Re: [Assam] From Outlook India: An Indictment of In dianHigher Education
Just because these folks --you or I or whoever came to the USA or went to Bilaat or what have you, does not necessarily mean we were EDUCATED. Does it? Education is a bit more O' C'da. I did not say educated, I said got their education, didn't I? Are you trying to trap me again to something which I had never said? One's being educated, that is? :) you are oblivious of ) come out to be the 'brilliant' products they get to be known as? What percentage of an Indian school or college get that minimum of what could be considered a reasonably rounded EDUCATION , never mind well-rounded? I guess I agree with you on this. BTW, that (if secondary education in India was better) was my question, not a statement. outside your sphere of awareness. But can you enlighten us from your own experiences ? I realize it was from a distant past as our modern day friends would readily counter. But how much has it changed, do you have any idea? Not much! And that is why it was a question. :) God! Put Back Thy Universe and Give Me Yesterday - Henry Arthur Jones “In order to make spiritual progress you must be patient like a tree and humble like a blade of grass” - Lakshmana Date: Fri, 23 Nov 2007 02:32:44 -0600To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]: [EMAIL PROTECTED]: Re: [Assam] From Outlook India: An Indictment of In dianHigher Education Alpana, Alpana, Alpana! When will you ever learn :-)? Just because these folks --you or I or whoever came to the USA or went to Bilaat or what have you, does not necessarily mean we were EDUCATED. Does it? Education is a bit more than collecting information or being able to do good math. Or did you miss the highlighted points ,made by the writer in that Outlook article? I thought they say that the standard of secondary school (not college) education in India is higher than that of many western countries, no? *** Let us assume for a moment, just to make you feel good, that it is indeed so. Now then if it IS so, why is India in the shape it is? Or why do Indians in these forums like our own, ask the kind of questions they do or make the comments they do? And finally how many from a class of fifty or even a hundred ( with one teacher riding herd as they have to in many Indian schools; as you are oblivious of ) come out to be the 'brilliant' products they get to be known as? What percentage of an Indian school or college get that minimum of what could be considered a reasonably rounded EDUCATION , never mind well-rounded? We don't expect you to speak for what you have never seen or experienced that goes on outside your sphere of awareness. But can you enlighten us from your own experiences ? I realize it was from a distant past as our modern day friends would readily counter. But how much has it changed, do you have any idea? At 12:39 AM -0600 11/23/07, Alpana B. Sarangapani wrote: Didn't these NRAs get their education in that Indian system itself to begin with? Or, did they just grow wings to fly to the US right after they were born in Assam/India? I thought they say that the standard of secondary school (not college) education in India is higher than that of many western countries, no? In order to make spiritual progress you must be patient like a tree and humble like a blade of grass - Lakshmana From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]: [EMAIL PROTECTED]: Fri, 23 Nov 2007 00:16:32 -0600Subject: Re: [Assam] From Outlook India: An Indictment of In dianHigher Education.ExternalClass .EC_hmmessage P {padding-right:0px;padding-left:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-top:0px;} .ExternalClass EC_BODY.hmmessage {font-size:10pt;font-family:Tahoma;} So at Thanksgiving 2007 after Turkey and Cranberry pudding they should pledge to work out a very well thought out plan to enable Direction to Purposeful Education for all in Oxom now and for the Future.Time and tide waits for no man. Mukulda: Nice! . And if we have been asked to work out a plan for Purposeful Education for Oxom, then what do you think in your mind it will be. I have a plan what I call, Get On Demand Plan. You get whatever you demand. I call it the GOD plan imagining that money is not the problem (which probably is a fact for Oxom), that is what we would ask GOD to give for Oxom. Let us discuss what such a Purposeful Education System would be for Oxom or rather the North East? Rajen - Original Message - From: mc mahant To: A Mailing list for people interested in Assam from around the world Sent: Thursday, November 22, 2007 7:59 PM Subject: Re: [Assam] From Outlook India: An Indictment of In dianHigher Education Education is what brought many Assamnetters to where they are.They surely want their old country folk to be properly educated to do something better-live better-healthier-happier-more useful to the world/humanity.So at Thanksgiving 2007 after Turkey and Cranberry pudding they should pledge to work out a very
Re: [Assam] From Outlook India: An Indictment of In dianHigher Education
Alpanaji, Excuse me from seeming uncouth - but He He He thats a good one!! If you mean Western countries like West Indies -- perhaps you have have heard right that some --only a few (mostly private run) Indian high schools are better. But on the whole there can be no doubt that most Indian high schools (esp govt ones) lack adequate staff, facilities -- if you compare with western countries like USA, Canada , UK or even Mexico. In Mexico 98% graduate from elementary school -compared to 70% in India (that too is a govt estimate - out of those enrolled -- which is about 80% of total primary school age population). And even if curriculum is challenging in state level exams - in many states (including Madhya Pradesh, UP, Bihar and many others) there is always the option of cheating inside the school examination hall with full cooperation of the examiners - who may be from another school. Some time back I recall UP had tougned its anti-cheating rule and passing rate fell from 80% to 30%. The parents were angry and the govt lost face in international and national arena. . On the plank that anti-cheating rules would be reverted to old system if elected - the new govt came to power. It is true that most private schools are forced to be competitive but in places like Delhi even government schools are pretty well managed thanks to the civil society incl media who maintain hawks eye of teacher's teacing and attendance , examination etc. Also, perhaps the NRA perception that US colleges are good but not schools - may stem from the fact that dating stats early in US (though not true for all communities) and that by the time students reach college there are mature enough. So many NRI parents send their kids or migrate wholesale to India till the risky years are over. That may have nothing to do with the quality of science or math or humanities education provided in US schools or that of UK or Canada. Regards. Umesh Alpana B. Sarangapani [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:.hmmessage P { margin:0px; padding:0px } body.hmmessage { FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY:Tahoma } Didn't these NRAs get their education in that Indian system itself to begin with? Or, did they just grow wings to fly to the US right after they were born in Assam/India? I thought they say that the standard of secondary school (not college) education in India is higher than that of many western countries, no? In order to make spiritual progress you must be patient like a tree and humble like a blade of grass - Lakshmana - From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: assam@assamnet.org Date: Fri, 23 Nov 2007 00:16:32 -0600 Subject: Re: [Assam] From Outlook India: An Indictment of In dianHigher Education .ExternalClass .EC_hmmessage P {padding-right:0px;padding-left:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-top:0px;} .ExternalClass EC_BODY.hmmessage {font-size:10pt;font-family:Tahoma;} So at Thanksgiving 2007 after Turkey and Cranberry pudding they should pledge to work out a very well thought out plan to enable Direction to Purposeful Education for all in Oxom now and for the Future. Time and tide waits for no man. Mukulda: Nice! . And if we have been asked to work out a plan for Purposeful Education for Oxom, then what do you think in your mind it will be. I have a plan what I call, Get On Demand Plan. You get whatever you demand. I call it the GOD plan imagining that money is not the problem (which probably is a fact for Oxom), that is what we would ask GOD to give for Oxom. Let us discuss what such a Purposeful Education System would be for Oxom or rather the North East? Rajen - Original Message - From: mc mahant To: A Mailing list for people interested in Assam from around the world Sent: Thursday, November 22, 2007 7:59 PM Subject: Re: [Assam] From Outlook India: An Indictment of In dianHigher Education Education is what brought many Assamnetters to where they are. They surely want their old country folk to be properly educated to do something better-live better-healthier-happier-more useful to the world/humanity. So at Thanksgiving 2007 after Turkey and Cranberry pudding they should pledge to work out a very well thought out plan to enable Direction to Purposeful Education for all in Oxom now and for the Future. Time and tide waits for no man. mm - Date: Thu, 22 Nov 2007 12:56:41 -0600 To: assam@assamnet.org From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [Assam] From Outlook India: An Indictment of In dian Higher Education .ExternalClass EC_ExternalClass blockquote, .ExternalClass .EC_ExternalClass dl, .ExternalClass .EC_ExternalClass ul, .ExternalClass EC_ExternalClass ol, .ExternalClass .EC_ExternalClass li {padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;} ( Highlighting mine: cm) We Do Need That Education... China is re-orienting and investing in its
Re: [Assam] From Outlook India: An Indictment of In dianHigher Education
Alpana, Alpana, Alpana! When will you ever learn :-)? Just because these folks --you or I or whoever came to the USA or went to Bilaat or what have you, does not necessarily mean we were EDUCATED. Does it? Education is a bit more than collecting information or being able to do good math. Or did you miss the highlighted points ,made by the writer in that Outlook article? I thought they say that the standard of secondary school (not college) education in India is higher than that of many western countries, no? *** Let us assume for a moment, just to make you feel good, that it is indeed so. Now then if it IS so, why is India in the shape it is? Or why do Indians in these forums like our own, ask the kind of questions they do or make the comments they do? And finally how many from a class of fifty or even a hundred ( with one teacher riding herd as they have to in many Indian schools; as you are oblivious of ) come out to be the 'brilliant' products they get to be known as? What percentage of an Indian school or college get that minimum of what could be considered a reasonably rounded EDUCATION , never mind well-rounded? We don't expect you to speak for what you have never seen or experienced that goes on outside your sphere of awareness. But can you enlighten us from your own experiences ? I realize it was from a distant past as our modern day friends would readily counter. But how much has it changed, do you have any idea? At 12:39 AM -0600 11/23/07, Alpana B. Sarangapani wrote: Didn't these NRAs get their education in that Indian system itself to begin with? Or, did they just grow wings to fly to the US right after they were born in Assam/India? I thought they say that the standard of secondary school (not college) education in India is higher than that of many western countries, no? In order to make spiritual progress you must be patient like a tree and humble like a blade of grass - Lakshmana From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: assam@assamnet.org Date: Fri, 23 Nov 2007 00:16:32 -0600 Subject: Re: [Assam] From Outlook India: An Indictment of In dianHigher Education .ExternalClass .EC_hmmessage P {padding-right:0px;padding-left:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-top:0px;} .ExternalClass EC_BODY.hmmessage {font-size:10pt;font-family:Tahoma;} So at Thanksgiving 2007 after Turkey and Cranberry pudding they should pledge to work out a very well thought out plan to enable Direction to Purposeful Education for all in Oxom now and for the Future. Time and tide waits for no man. Mukulda: Nice! . And if we have been asked to work out a plan for Purposeful Education for Oxom, then what do you think in your mind it will be. I have a plan what I call, Get On Demand Plan. You get whatever you demand. I call it the GOD plan imagining that money is not the problem (which probably is a fact for Oxom), that is what we would ask GOD to give for Oxom. Let us discuss what such a Purposeful Education System would be for Oxom or rather the North East? Rajen - Original Message - From: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]mc mahant To: mailto:assam@assamnet.orgA Mailing list for people interested in Assam from around the world Sent: Thursday, November 22, 2007 7:59 PM Subject: Re: [Assam] From Outlook India: An Indictment of In dianHigher Education Education is what brought many Assamnetters to where they are. They surely want their old country folk to be properly educated to do something better-live better-healthier-happier-more useful to the world/humanity. So at Thanksgiving 2007 after Turkey and Cranberry pudding they should pledge to work out a very well thought out plan to enable Direction to Purposeful Education for all in Oxom now and for the Future. Time and tide waits for no man. mm Date: Thu, 22 Nov 2007 12:56:41 -0600 To: assam@assamnet.org From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [Assam] From Outlook India: An Indictment of In dian Higher Education .ExternalClass EC_ExternalClass blockquote, .ExternalClass .EC_ExternalClass dl, .ExternalClass .EC_ExternalClass ul, .ExternalClass EC_ExternalClass ol, .ExternalClass .EC_ExternalClass li {padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;} ( Highlighting mine: cm) We Do Need That Education... China is re-orienting and investing in its higher education sector to meet the challenges of the future, but India continues to ignore the systemic collapse that is crying out for an urgent and drastic overhaul. HARSH V. PANT A few days back, two news stories appeared in the Indian media. One was the absence of Indian universities from a list of top 200 (not 100!) higher educational institutions in the world while as many as 10 Chinese universities made it to the list. The other was about the letter that the Aligarh Muslim University Vice Chancellor has been forced to write to the parents of his students threatening to convert the academic session
Re: [Assam] From Outlook India: An Indictment of In dianHigher Education
Didn't these NRAs get their education in that Indian system itself to begin with? Or, did they just grow wings to fly to the US right after they were born in Assam/India? I thought they say that the standard of secondary school (not college) education in India is higher than that of many western countries, no? “In order to make spiritual progress you must be patient like a tree and humble like a blade of grass” - Lakshmana From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]: [EMAIL PROTECTED]: Fri, 23 Nov 2007 00:16:32 -0600Subject: Re: [Assam] From Outlook India: An Indictment of In dianHigher Education So at Thanksgiving 2007 after Turkey and Cranberry pudding they should pledge to work out a very well thought out plan to enable Direction to Purposeful Education for all in Oxom now and for the Future. Time and tide waits for no man. Mukulda: Nice! . And if we have been asked to work out a plan for Purposeful Education for Oxom, then what do you think in your mind it will be. I have a plan what I call, Get On Demand Plan. You get whatever you demand. I call it the GOD plan imagining that money is not the problem (which probably is a fact for Oxom), that is what we would ask GOD to give for Oxom. Let us discuss what such a Purposeful Education System would be for Oxom or rather the North East? Rajen - Original Message - From: mc mahant To: A Mailing list for people interested in Assam from around the world Sent: Thursday, November 22, 2007 7:59 PM Subject: Re: [Assam] From Outlook India: An Indictment of In dianHigher Education Education is what brought many Assamnetters to where they are. They surely want their old country folk to be properly educated to do something better-live better-healthier-happier-more useful to the world/humanity.So at Thanksgiving 2007 after Turkey and Cranberry pudding they should pledge to work out a very well thought out plan to enable Direction to Purposeful Education for all in Oxom now and for the Future. Time and tide waits for no man.mm Date: Thu, 22 Nov 2007 12:56:41 -0600To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]: [EMAIL PROTECTED]: [Assam] From Outlook India: An Indictment of In dian Higher Education ( Highlighting mine: cm) We Do Need That Education...China is re-orienting and investing in its higher education sector to meet the challenges of the future, but India continues to ignore the systemic collapse that is crying out for an urgent and drastic overhaul.HARSH V. PANTA few days back, two news stories appeared in the Indian media. One was the absence of Indian universities from a list of top 200 (not 100!) higher educational institutions in the world while as many as 10 Chinese universities made it to the list. The other was about the letter that the Aligarh Muslim University Vice Chancellor has been forced to write to the parents of his students threatening to convert the academic session into a Zero Year in case of a repeat of campus violence -- in mid-September, earlier in the year, the university had been forced to close down after violence and arson on the campus in protest against the murder of a student. These news items are symptomatic of the rot that has set in the Indian higher education system, which seems to be in the news only for wrong reasons.Amid all the claims about the rise of India as a major player in the international system, it is often ignored that India continues to face some fundamental obstacles in its drive to achieve its full potential. One of the most significant of which is the crisis in India's higher education system, something that gets drowned in the din of those feel-good stories about the engineers and managers emerging from India's premier professional institutions such as the IITs and the IIMs. Sometime back, inaugurating a national conference of Vice Chancellors (VCs), organised by the University Grant Commission, the union human resources development minister, Arjun Singh, described higher education in India as a sick child and asked that it should be given a new direction so as to be able to better serve the cause of the nation's youth. Seeking a road map on higher education from the VCs, he asked them to define what should be the content, extent, methodology and basic ingredients of higher education. While Singh's comments certainly need to be welcomed, especially if they are able to generate a debate in the country on the future of higher education, it is indeed surprising that it took him more than three years to address what should have been his top priority when he assumed office. It is also interesting to note that some of the minister's own actions in the past three years have not exactly served the goals of improving the quality of higher education in the country. Knowledge is the key variable that will define the global distribution of power in the 21st century and India has also embarked on a path of economic success relying on its
Re: [Assam] From Outlook India: An Indictment of In dianHigher Education
So at Thanksgiving 2007 after Turkey and Cranberry pudding they should pledge to work out a very well thought out plan to enable Direction to Purposeful Education for all in Oxom now and for the Future. Time and tide waits for no man. Mukulda: Nice! . And if we have been asked to work out a plan for Purposeful Education for Oxom, then what do you think in your mind it will be. I have a plan what I call, Get On Demand Plan. You get whatever you demand. I call it the GOD plan imagining that money is not the problem (which probably is a fact for Oxom), that is what we would ask GOD to give for Oxom. Let us discuss what such a Purposeful Education System would be for Oxom or rather the North East? Rajen - Original Message - From: mc mahant To: A Mailing list for people interested in Assam from around the world Sent: Thursday, November 22, 2007 7:59 PM Subject: Re: [Assam] From Outlook India: An Indictment of In dianHigher Education Education is what brought many Assamnetters to where they are. They surely want their old country folk to be properly educated to do something better-live better-healthier-happier-more useful to the world/humanity. So at Thanksgiving 2007 after Turkey and Cranberry pudding they should pledge to work out a very well thought out plan to enable Direction to Purposeful Education for all in Oxom now and for the Future. Time and tide waits for no man. mm Date: Thu, 22 Nov 2007 12:56:41 -0600 To: assam@assamnet.org From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [Assam] From Outlook India: An Indictment of In dian Higher Education ( Highlighting mine: cm) We Do Need That Education... China is re-orienting and investing in its higher education sector to meet the challenges of the future, but India continues to ignore the systemic collapse that is crying out for an urgent and drastic overhaul. HARSH V. PANT A few days back, two news stories appeared in the Indian media. One was the absence of Indian universities from a list of top 200 (not 100!) higher educational institutions in the world while as many as 10 Chinese universities made it to the list. The other was about the letter that the Aligarh Muslim University Vice Chancellor has been forced to write to the parents of his students threatening to convert the academic session into a Zero Year in case of a repeat of campus violence -- in mid-September, earlier in the year, the university had been forced to close down after violence and arson on the campus in protest against the murder of a student. These news items are symptomatic of the rot that has set in the Indian higher education system, which seems to be in the news only for wrong reasons. Amid all the claims about the rise of India as a major player in the international system, it is often ignored that India continues to face some fundamental obstacles in its drive to achieve its full potential. One of the most significant of which is the crisis in India's higher education system, something that gets drowned in the din of those feel-good stories about the engineers and managers emerging from India's premier professional institutions such as the IITs and the IIMs. Sometime back, inaugurating a national conference of Vice Chancellors (VCs), organised by the University Grant Commission, the union human resources development minister, Arjun Singh, described higher education in India as a sick child and asked that it should be given a new direction so as to be able to better serve the cause of the nation's youth. Seeking a road map on higher education from the VCs, he asked them to define what should be the content, extent, methodology and basic ingredients of higher education. While Singh's comments certainly need to be welcomed, especially if they are able to generate a debate in the country on the future of higher education, it is indeed surprising that it took him more than three years to address what should have been his top priority when he assumed office. It is also interesting to note that some of the minister's own actions in the past three years have not exactly served the goals of improving the quality of higher education in the country. Knowledge is the key variable that will define the global distribution of power in the 21st century and India has also embarked on a path of economic success relying on its high-tech industries. But given the fragile state of India's higher education system, it is not clear if India will be able to sustain its present growth trajectory. While India's nearest competitor, China is re-orienting and investing in its higher education sector to meet the challenges of the future, India continues to ignore the problem as if the absence of world-class research in Indian universities is something that will rectify