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Higher Education Merits Change

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12 views2 pages

Higher Education Merits Change

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nkmmpl.98
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Higher education merits change

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If cars need petrol, the software industry needs trained skilled manpower. So at the cusp of the
new decade, when industry talked of new software export vision of $375 billion for the year
2020, it tagged on a caveat: India's dominance in software outsourcing would hinge largely on
the availability of a trained pool of manpower, among other factors. It had reason to worry: After
all, employability of engineering graduates for technology services is only 26 per cent. But
things seem to be changing on the ground now. For the first time, large companies such as
Cognizant and Infosys are acknowledging an improvement in the quality of engineering
graduates. Much of this is because of interventions in educational institutions by the industry.
Over the last few years, the industry has collaborated with technical institutes not just for the
curriculum. It has also been involved in train-the-trainer initiatives for universities, engaged in
workshops and training modules and lent subject experts as guest lecturers to colleges. Also,
where volumes are concerned, the industry can derive comfort from the spurt in the engineering
enrolment at colleges — over a million at the last count. That will mean more hands on the
production floors a few years from now.

That said, there can be no doubt that more needs to be done. Even today, IT sector invests $1.4
billion to convert ‘trainable talent' into ‘industry ready' professionals. And, because the education
system does not make them “first day-first hour job ready'', freshers joining companies have to
undergo months of training. Even then some do not make the cut in the end. Second, the growing
chasm between the quality of output from leading colleges and those from smaller technical
institutes needs to be bridged. The latter still suffer from old curriculum and unavailability of
good faculty. The solution lies in adopting a radical approach and taking bold decisions because
reforms in higher education are critical. Industry veterans are also talking about structural
changes in education system, given the glaring disconnect between what is being taught in
colleges and what the industry really needs. Citing the benefits accrued through privatisation in
the healthcare and airline sectors, many argue that privatisation itself could be the panacea for all
that ails the education system today. It will bring in the much-needed capital to attract the best-
in-class faculty, overhaul outdated curriculum and ensure stronger industry linkages.

The Government needs to remind itself of Deng Xiaoping's working principle: As long as the cat
catches the mice, its colour doesn't matter. Whether education is state- or privately- provided
should be irrelevant. True, politics will be a factor in a country divided socially as India is, but
that does not mean ownership of educational institutions should be the chosen instrument of
either politics or social change. Indeed, privately-owned institutions are far more likely to
achieve these ends because, to them, only merit would matter.

Privately-owned institutions are more likely to attract the best-in-class faculty and ensure
stronger industry linkages, because to them only merit would matter.

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