IIT student commits suicide

Indo-Asian News Service
Kanpur, May 31, 2008

A fourth year engineering student at the Indian Institute of Technology in Kanpur committed suicide by hanging herself in her hostel room, the police said on Saturday.

Toya Chatterjee, 23, was a student of biological science and biotechnical engineering department. She was found dead in her room late on Friday night.

The police recovered a suicide note from the room written in Bengali. The note, addressed to her father, said: "I will not be able to get B Tech degree this year. I am ashamed of it. So I am ending my life. Take care of my mother after my death."

Director of the institute Sanjay G. Dhande said that Chatterjee was a brilliant student and had recently cleared the Common Admission Test (CAT) for admission to the Indian Institutes of Management.

But she was not keeping well for the past one year and was under the treatment of a private doctor. Due to her illness, she was not attending her classes regularly, he said.
Dhande said the counsellors at the institute had informed her father thrice about her physical health and her state of depression.

Her friends also said that she was upset over her inability to submit her project work.
This is the second suicide at the institute in the last two months. On April 8, a first year engineering student had committed suicide by hanging himself.

IIT student commits suicide

Indo-Asian News Service
Kanpur, May 31, 2008

A fourth year engineering student at the Indian Institute of Technology in Kanpur committed suicide by hanging herself in her hostel room, the police said on Saturday.

Toya Chatterjee, 23, was a student of biological science and biotechnical engineering department. She was found dead in her room late on Friday night.

The police recovered a suicide note from the room written in Bengali. The note, addressed to her father, said: "I will not be able to get B Tech degree this year. I am ashamed of it. So I am ending my life. Take care of my mother after my death."

Director of the institute Sanjay G. Dhande said that Chatterjee was a brilliant student and had recently cleared the Common Admission Test (CAT) for admission to the Indian Institutes of Management.

But she was not keeping well for the past one year and was under the treatment of a private doctor. Due to her illness, she was not attending her classes regularly, he said.
Dhande said the counsellors at the institute had informed her father thrice about her physical health and her state of depression.

Her friends also said that she was upset over her inability to submit her project work.
This is the second suicide at the institute in the last two months. On April 8, a first year engineering student had committed suicide by hanging himself.

Shillong, June 27: The Centre has agreed to set up a National Institute of Technology (NIT) in Shillong provided land is allotted by the government fo

Shillong, June 27: The Centre has agreed to set up a National Institute of Technology (NIT) in Shillong provided land is allotted by the government for the purpose. Meghalaya chief secretary Ranjan Chatterjee, who is camping in Delhi, today said over phone that the Union education secretary had agreed to set up an NIT in Shillong. The Meghalaya capital already has a medical college and an Indian Institute of Management.“The Centre only wanted Meghalaya to provide sufficient land to construct the building and other infrastructure facilities,” Chatterjee said. However, for the time being, Meghalaya and the other states that do not have NITs will be allotted more seats in the ones that do. A meeting was held in Delhi between the ministry of human resource development and the secretaries and commissioners of different states and Union Territories yesterday to discuss the seat allotment at NITs in the country. A state education department official said according to the policy of reservation of seats in technical institutions for states lacking in such facilities, the Centre had agreed to allot mores seats to affected states. The assurance comes in the wake of the new admission policy of filling up 50 per cent of the total seats of NITs for students from outside, on all-India merit basis. “The assurance of the Centre is welcome as this will compensate the loss. But Meghalaya and other states will suffer with the new admission pattern in NITs where there will be reduced seats,” said the official. According to state commissioner of education L. Roy, the state will suffer after the new system is introduced. Source: telegraph india

Shillong, June 27: The Centre has agreed to set up a National Institute of Technology (NIT) in Shillong provided land is allotted by the government fo

Shillong, June 27: The Centre has agreed to set up a National Institute of Technology (NIT) in Shillong provided land is allotted by the government for the purpose. Meghalaya chief secretary Ranjan Chatterjee, who is camping in Delhi, today said over phone that the Union education secretary had agreed to set up an NIT in Shillong. The Meghalaya capital already has a medical college and an Indian Institute of Management.“The Centre only wanted Meghalaya to provide sufficient land to construct the building and other infrastructure facilities,” Chatterjee said. However, for the time being, Meghalaya and the other states that do not have NITs will be allotted more seats in the ones that do. A meeting was held in Delhi between the ministry of human resource development and the secretaries and commissioners of different states and Union Territories yesterday to discuss the seat allotment at NITs in the country. A state education department official said according to the policy of reservation of seats in technical institutions for states lacking in such facilities, the Centre had agreed to allot mores seats to affected states. The assurance comes in the wake of the new admission policy of filling up 50 per cent of the total seats of NITs for students from outside, on all-India merit basis. “The assurance of the Centre is welcome as this will compensate the loss. But Meghalaya and other states will suffer with the new admission pattern in NITs where there will be reduced seats,” said the official. According to state commissioner of education L. Roy, the state will suffer after the new system is introduced. Source: telegraph india

Final decision by Centre after July 13

NEW DELHI, June 25 – Despite protests by States against the new policy of admission in National Institute of Technology (NIT), the Human Resources Development Ministry is likely to wait till July 13 to assess the situation before taking a final decision. There may be a few States, which have apprehensions over not getting seats in various technical institutions at the same level, as they were getting earlier. “The exact position depends on exercise of choices by the candidates and hence, would be clear only by end of first round of counselling by the Central Counselling Board (CCB) on the July 13,” official sources said.Under the circumstances, the June 26 meeting of the Technical Education Secretaries convened by the HRD Ministry may be just a formality. “All efforts will be made to give satisfaction to all States,” Ministry however assured.Conveying the anxiety of loosing out on number of seats, Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi in a letter to Union HRD Minister, Arjun Singh said that the last minute change of policy has caused great uncertainty and resentment among the students. An estimated 250 students from Assam normally gets selected to the technical institutes according to old policy.Now it is feared that the number would go down to 15 seats.Gogoi further pointed out that the Regional Engineering Colleges (RECs) were converted NITs with the clear understanding that the reciprocal system of allotment of seats would continue. However, HRD Ministry sources said there were situations when candidates with higher marks from some States were not getting admissions in NITs whereas some candidates from other State with lower marks were getting admissions. The old system had other demerits like, candidates from a particular category with very low marks from certain States getting admission, while candidates from the same category with much higher marks but from some other State being denied admission. The system was also prone to be misused by the scheming elements, it claimed.Admissions in 20 NITs are made on the basis of AIEEE conducted by Central Board of Secondary Education. Till last year, the seats in an NIT used to be filled by allocating 50 per cent of the seats to the eligible candidates of the States, where an NIT is located and rest 50 per cent of the seats (Outside State quota) were allocated to other States. These outside State quota seats allocated to different States used to be filled by the eligible candidates from these States based on their State specific AIEEE ranks. To streamline the system, the Ministry has issued instructions to the CCB 2008 directing it to fill the outside State quota seats in NITs on all India merit basis. Source: assam tribune

Final decision by Centre after July 13

NEW DELHI, June 25 – Despite protests by States against the new policy of admission in National Institute of Technology (NIT), the Human Resources Development Ministry is likely to wait till July 13 to assess the situation before taking a final decision. There may be a few States, which have apprehensions over not getting seats in various technical institutions at the same level, as they were getting earlier. “The exact position depends on exercise of choices by the candidates and hence, would be clear only by end of first round of counselling by the Central Counselling Board (CCB) on the July 13,” official sources said.Under the circumstances, the June 26 meeting of the Technical Education Secretaries convened by the HRD Ministry may be just a formality. “All efforts will be made to give satisfaction to all States,” Ministry however assured.Conveying the anxiety of loosing out on number of seats, Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi in a letter to Union HRD Minister, Arjun Singh said that the last minute change of policy has caused great uncertainty and resentment among the students. An estimated 250 students from Assam normally gets selected to the technical institutes according to old policy.Now it is feared that the number would go down to 15 seats.Gogoi further pointed out that the Regional Engineering Colleges (RECs) were converted NITs with the clear understanding that the reciprocal system of allotment of seats would continue. However, HRD Ministry sources said there were situations when candidates with higher marks from some States were not getting admissions in NITs whereas some candidates from other State with lower marks were getting admissions. The old system had other demerits like, candidates from a particular category with very low marks from certain States getting admission, while candidates from the same category with much higher marks but from some other State being denied admission. The system was also prone to be misused by the scheming elements, it claimed.Admissions in 20 NITs are made on the basis of AIEEE conducted by Central Board of Secondary Education. Till last year, the seats in an NIT used to be filled by allocating 50 per cent of the seats to the eligible candidates of the States, where an NIT is located and rest 50 per cent of the seats (Outside State quota) were allocated to other States. These outside State quota seats allocated to different States used to be filled by the eligible candidates from these States based on their State specific AIEEE ranks. To streamline the system, the Ministry has issued instructions to the CCB 2008 directing it to fill the outside State quota seats in NITs on all India merit basis. Source: assam tribune

Tripura loses quota in NITs outside state

Agartala, June 25: The Manik Sarkar government is seething over the HRD ministry’s decision to do away with quota for Tripura students outside the state in various engineering colleges, including NITs.
Therefore, the entire quota of 160 seats for Tripura students is set to go.
But as a consolation prize, the quota for students of the home state in NIT Agartala will still be 50 per cent of the total number of seats, that is, 456. Earlier, the total number of seats was 420 among which 210 were reserved for students from Tripura.
“The matter will be discussed threadbare at a high-level meeting in Delhi tomorrow and the commissioner of the higher education department will attend the meeting and communicate our stand,” the chief minister told the state Assembly today.
Sarkar said 50 per cent quota for Tripura students in the newly launched NIT Agartala cannot resolve the problems of technical education in the state.
The state government would never accept the unilateral slashing of quota for Tripura students, the chief minister said.
The HRD ministry had earlier clarified that national reservation formula would be implemented in NIT Agartala but the state government had opposed the decision.
“There is a clear ruling by the Supreme Court that the reservation formula followed at the national level cannot be enforced in institutions located within areas under the Sixth Schedule and our NIT is under areas of this schedule. Despite our repeated appeals, the HRD ministry has not yet informed us of its decision,” Sarkar said.
On reservation of seats for OBCs, he said in the current academic year, nine per cent reservation would be granted for the OBCs and it would progressively increase based on the growth in infrastructure.
Sarkar said the location of NIT Agartala under the Sixth Schedule area has created problem in the matter of reservation because the Supreme Court has not specified the reservation formula to be followed in NITs.
“We are awaiting a decision from the HRD ministry,” Sarkar said.
The Opposition INPT has launched an agitation demanding admission of more tribal students. Source: telegraph india

Tripura loses quota in NITs outside state

Agartala, June 25: The Manik Sarkar government is seething over the HRD ministry’s decision to do away with quota for Tripura students outside the state in various engineering colleges, including NITs.
Therefore, the entire quota of 160 seats for Tripura students is set to go.
But as a consolation prize, the quota for students of the home state in NIT Agartala will still be 50 per cent of the total number of seats, that is, 456. Earlier, the total number of seats was 420 among which 210 were reserved for students from Tripura.
“The matter will be discussed threadbare at a high-level meeting in Delhi tomorrow and the commissioner of the higher education department will attend the meeting and communicate our stand,” the chief minister told the state Assembly today.
Sarkar said 50 per cent quota for Tripura students in the newly launched NIT Agartala cannot resolve the problems of technical education in the state.
The state government would never accept the unilateral slashing of quota for Tripura students, the chief minister said.
The HRD ministry had earlier clarified that national reservation formula would be implemented in NIT Agartala but the state government had opposed the decision.
“There is a clear ruling by the Supreme Court that the reservation formula followed at the national level cannot be enforced in institutions located within areas under the Sixth Schedule and our NIT is under areas of this schedule. Despite our repeated appeals, the HRD ministry has not yet informed us of its decision,” Sarkar said.
On reservation of seats for OBCs, he said in the current academic year, nine per cent reservation would be granted for the OBCs and it would progressively increase based on the growth in infrastructure.
Sarkar said the location of NIT Agartala under the Sixth Schedule area has created problem in the matter of reservation because the Supreme Court has not specified the reservation formula to be followed in NITs.
“We are awaiting a decision from the HRD ministry,” Sarkar said.
The Opposition INPT has launched an agitation demanding admission of more tribal students. Source: telegraph india

Sarkar opposes admission on merit list in NIT

Sarkar opposes admission on merit list in NIT

AGARTALA, June 19 – Tripura Chief Minister, Manik Sarkar today expressed his displeasure over the recent decision of the Union Human Resource Development ministry that the admission in the National Institute of Technology (NIT) for non-domicile students would be on the basis of all India merit instead of allocating it among different states.As per the present guideline, 50 per cent of the seats in each NIT were filled by domicile candidates and the rest were filled from different state quotas. But recently the ministry has resolved that no state quota would be entertained and admission for non domicile students would be on the basis of all India merit, Sarkar told reporters here.The decision was not acceptable because infrastructure of education was not equal in every state and in the north eastern region it was poorer than any other states of the country. Sarkar wrote a letter recently to the Union HRD Minister, Arjun Singh and forwarded a copy to the prime minister for immediate interference into the matter because the students from backward states might not be able to compete with the students coming from developed states. He said, a meeting of the central counseling board under the ministry would be held on June 21 next where the matter would be discussed. Source: assam tribune

Sarkar opposes admission on merit list in NIT

Sarkar opposes admission on merit list in NIT

AGARTALA, June 19 – Tripura Chief Minister, Manik Sarkar today expressed his displeasure over the recent decision of the Union Human Resource Development ministry that the admission in the National Institute of Technology (NIT) for non-domicile students would be on the basis of all India merit instead of allocating it among different states.As per the present guideline, 50 per cent of the seats in each NIT were filled by domicile candidates and the rest were filled from different state quotas. But recently the ministry has resolved that no state quota would be entertained and admission for non domicile students would be on the basis of all India merit, Sarkar told reporters here.The decision was not acceptable because infrastructure of education was not equal in every state and in the north eastern region it was poorer than any other states of the country. Sarkar wrote a letter recently to the Union HRD Minister, Arjun Singh and forwarded a copy to the prime minister for immediate interference into the matter because the students from backward states might not be able to compete with the students coming from developed states. He said, a meeting of the central counseling board under the ministry would be held on June 21 next where the matter would be discussed. Source: assam tribune

HSLC results: it’s time to ponder

HSLC results: it’s time to ponder

— Dr. Jyotsna Bhattacharjee

The results of the HSLC examination, 2008 were announced by SEBA on May 27. It was a day of joy and sorrow - joy for the successful candidates and sorrow for those who could not succeed. Out of 2,39,606 candidates 140,618 candidates came out successful. Out of hem 17,084 secured first division, 29,714 secured second division and 93,820 third divisions. The pass percentage is 58.68. It is encouraging to note that the pass percentage has increased noticeably from last year’s 54.93.In spite of the improved percentage there have been a huge number of failures. It is true that there must be failures in any examination - but if they are too many it is time to ponder over the matter. Nearly one-lakh students could not cross the line of success. However encouraging is the maxim that “failures are the pillars of success”, there is no doubt that it does not help in mitigating the sufferings of the failed students in any way. The question naturally arises in the mind - what would these failed students do? What is the reason of such a colossal number of failures? The answers may be too many.One does not need extraordinary intelligence or skill to get through the HSLC examination - or any examination for that matter. Most people and teachers squarely blame the students for their dismal performance. Nasty politics has vitiated the sanctity of these abodes of learning and the pupils forget that they are mere students and not some die-hard politicians.In today’s scenario education is not taken as an object of worship by the students - it has been relegated to a secondary place. In the past the students believed education to be the cherished ideal for them - through which they could get knowledge and also a better future. But today there are diverse channels through which the students can gain fame, money and other luxuries of life. Education has become a means for higher success in various fields and it is no longer an end in itself - as it was once. It is also obvious that politics has played havoc in student’s life. Any issue is good enough to call for a bandh and abstain from classes and also to indulge in violence.Indiscipline in schools and colleges has sapped the very foundation of education. Morality has almost disappeared from these temples of learning. Students forget that they are not some die-hard politicians, but are mere learners in this vast world of education. Television has made a big impact on the life of a student - even a little child is not free from its vicious grip. There is no doubt that TV shows have done immense harm to the students. It is very true that it also puts up educative programmes, which would benefit the young minds. But none seems to be interested in these programmes - they appear to be more interested in these silly mindless presentations where scantily clad females perform titillating dances with chocolate faced heroes, who appear to have the capacity to vanquish a gang of strong bodied, evil-looking ruffians with their bare tender hands.The young children see villains killing people, raping women, cheating people and doing all sorts of evil deeds. These pogrammes are highly infelicitous to the young minds. When crimes are increasing by leaps and bounds, it is not at all good to give ideas to the immature young people. They have hampered education to a great degree and all these frequent agitations lure away the students from their study table.Our examination system has become similar to a fruit-squash manufacturing factory - where a little juice is squezed out and heaps of squeezed pulps are thrown out as waste products. Out of lakhs of students only a small number come out successful with first division. At a time when you have to get more than 80 per cent marks to get into a reputed institute of your choice, you can’t help wondering what fate lies ahead of these unfortunate second and third divisioners, who may have limped over the wall - but could not quite reach the goal.Without beating about the bush, it must be admitted candidly that the average standard of teaching and training in most of the schools is not adequate. They are staffed by teachers of low calibre. In fact, there can be noticed a decisive indifference and lack of dedication in the teachers. There is much truth in the saying that a teacher is born and not made. They have become more interested in earning money by private tuition - than teaching in the classrooms, where they are employed and from which they get the salary. The relation between the teacher and the student has deteriorated to such an extent that the student forgets the teachers the moment he steps out of the school or the college, and the teacher does not know half his students. What can we expect from such a teacher?In fact, the brilliant examination results of the student do not in any way reflect the standard of the institute where he studied, but they do indicate the sincerity and the dedication of the candidate, the effort and the care of the parents, and - perhaps the coaching of the private tutor. The parents frantically search for reputed schools for glamour and success. In most cases they deliver the goods - to keep up their past reputation. The private tutors once upon a time were unheard of - nobody, not even the wealthy, ever thought about engaging a private tutor for his child. But now private tuition has become a necessary adjunct to educational process of a student. Even those who cannot afford to spend their hard-earned money on the private tutor do that with the hope that it would be essential for the success of the student in the examination. Many of the successful students freely admit that they had several teachers for each subject. Now we see private tutorial homes littered in all parts of the city. It has become a flourishing business for some – as it does not need any investment in opening a tutorial centre - though the quality and standard may not be up to the mark.But all the students do not belong to the wealthy families and hence cannot afford the luxury of engaging a private tutor. Yet many of them do come out successful with flying colours. That proves that private tuition is not that important, as the parents believe. The question naturally comes to the mind - if these tutors can so successfully teach the students in the private coaching classes, why can’t they do so in the institutions where they are employed and from which they draw a monthly salary. We did not have any private tutors in our student life - and our teachers were always ready to help us whenever we had any problem without any fee. But now it has come to a stage when the private tutors have become an indispensable factor in an educational system. They have become necessary appendage for the success of the student. I personally do not think that private tuition is at all necessary for the success of a candidate. If he/she is regular in attending classes, and if the teachers are dedicated and sincere in the job then there is no necessity of any private tuition. Too much spoon-feeding is not good for the child. Private tuition destroys the natural intelligence and ability of a student.The problem is not ovee rafter the HSLC examination - rather it deepens further. Parents have to get their sons and daughters to the Higher Secondary courses in some ‘good’ institution, and stream of their choice - unfortunately without taking into account the wish of the applicants themselves. Even before the results are out they start knocking at the doors of various institutions. Naturally they aim at the best - and if not the best at least the scond or third best would have to do. Third divisioners usually search for jobs in any capacity. And the second divisioners hover around trying to grab opportunity.In the present world of ours there is no scope for simple average students. One has to be very shrewd, very rich and very manipulative to become successful. Without these ‘qualities’ it has become difficult to succeed in life. Even those with fairly satisfactory mark sheets spend precious time hanging around street corners. They learn about the value of money-power. It doesn’t matter where or how you get in - but you must manage. Young people, partly in frustration and partly in anger against an unfeeling society get into all sorts of mischief - and all sorts of social evils emerge as a consequence. We are giving too much importance on job-oriented education, ignoring the moral education. To make a complete man the children must be given moral lessons from the very childhood. But since ‘example is better than precept’ morality can be demonstrated only by examples and not by lectures. Without morality no education can be complete. It is true that at a time when the whole nation is steeped in corruption it seems to be ludicrous to talk aout morality. Yet it is also a fact that the present situation, which we see, is due to the total depravity of the nation. If the parents are corrupt they cannot teach the child the value of honesty. There may still be some honest people amongst us, who should take lead in bringing out the nation from the present holocaust. Without morality a nation cannot survive in the long run. Hence education without morality may remain a meaningless exercise.
(The writer is former Head of Philosophy, Cotton College)

HSLC results: it’s time to ponder

HSLC results: it’s time to ponder

— Dr. Jyotsna Bhattacharjee

The results of the HSLC examination, 2008 were announced by SEBA on May 27. It was a day of joy and sorrow - joy for the successful candidates and sorrow for those who could not succeed. Out of 2,39,606 candidates 140,618 candidates came out successful. Out of hem 17,084 secured first division, 29,714 secured second division and 93,820 third divisions. The pass percentage is 58.68. It is encouraging to note that the pass percentage has increased noticeably from last year’s 54.93.In spite of the improved percentage there have been a huge number of failures. It is true that there must be failures in any examination - but if they are too many it is time to ponder over the matter. Nearly one-lakh students could not cross the line of success. However encouraging is the maxim that “failures are the pillars of success”, there is no doubt that it does not help in mitigating the sufferings of the failed students in any way. The question naturally arises in the mind - what would these failed students do? What is the reason of such a colossal number of failures? The answers may be too many.One does not need extraordinary intelligence or skill to get through the HSLC examination - or any examination for that matter. Most people and teachers squarely blame the students for their dismal performance. Nasty politics has vitiated the sanctity of these abodes of learning and the pupils forget that they are mere students and not some die-hard politicians.In today’s scenario education is not taken as an object of worship by the students - it has been relegated to a secondary place. In the past the students believed education to be the cherished ideal for them - through which they could get knowledge and also a better future. But today there are diverse channels through which the students can gain fame, money and other luxuries of life. Education has become a means for higher success in various fields and it is no longer an end in itself - as it was once. It is also obvious that politics has played havoc in student’s life. Any issue is good enough to call for a bandh and abstain from classes and also to indulge in violence.Indiscipline in schools and colleges has sapped the very foundation of education. Morality has almost disappeared from these temples of learning. Students forget that they are not some die-hard politicians, but are mere learners in this vast world of education. Television has made a big impact on the life of a student - even a little child is not free from its vicious grip. There is no doubt that TV shows have done immense harm to the students. It is very true that it also puts up educative programmes, which would benefit the young minds. But none seems to be interested in these programmes - they appear to be more interested in these silly mindless presentations where scantily clad females perform titillating dances with chocolate faced heroes, who appear to have the capacity to vanquish a gang of strong bodied, evil-looking ruffians with their bare tender hands.The young children see villains killing people, raping women, cheating people and doing all sorts of evil deeds. These pogrammes are highly infelicitous to the young minds. When crimes are increasing by leaps and bounds, it is not at all good to give ideas to the immature young people. They have hampered education to a great degree and all these frequent agitations lure away the students from their study table.Our examination system has become similar to a fruit-squash manufacturing factory - where a little juice is squezed out and heaps of squeezed pulps are thrown out as waste products. Out of lakhs of students only a small number come out successful with first division. At a time when you have to get more than 80 per cent marks to get into a reputed institute of your choice, you can’t help wondering what fate lies ahead of these unfortunate second and third divisioners, who may have limped over the wall - but could not quite reach the goal.Without beating about the bush, it must be admitted candidly that the average standard of teaching and training in most of the schools is not adequate. They are staffed by teachers of low calibre. In fact, there can be noticed a decisive indifference and lack of dedication in the teachers. There is much truth in the saying that a teacher is born and not made. They have become more interested in earning money by private tuition - than teaching in the classrooms, where they are employed and from which they get the salary. The relation between the teacher and the student has deteriorated to such an extent that the student forgets the teachers the moment he steps out of the school or the college, and the teacher does not know half his students. What can we expect from such a teacher?In fact, the brilliant examination results of the student do not in any way reflect the standard of the institute where he studied, but they do indicate the sincerity and the dedication of the candidate, the effort and the care of the parents, and - perhaps the coaching of the private tutor. The parents frantically search for reputed schools for glamour and success. In most cases they deliver the goods - to keep up their past reputation. The private tutors once upon a time were unheard of - nobody, not even the wealthy, ever thought about engaging a private tutor for his child. But now private tuition has become a necessary adjunct to educational process of a student. Even those who cannot afford to spend their hard-earned money on the private tutor do that with the hope that it would be essential for the success of the student in the examination. Many of the successful students freely admit that they had several teachers for each subject. Now we see private tutorial homes littered in all parts of the city. It has become a flourishing business for some – as it does not need any investment in opening a tutorial centre - though the quality and standard may not be up to the mark.But all the students do not belong to the wealthy families and hence cannot afford the luxury of engaging a private tutor. Yet many of them do come out successful with flying colours. That proves that private tuition is not that important, as the parents believe. The question naturally comes to the mind - if these tutors can so successfully teach the students in the private coaching classes, why can’t they do so in the institutions where they are employed and from which they draw a monthly salary. We did not have any private tutors in our student life - and our teachers were always ready to help us whenever we had any problem without any fee. But now it has come to a stage when the private tutors have become an indispensable factor in an educational system. They have become necessary appendage for the success of the student. I personally do not think that private tuition is at all necessary for the success of a candidate. If he/she is regular in attending classes, and if the teachers are dedicated and sincere in the job then there is no necessity of any private tuition. Too much spoon-feeding is not good for the child. Private tuition destroys the natural intelligence and ability of a student.The problem is not ovee rafter the HSLC examination - rather it deepens further. Parents have to get their sons and daughters to the Higher Secondary courses in some ‘good’ institution, and stream of their choice - unfortunately without taking into account the wish of the applicants themselves. Even before the results are out they start knocking at the doors of various institutions. Naturally they aim at the best - and if not the best at least the scond or third best would have to do. Third divisioners usually search for jobs in any capacity. And the second divisioners hover around trying to grab opportunity.In the present world of ours there is no scope for simple average students. One has to be very shrewd, very rich and very manipulative to become successful. Without these ‘qualities’ it has become difficult to succeed in life. Even those with fairly satisfactory mark sheets spend precious time hanging around street corners. They learn about the value of money-power. It doesn’t matter where or how you get in - but you must manage. Young people, partly in frustration and partly in anger against an unfeeling society get into all sorts of mischief - and all sorts of social evils emerge as a consequence. We are giving too much importance on job-oriented education, ignoring the moral education. To make a complete man the children must be given moral lessons from the very childhood. But since ‘example is better than precept’ morality can be demonstrated only by examples and not by lectures. Without morality no education can be complete. It is true that at a time when the whole nation is steeped in corruption it seems to be ludicrous to talk aout morality. Yet it is also a fact that the present situation, which we see, is due to the total depravity of the nation. If the parents are corrupt they cannot teach the child the value of honesty. There may still be some honest people amongst us, who should take lead in bringing out the nation from the present holocaust. Without morality a nation cannot survive in the long run. Hence education without morality may remain a meaningless exercise.
(The writer is former Head of Philosophy, Cotton College)

India to upgrade higher education

By Siddharth Srivastava NEW DELHI -

Stung by criticism that the lack of higher learning institutions is contributing to an acute shortage of skilled manpower, the Indian government has taken out its red marker and set out to correct its once-renowned education system. New Delhi is looking to start nine new Indian Institutes of Technologies (IITs) this year, to add to the existing seven. Eight new IITs, regarded as among the top schools in the world, are proposed for Rajasthan, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Punjab provinces. Additionally, Benaras Hindu University will be converted into a full-fledged IIT. The IITs and the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), which are also to be expanded, are the two pedestals of the Indian education system, with alumni now employed as managers and engineers around the world. The IIMs and IITs function under a government charter and figure among lists of the world's 100 best management and technology institutes - in the same league with schools such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the University of California, Berkeley. The belated efforts of the government are welcome, but there will be no easy answers as India upgrades an education sector that is too small to meet the demands of its population, and continues to lag behind its booming economy. Even after the expansion, only a few thousand students will be selected for the IITs and IIMs from hundreds of thousands of applicants. For the undergraduate B-Tech and M-Tech programs offered through IIT-JEE (Joint Entrance Examination), for instance, around 350,000 students will compete for 5,000 seats. Similarly, for the blue-chip Indian Institute of Management (IIM), only 1,200 from a pool of about 250,000 applicants manage to procure seats each year. This makes the exam even more selective than all the top US business schools put together. In fact the overall acceptance rate at IIM ranges between 0.1% and 0.4% compared with the acceptance rate of around 5 to 10% in the top US schools. More than 90% of Indian students seeking admissions in the most desired IITs and IIMs are rejected due to capacity constraints, according to a 2008 report by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM). Forty percent of those who fail to qualify pay to study abroad, the report said. The group claimed about 450,000 Indian students are spending over US$13 billion on higher education abroad. "Over 150,000 students go overseas every year for university education, which costs India a massive foreign exchange outflow. This amount is sufficient to build many more IIMs and IITs," reported ASSOCHAM. "The trend can be reversed by opening a series of quality institutes with public-private partnership by completely deregulating higher education." Deregulation of government-controlled higher education could create annual revenues of $50-100 billion and provide 10-20 million additional jobs in the education field alone, the chamber said. It may also attract foreign students. Only 27,000 foreigners at present study in India, compared with 400,000 in Australia and 150,000 in Singapore. Implementation of a federal government blueprint for greater private and foreign participation in higher education has been stymied due to opposition by leftist parties and differences within the government. India allowed 100% foreign direct investment in education in 2001, but red tape and tough entry regulations have resulted in a poor progress. Top foreign institutes such as Harvard, Yale, MIT, Stanford, and the London School of Economics have not opened campuses in India. Instead, according to official figures, the US remains the most sought-after destination for Indian students, who form the largest proportion of international students in the US at more than 100,000. Critics say the government's plans for IIT/IIM expansion could dilute the institutions' highly regarded reputations. Ashok Misra, director of IIT Bombay, has been in favor of creating "quality under a different brand name and mandate. They can be as good or even better than IITs, but mixing a 50-year old [IIT] brand name with a new one does not make sense." Brand reputation and competition have been linked to opening India's higher education system to foreign universities, fostering competition and opportunity. Also, an increasing number of Indians who've studied abroad are now returning to India, drawn by the jobs and salaries offered by the galloping Indian economy. A global employment outlook report conducted by Manpower Inc says that India's net employment outlook for the July-September quarter 2008 is pegged at 45%, the highest in the world. Nearly 85% of IIT graduates have opted to stay back and pursue a career in India in the past five years, claims a recent study, "Changing Career Destination and Career Choices for IITians", by outsourcing firm Evalueserve. This "reverse flow" began in 2002, according to the study, with only 16% going abroad in the period until 2008. In contrast, between 1964 and 2001, 35% of IIT graduates preferred to work in the US. The Evalueserve study continues: " ... in the last five years the mindset has changed. Now, nearly 50% say India is where the action is." Even so, the growing Indian economy is grappling with severe manpower shortages. The talent crunch has forced employers to hand out 15% salary increases in the past fiscal year, much more than in the US (5.5%) and China (8%). An assessment by the human resources firm Hewitt Associates reports: "The growth in salaries is due to lack of talent in the market while companies are growing at a fast pace [30% to 35% in telecom, retail]. The supply is not keeping pace with the demand. There's a 10% to 15% shortage of talent across various levels." With luck, India's expansion of its top universities will produce more skilled manpower to meet the needs of its explosive economy.

Siddharth Srivastava is a New Delhi-based journalist.

(Copyright 2008 Asia Times Online (Holdings) Ltd. All rights reserved. Please contact us about sales, syndication and republishing.)

India to upgrade higher education

By Siddharth Srivastava NEW DELHI -

Stung by criticism that the lack of higher learning institutions is contributing to an acute shortage of skilled manpower, the Indian government has taken out its red marker and set out to correct its once-renowned education system. New Delhi is looking to start nine new Indian Institutes of Technologies (IITs) this year, to add to the existing seven. Eight new IITs, regarded as among the top schools in the world, are proposed for Rajasthan, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Punjab provinces. Additionally, Benaras Hindu University will be converted into a full-fledged IIT. The IITs and the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), which are also to be expanded, are the two pedestals of the Indian education system, with alumni now employed as managers and engineers around the world. The IIMs and IITs function under a government charter and figure among lists of the world's 100 best management and technology institutes - in the same league with schools such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the University of California, Berkeley. The belated efforts of the government are welcome, but there will be no easy answers as India upgrades an education sector that is too small to meet the demands of its population, and continues to lag behind its booming economy. Even after the expansion, only a few thousand students will be selected for the IITs and IIMs from hundreds of thousands of applicants. For the undergraduate B-Tech and M-Tech programs offered through IIT-JEE (Joint Entrance Examination), for instance, around 350,000 students will compete for 5,000 seats. Similarly, for the blue-chip Indian Institute of Management (IIM), only 1,200 from a pool of about 250,000 applicants manage to procure seats each year. This makes the exam even more selective than all the top US business schools put together. In fact the overall acceptance rate at IIM ranges between 0.1% and 0.4% compared with the acceptance rate of around 5 to 10% in the top US schools. More than 90% of Indian students seeking admissions in the most desired IITs and IIMs are rejected due to capacity constraints, according to a 2008 report by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM). Forty percent of those who fail to qualify pay to study abroad, the report said. The group claimed about 450,000 Indian students are spending over US$13 billion on higher education abroad. "Over 150,000 students go overseas every year for university education, which costs India a massive foreign exchange outflow. This amount is sufficient to build many more IIMs and IITs," reported ASSOCHAM. "The trend can be reversed by opening a series of quality institutes with public-private partnership by completely deregulating higher education." Deregulation of government-controlled higher education could create annual revenues of $50-100 billion and provide 10-20 million additional jobs in the education field alone, the chamber said. It may also attract foreign students. Only 27,000 foreigners at present study in India, compared with 400,000 in Australia and 150,000 in Singapore. Implementation of a federal government blueprint for greater private and foreign participation in higher education has been stymied due to opposition by leftist parties and differences within the government. India allowed 100% foreign direct investment in education in 2001, but red tape and tough entry regulations have resulted in a poor progress. Top foreign institutes such as Harvard, Yale, MIT, Stanford, and the London School of Economics have not opened campuses in India. Instead, according to official figures, the US remains the most sought-after destination for Indian students, who form the largest proportion of international students in the US at more than 100,000. Critics say the government's plans for IIT/IIM expansion could dilute the institutions' highly regarded reputations. Ashok Misra, director of IIT Bombay, has been in favor of creating "quality under a different brand name and mandate. They can be as good or even better than IITs, but mixing a 50-year old [IIT] brand name with a new one does not make sense." Brand reputation and competition have been linked to opening India's higher education system to foreign universities, fostering competition and opportunity. Also, an increasing number of Indians who've studied abroad are now returning to India, drawn by the jobs and salaries offered by the galloping Indian economy. A global employment outlook report conducted by Manpower Inc says that India's net employment outlook for the July-September quarter 2008 is pegged at 45%, the highest in the world. Nearly 85% of IIT graduates have opted to stay back and pursue a career in India in the past five years, claims a recent study, "Changing Career Destination and Career Choices for IITians", by outsourcing firm Evalueserve. This "reverse flow" began in 2002, according to the study, with only 16% going abroad in the period until 2008. In contrast, between 1964 and 2001, 35% of IIT graduates preferred to work in the US. The Evalueserve study continues: " ... in the last five years the mindset has changed. Now, nearly 50% say India is where the action is." Even so, the growing Indian economy is grappling with severe manpower shortages. The talent crunch has forced employers to hand out 15% salary increases in the past fiscal year, much more than in the US (5.5%) and China (8%). An assessment by the human resources firm Hewitt Associates reports: "The growth in salaries is due to lack of talent in the market while companies are growing at a fast pace [30% to 35% in telecom, retail]. The supply is not keeping pace with the demand. There's a 10% to 15% shortage of talent across various levels." With luck, India's expansion of its top universities will produce more skilled manpower to meet the needs of its explosive economy.

Siddharth Srivastava is a New Delhi-based journalist.

(Copyright 2008 Asia Times Online (Holdings) Ltd. All rights reserved. Please contact us about sales, syndication and republishing.)