desire Institutional freedom. I want full control and management. It should be entirely native and national.
We must encourage unicorn entrepreneurs and wealthy people to become philanthropists and fund such educational organizations. We still have millions in poverty. We can only alleviate poverty by education, science, and technology and women empowerment. Parents and grandparents should encourage their kids and grandchildren to enter other fields apart from medical and engineering.
