PINKY DALAL
Chairperson
JBCN Education Pvt. Ltd, Mumbai
Where would you place education on your national list of priorities?
Health, education and employment should be the top three priorities of India. All other developments such as employability, women’s empowerment etc flow from education!
How best to upgrade government schools?
Given that government is coping with numerous problems and issues, allow private educationists and education entrepreneurs to adopt schools as part of their corporate social responsibility obligations. When professional managers are involved, the positive impact will be immediate.
Thinker/philosopher you admire the most.
Martin Luther King who made a difference single-handedly.
Your favourite Nobel laureate.
Amartya Sen for his work on welfare economics and contributions to the theory of social choice.
Your leadership style.
I believe in empowerment of my stakeholders — children, staff and parent body. My approach is communicative and participatory, creating opportunities for all. I’m flexible but demanding when it comes to quality and targets.
Your favourite book on leadership.
The most recent one I’ve read and enjoyed is iCon Steve Jobs: The Greatest Second Act in the History of Business by Jeffrey S. Young & William L. Simon.
For or against the RTE Act mandating 25 percent reservation for underprivileged children in private schools?
Reservation in schools has to be well thought-through. An alternative to blanket reservation could be adoption of schools or running parallel institutions of quality and affordability under the public-private partnership model.
Should education outlay be doubled by cutting defence expenditure?
We have learned men determining the government’s expenditure in different sectors. I would rather not compromise on national security.
How satisfied are you with the growth and development of JBCN Education?
Three international schools in three years, nine preschools, three consultancy projects and a school for children with learning disabilities. That’s quite satisfactory, especially since I believe in quality rather than quantity.
Pessimistic or optimistic about Indian education?
Very optimistic. The younger generation values quality, is demanding and also willing to go the extra mile. This means better education practices and better schools.