“Most universities in the state have functioned as self-contained little republics of profane politics, bureaucratisation, corruption, lacking quality research and teaching even as they conscientiously distributed graduation certificates to students to whom they imparted redundant knowledge and skills. The increased governmentalisation process through political interference which the KSU Bill, 2017, has written into law will curtail universities autonomy...”
Anilkumar M, senior research associate, Centre for Educational and Social Studies, on the new Karnataka State University (KSU) Bill, 2017 (Deccan Herald, March 1)
“They have suddenly forced NEET upon us, just like Hindi. Some say, when the whole country is embracing it, we can too. This is wrong. The students who have graduated from our existing system are the ones who have made Tamil Nadu topmost in healthcare. Then, why have a NEET that tortures our future doctors. Don’t drag us — a forward looking state — backwards.”
Kamal Haasan, actor-turned-politician, on Tamil Nadu students being forced to write the National Eligibility Entrance Test for admission into the state’s medical colleges (March 1)
“We are still teaching a syllabus that was reviewed in 2005. Knowledge doubles every three to four years, and 40 percent of the content is obsolete.”
Ashok Ganguly, former CBSE chairman on ‘Why cutting CBSE syllabus isn’t the best fix for student stress’ (Times of India, March 9)
“When we talk about IITs, you will have to look at what the true cost per student the country is paying. Now that is buried somewhere in the government budget. And students are paying only a fraction of it.”
Raghuram Rajan, former RBI governor (Business Standard, March 24)
“Winning is important, but the way you win is more important.”
Cricket star Sachin Tendulkar on the Australian cricket cheating scandal (Twitter, March 28)