Taking Education to the Masses

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May 4, 2012

“I would like to start with this quote ‘For life that I have to compromise at every step, I wish to live that is true but not this much and not at any cost’. I say this to illustrate the kind of regime, as far as Education is concerned that we were living in,” says Sushma Berlia, President, Apeejay Stya group

Tell us about the Apeejay Stya group’s endeavours in education?

The Apeejay Education Society, established by the leading Industrial House of Apeejay Stya Group in the year 1967, has built a rich heritage of nearly four and half decades in the field of quality education through a family of 30 institutions, i.e. 13 schools and 16 institutions of higher learning, in various states of the country, along with the Apeejay Stya University.All Apeejay institutions are guided by his vision of value-based holistic education, focusing on acquiring thinking skills and learning how to learn for life. Today, the Apeejay family comprises over 32,000 students, 60,000 alumni and 2,200 faculty, providing education from pre-nursery to doctoral level.

In terms of regulation of the higher education sector, what are the key challenges and opportunities in India?

I would like to start with this quote “For life that I have to compromise at every step, I wish to live that is true but not this much and not at any cost”. I say this to illustrate the kind of regime, as far as Education is concerned that we were living in.

Any regulatory system should be transparent and ensure accountability, and we are really looking forward to discuss on some of these pertinent issues which are being considered and being taken up but more than that the framework within which we are trying to move ahead because everything else comes from that overall vision and flows from there.
The roles of the Regulatory bodies need to be reviewed in order to act as a true facilitator and an enabler. The focus should be on building a strong educational system that helps the country win a global edge. The need of the hour is to tailor education reforms in such a way that it fulfils the need and opportunities in the future for the students.

The Union Cabinet has cleared the establishment of National Commission for Higher Education and Research, a higher education regulatory body. What are your views on the process of subsuming various regulatory body for a common regulatory body?

Indian higher education is on a reform path. The creation of an all-encompassing national commission for higher education and research (NCHER) is to regulate quality standards in all branches of higher education. This should be a constitutional body free of political intrusions, replacing the current regime of multiple regulators saddled with their dysfunctional, inspection-based regulatory arrangements. Keeping in view the prevailing various Acts i.e. – UGC, AICTE, NCTE (leading to several windows)–certainly having a uniform body like NCHER, in itself will go a long way. The new commission is the super-regulator. But it remains doubtful if such a superstructure can govern a complex and increasingly diverse system. However, careful design of structure and instruments of regulation could create the desired regulatory system. The country needs a regulatory environment that encourages diversity and quality comparisons between institutions—not one that centralizes authority or enforces dead uniformity.

With Foreign Collaborations being the key focus of educational institutes, what are the current and future plans for Apeejay in furthering these collaborations?

The increasing internationalisation of higher/tertiary education has give rise to mobility of academics, students and professionals, and the mobility of education itself, in the guise of transnational or cross border tertiary education, either in face-to-face programs or through e-learning mechanisms.

International collaboration and networking between institutions in different areas of teaching and research is the most significant factor in the organisation of Higher education in many countries including India.

I strongly believe that collaboration is the way forward and it will help a higher education institution rise to the standards of its foreign partner. At Apeejay we strongly believe that for such collaborations to become meaningful, teaching must go hand in hand with research and only then will quality education and foreign collaborations are meaningful.

Do you think Industry Academia Partnership is important to provide employable skills for students?

With rapid advancement of knowledge and rapidly changing technology base, it has become absolutely essential that the industry and academia work together as partners in progress. We have seen that students while equipped with graduate certificates lack in employable skills sets. This has, in turn opened up a yawning skills gap between academic output and industry expectations.

Our industries need not only qualified manpower having knowledge and skills of handling state-of-the-art technology and decision support tools in its design, manufacturing and managerial activity, they also require a regular and easy flow of technology and that can only be assured by a synergetic partnership between industries and academic institutions/ universities.

What are your views on the use of ICTs in Education? How does the Apeejay Group keep up with the rapidly changing technological changes?

Effectiveness, Affordability, Scalability, Equity, and Sustainability are broad intertwined issues which must be addressed when considering the overall impact of the use of ICTs in Education. In the last two decades, India has significantly contributed towards the creation of knowledge society through revolutionary developments in the field of ICT.

The range of media and tools that has become available to us for transmission, storage and retrieval of data is amazing.

What role do you think Private Universities play in the education sector in India?

Education sector is witnessing an exponential growth and we have to synchronise our processes to meet the growth.

But, like in any other growth industry, the biggest challenge is to execute growth plans and building information systems that can scale with business growth. The higher education sector needs to grow to accommodate a larger fraction of India’s population. The government’s objective to increase enrolment to 30 percent needs tremendous expansion.

There is a need to evolve an appropriate policy framework for facilitating greater flow of private investment in education sector including removal of entry barriers, simplified procedures for affiliations etc. Also, there should be sufficient flexibility for Centre-State and private sector participation under various PPP models.

The role of the private sector in Indian higher education has increased significantly over the last decade, with majority of students currently being enrolled in private institutions. This role will only increase considering the substantial investments required in the sector.

Education Must Lead to Wisdom

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May 4, 2012

“We see tremendous response from women for joining the engineering courses that we offer in the institute,” Professor Dilip K Bandyopadhyay, Vice Chancellor, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University

Please provide us with a brief overview of the Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University? What are you plans for promoting the participation of women in engineering institutes?

Our University has more than 65000 students, 106 affiliated colleges, and 122 programs. We feel that now at this stage, we can rightly claim to be a leading education brand. Many students who are passing out of our University are getting good employment. The Indira Gandhi Institute of Technology (IGIT) is an institute of engineering for women. We see tremendous response from women for joining the engineering courses that we offer in the institute. We are taking 180 students in the field of mechanical and automobile engineering.

The Union Minister of HRD has proposed Common Entrance Test for all the engineering aspirants. How is it going to impact the overall engineering education process?

We have been conducting the test for our university and affiliated colleges for the last 13 years. Our university has been given the responsibility, under the act, for taking these tests forward. Now, it is the decision of the concerned state whether to go for the centralised test or for the other one. I would say that the centralised state test is going to be good for students as they will not have to give multiple examinations.

What are the basic requirements for enhancing employability skills among graduating students and how can we align education with vocational skills?

I am of the opinion that education provided at the University should not just be aimed at producing employable skills, it should also contribute towards holistic development. The University should essentially provide education that is skills oriented. In addition to skills, students should also gain wisdom. Now what is wisdom? Wisdom is the process of combining the knowledge of your cultures and customs with the curricular knowledge. Wisdom is something that allows you to become a valuable part of the society. So task of education is to inculcate the values of knowledge, skills and wisdom in all students.

Please tell us about the technological solutions being used at IP University?

Online admissions are something that we have recently started at the University. We also have a system for total examination automation. The entire student life-cycle is being recorded and automated. Students can access online information, including attendance, mark sheets, grades etc through an easy to use interface. Our institute also has an excellent connectivity. Also, all classrooms have electronic boards so that when the teacher writes something, it gets recorded on the disk. This can then be kept for future reference. In addition to that, we are now going to start video conferencing facilities in affiliated colleges so that good lectures on a particular topic are recorded. The same can then be broadcast to some of our affiliated colleges, so the students can listen to them and also have a question and answer sessions.

Tell us about your involvement with National Mission of Education through ICT.

We have become a member of the National Mission of Education through ICT. Educational content will be available online and it may just replace the typical classroom learning model.

Effective Education through e-Governance

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digitalLEARNING Network

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May 4, 2012

“We are trying to implement many e-Governance initiatives to bring more effectiveness to our system of education. We now have an online admission process,” says Prof S K Sopory, Vice Chancellor, Jawaharlal Nehru University

JNU has been collaborating with many foreign universities for academic linkages. Can you highlight certain case studies in this regarding what are the future plans of JNU for overseas expansions?

JNU has collaborations with many foreign universities. We are now planning to have active presence in other Asian countries like Malaysia. There are also plans to go to South America in countries like Brazil. JNU already has a global studies programme under which, students come from outside and out students go to foreign universities.

The Union Cabinet recently cleared the National Commission of Higher Education and Research. What is your view on this?

I think this is the right step. The National Commission of Higher Education and Research will enable us to manage all the ideas by which we can use new technologies and new models to expand our higher education system. The students these days are focussed on the subject of quality; they want access to quality education. So quality is of great importance. National Commission of Higher Education and Research will hopefully help us bring quality in the system of education.

What is your view on imparting of vocational education?

Vocation education is very important. You have to help students develop the skills so that they are able to find the right jobs and placements. At JNU we get students who are from different strata of society, so we have developed internal systems to inculcate English speaking and writing skills to all our students. We are also developing programmes for imparting computing and mathematics related skills.

What is your view on the use of ICT in education? How far has the JNU been able to integrate ICT technology into the educational and administrative processes?

We are trying to implement many e-Governance initiatives to bring more effectiveness to our system of education. We now have an online admission process. The system for online registration was started last year. There is no doubt that ICT can play a major role in the process of education. We have plans to use technology for both, education and administrative purposes.

What is your view on the subject of foreign institutes being allowed to set up their campus in India?

In fact, I have given my view on this subject in the Rajya Sabha. There is no harm in foreign institutes setting up their campus in India, but we have to be careful about what kinds of universities are allowed to come in. So some methods of regulation have to be there.

These days many institutes have been going in for virtual laboratories for teaching their students. What is your view on this?

In some sectors of education, virtual laboratories might be useful. For instance, in biology students can benefit from virtual laboratories. But there are other sectors of education where virtual laboratories might not be that useful. So the usefulness of virtual laboratories depends on the nature of the subject that is being taught.

JNU has a research centre facility. Are their plans to expand this facility?

We have very advanced instrumentation research facility. Students from JNU and even those from other institutes have access to the facility. We want to expand this facility we have approached department of by technology. We are intent on providing our students a through grounding on latest technologies that are currently available.

The Scenario for Higher Education in India Issues, Challenges and New Opportunities

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digitalLEARNING Network

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May 4, 2012

By Sheena Joseph Cherian, Elets News Network (ENN)

The higher education system in India has witnessed remarkable growth; it is being heralded as the largest system of its kind in the world. However, the system continues to be fraught with numerous issues. There are the issues concerning management, which include aspects like access, equity and relevance. The assessment of institutions and their accreditation is something that the regulators need to attend to. There are the issues related to financing and ensuring that education in the country continues to be a public service. It should not be allowed to degenerate into a profit making venture.

A large number of additional students continue to knock at the doors of our institutions for higher education. As a nation we can’t escape the moral obligation of providing high quality higher education to each and every son and daughter of this country. New policies and strategies that will give rise to larger number of high quality institutions are the need of the hour. It is imperative that we find the solutions to these problems, as we are now engaged in the using higher education as a powerful tool for creation of a knowledge-based information society that will take India into a bright new future.

In our coverage of the higher education sector in India, we interacted with the leading personalities of a large number of education institutes. These individuals have expressed their views on a range of issues that are of importance to the higher education sector. In pages that follow we present a broad account of the interactions that we have conducted.

The Challenge of Higher Education

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digitalLEARNING Network

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May 4, 2012

In sheer numbers and diversity, India is home to one of the largest higher education systems in the world. The possibilities seem great for higher education institutes in the country that are charged with equipping our graduates to compete in today’s knowledge based society. Distance education, cutting edge learning-management systems and the prospect of collaborating with important institutions from other parts of the world are just some of the transformational benefits that public and private universities in the country have started embracing.

However, significant challenges also loom. Some of these challenges have to do with issues related to management and regulation. The most major challenge before us is to bring equity in the quality of education that is available across the country. The idea of quality education is more close to the heart of students in rural, semi-urban and urban areas, as they are also eager to become stakeholders in the ongoing economic revolution in the country. A large number of additional students are knocking at the doors of our educational institutions. The system must grow at a rapid pace in order to cater to the educational needvs of these students.

Most Indian universities have imbibed new solutions from ICT to bring improvements in the nature and the scope of their educational and administrative facilities. The logic behind the use of high-end technology is that such solutions allow students to become more engaged in constructing their own knowledge, and cognitive studies show that ability is the key to learning success. But technology can also be an expensive proposition. At times, faculty members, who are used to teaching in one way, might be averse to learning new methods.

In this issue of digitalLEARNING, we have interacted with many leading stakeholders of the higher education space. The idea behind these interactions is to present a view of the higher education sector as it exists today; we take a look at the achievements and also the issues that require our urgent attention. We have also conducted a research on the Right to Education bill. Every educator is in favour of contributing his mite to the achievement of India’s educational goals, but there are also some concerns being expressed. We present a complete picture.

The World Education Summit is scheduled for 23rd and 24th July 2012, at Le Méridien, New Delhi. This issue of digitalLEARNING is a part of the special series through which we are making in depth coverage of the education sector in the country. I invite all of you to become part of the WES and participate in the discussion on the best ways of bringing landmark improvements our education space.

Professor S S Mantha, Chairman AICTE has kindly consented to be guest editor of the entire series of issues that will be released in the run up to the World Education Summit. Along with the May issue, he will also be the Guest Editor for June, July and August issues of digitalLEARNING. I would like to thank him for the invaluable guidance that he is providing in creation of these special issues of digitalLEARNING that feature in depth analysis of the education sector in the country.

Tata Interactive Systems Win eMaharashtra 2012 Award

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digitalLEARNING Network

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May 4, 2012

Tata Interactive Systems (TIS), a pioneer and global leader in learning solutions, has been recently honoured with the eMaharashtra 2012 Award for the best multimedia content for K12 (jury’s choice). The award and certificate for best multimedia content for K12 were presented by Fauzia T Khan, State Minister, General Administration, Public Health and Family Welfare, School Education, Cultural Affairs, Information and Publicity, Government of Maharashtra for. The eMaharashtra award exemplifies Tata Interactive Systems’ commitment towards providing excellent education and superior resources to students.

Sanjaya Sharma, Chief Executive Officer, Tata Interactive Systems, said, “We are happy and proud to receive the prestigious eMaharashtra Award for our multimedia content for K12. Being the world leader in innovative learning solutions, we are uniquely positioned to improve the quality of education imparted to children from under-privileged backgrounds. For India to truly hold its own on the global stage, there is a need to improve the quality of education imparted to children from under-privileged backgrounds, and also to improve their ability to communicate in English. India’s challenge is not just unemployment – but also un-employability of a vast majority of the people of our country who are unable to communicate proficiently in English.”

Tata Interactive Systems (TIS) along with Bombay Community Public Trust (BCPT) and NGO Muktangan collaborated to provide high-quality standardized interactive English teaching aids based on the government prescribed curriculum to help children in state-run and private vernacular medium schools overcome the English barrier and become employable.

Tata Interactive Systems (TIS) was responsible for designing and developing the DVDs. Muktangan assisted in guiding the teaching methodology used in DVDs and providing a platform for user-testing. Bombay Community Public Trust (BCPT) helped in fund raising, administration, accounting and project coordination. Apart from these three, Tech Mahindra Foundation also provided financial assistance and NGO Learning Space Foundation helped with distribution of the DVDs in municipal and village schools across Maharashtra. The DVDs have already reached over 75 schools across the state.

TIS took this initiative to improve the quality of education imparted to children from under-privileged backgrounds, and also to improve their ability to communicate in English. The project aims to build English communication skills in under privileged children and overcome inadequacies of English teachers in non-English medium schools. This was achieved by prompting existing teachers to improve their skills and imparting standardized language skills to students through creative electronic learning content with an engaging instructional design approach. It was identified that a strong foundation in English is best built at an early stage – therefore the defined target age-group was Std 1 to 4.

Aptech Hungama Digital Education Paves mEducation In India

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digitalLEARNING Network

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May 3, 2012

The country’s mobile education sector is going to see a new revolution. Lately, Aptech and Hungama Digital Media Entertainment have joined hands with a ratio of 50: 50 joint venture. The limited liability partnership is named as Aptech Hungama Digital Education.

Speaking on the occasion, Ninad Karpe, CEO and MD, Aptech said, “About 18 months ago, a team of four people (two each from Aptech and Hungama Digital Media Entertainment) was formed to explore the possibilities of mEducation. Several pilot products were developed thereafter. Four verticals, namely English and personality development, entrance examinations, K-12 segment and vocational education were identified by the team, as potential fields”.

The company duo will launch its first set of products in the coming month. The initial product line will concentrate on personality development and has been launched only in India. Though in a due course of time the products will also be retailed in overseas markets.

As per Mr. Kapre, data based products will be launched in the top 20 towns in the initial phases. However, voice-based products will be launched in more regions. To offer the service, partnership has been formed with telecom companies. Furthermore, Aptech and Hungama plan to approach Direct to Home companies as well to offer similar services on television.

Roy also said the content could also be loaded into Intel devices, with which his company already has a partnership. The service will be available in Hindi, English and a few other languages like Tamil and Telugu and the JV entity will extend later to other languages.

Indian Education Congress 2012

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digitalLEARNING Network

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May 2, 2012

Indian Education Congress 2012, which was held on April 28 – 29, 2012, in New Delhi addressed some of the best practices, regulatory issues and future trends within the realm of fast-growing Indian education sector. The event was organized by Franchise India.

Speaking on the occasion Gaurav Marya, President, Franchise India said, “With the fast growth in education sector, the opportunity at hand calls for building of stable, consistent and progressive education services. The Indian Education Congress is an initiative by Franchise India that recognizes the need to think more boldly and broadly on how to strengthen and expand our existing initiatives within the growing Indian education sector.”

He opined that education sector offers potential business opportunity, which could become as big and popular for investors as IT, telecom and retailing. The two day conclave was attended by dignitaries like Pawan Aggarwal, Advisor (Higher Education Planning Commission, GOI), Dr S S Mantha (Chairman, AICTE), Vineet Joshi (IAS, Chairman, CBSE), Karan Khemka (Partner, The Parthenon Group), Sandip Somany (President, PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry) among others.

Association of Indian Universities (AIU) Says UK PG Degree Is Invalid

Higher Education

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digitalLEARNING Network

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May 2, 2012

Association of Indian Universities (AIU) has taken stand in which they have nullified the validity of UK PG degree. Candidates holding such degrees are not eligible for higher studies.

The said degree, for which thousands of Indian students aspire for every year, is not recognized in India and candidates holding such degrees may be rejected by the varsities for higher studies like Ph.D.

The stand taken by the AIU and the British Council that guides Indian students on UK education too seem to corroborate this view. The AIU website clearly indicates that Master Degree programs of less than two years in duration of foreign universities will not be accorded equivalence and AIU does not issue Equivalent Certificates in such cases.

Interestingly, AIU is the only recognized body in India for granting academic equivalence of degrees and diplomas not only within the country but also to other similar bodies in foreign countries.

The website also indicates that the AIU has signed MoU with Arab Republic of Egypt, Russian Federation, Australia, Germany and Sri Lanka. As per the MoU provisions, the degrees and full time programs awarded by the accredited universities of these concerned countries that are offered on the campus of the country of origin are accepted for admission to higher courses in India on reciprocal basis.

Centre’s Higher Education and Research Bill Comes Under Threat

Higher Education

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digitalLEARNING Network

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May 2, 2012

The Bar Council of India (BCI) has opposed the Centre’s proposed law for regulating legal education. The BCI said that the HRD Ministry wants to take over the power of the apex body of lawyers to make entry of foreign institutions and law firms easier. The BCI threatened to launch a nation-wide protest against the Higher Education and Research Bill, which seeks to establish the National Commission on Higher Education and Research (NCHER), an overarching body to regulate university education including legal education.

Manan Kumar Mishra, the newly elected BCI chairman said, “The BCI has convened its emergent meeting on May 4 to discuss the future course of action and if need be, the lawyers all over the country would organize protests in Delhi and all state headquarters to show their solidarity on this issue”.

He further said, “Legal fraternity is not at all going to tolerate these anti-people and anti-lawyer bills and the BCI and the State Bar Councils shall not allow the HRD Ministry to usurp any of the functions of these bodies, provided under the Advocates Act 1961”.

It is here to note that until date the legal education and profession is being regulated by the BCI. The BCI is also of the opinion that the bill is against the federal structure of the Constitution and gives a complete monopoly to the HRD Ministry in the matters of education.

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