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The Print
01-08-2025
- Politics
- The Print
Focus on education
It is a matter of providence that India is a vast and highly complex country. Huge population (1.46 billion) coupled with huge social heterogeneity (3000 social denominations and 25,000 sub-denominations) makes anyone to comment an extremely difficult task. Rather many simply avoid to make comments. Academic heterogeneity and magnitude is no less. Huge number of different categories of Institutes-colleges, universities, research institutes, standalone institutions etc,. Cumulatively total HEI (Higher Educational Institutes) are seventy thousand plus. Still dissatisfaction and strong demands to further increase the different categories of instituters. Pros and Cons are never/seldom analyzed. Even to analyze the ground realities of the above mentioned institutes and to monitor & evaluate them is really not possible. -though some details maybe mentioned in the records. / How and what to prioritize? Following is just a random selection to discuss issues. . Because of the magnitude of the task, it is essential that the onus and responsibility of training and employment and monitoring and evaluation be devolved to different levels. Both education providers ( Sate and Central Governments including private sector and different apex/administrative bodies associated with education sector) and education receivers ( students & parents/guardians) should seriously ponder over the future prospects of the students. Degrees maybe distributed in any number . But can due employmet be provided to such gargantuan number ? Different extent of unemployment and underemployment bound to persists , Even with the present number it is so, What to say of further increase ? Above situation can result in any type of chaos in the country. Education currently being a concurrent subject it should be clearly demarcated further as to what is mandatory and what is recommendatory? Above mentioned onus should be duly divided between state and central governments. There should not be any friction between state and centre because of the concurrent nature. Of course an extreme decision is to totally separate Federal (central) and State as in some countries . Lot of friction had been going on between states and central government with respect to NEP ( National Educational Policy) since its formulation . Due negotiations should take place and see that there is absolutely no friction . Students and parents feedback maybe collected a fresh. If there is a considerable division of opinion options may be considered. With the gargantuan number of students there is a serious problem in science disciplines regarding the funding. Adequate funding is simply not possible to impart training the way it is required. In science there are many experiments to be done and also research work. Ground realities one should know whether this is possible ? Alternative methods of curriculum and training should be thought of. Many parameters pertinent to education /academic sector have to be thoroughly analysed and fixed and ensured in letter and spirit : Teacher to student ratio ; number of working days in an academic year for students and faculty ; number of working hours; course work/credit load on the students and faculty ; mentioning the course syllabus lecture wise ; number of colleges to be affiliated to a single university also taking into consideration the number of students ( alternatively no affiliation system but only unitary universities with colleges under a different apex body); due autonomy to the faculty to utilise grants obtained by them form funding agencies; total number of faculty in a department and university ; ensure uniformity in vital parameters like retirement age , promotion policies , availing sabbatical leave etc. NEP devotes lot of space to school education on which again there is a friction /differences of opinion. Number of school are huge –about 1.5 million . Here again feedback of parents and students maybe taken. Same old complaints little expanded : heavy school bags (12-18 KG ) ; home work; tuitions becoming inevitable/increasing; transport problems to and from schools; heavy course load, teacher absenteeism etc.
New Indian Express
24-04-2025
- Health
- New Indian Express
Submit details of drive against liquor: Andhra HC to government
VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Wednesday directed the Sate government to provide a detailed report on measures taken to raise public awareness about the harmful effects of alcohol consumption. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur and Justice Cheemalapati Ravi ordered the government to submit specific details of awareness campaigns, including the programmes initiated, budget allocation, and their implementation status. Additionally, the court sought information on the functioning of de-addiction centres aimed at helping individuals overcome alcohol dependency. The court's directive came during the hearing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Dr Shirin Rahman from Visakhapatnam. The PIL urged the court to impose limit on the number of alcohol bottles sold to an individual per month, and link liquor sales to Aadhaar card for better regulation. The petitioner's counsel, V Raghu, argued that while regulations on liquor sales exist, they are not being enforced effectively. He also highlighted the lack of proper management of de-addiction centres and the absence of data about the number of people receiving treatment at these facilities. The next hearing has been scheduled for July 16.
