Universities have existed since the times of Plato’s Academia and one of the fundamental activities of all of these institutions has been to question the yet ‘unquestioned’. But what we observe globally (including India) in recent times is that this very act of questioning by the universities is itself being questioned.”
Sumit Howladar, assistant professor, Jagran Lakecity University, Bhopal, in an op-ed essay (Deccan Herald, May 9)
“The global rise of Chinese universities is not accidental. Since the mid-1990s, the government has poured an enormous amount of resources into its elite institutions... In sum, the rise of China as a great power, but with it also the emergence of several reputed universities, has made the country increasingly attractive to foreign students… India has simply not devoted sufficient attention or resources to improving the quality of education at its universities.”
Dr. Pushkar, director, The International Centre Goa, on what India can learn from China’s higher education initiatives (Wire.in, May 15)
“It is commendable that the Delhi government has chosen to respond to the patent public preference for spoken English, instead of allowing political perceptions alone to dictate educational policy.”
Editorial praising the Delhi state government’s plans to launch a ‘Spoken English’ course for government school students (Indian Express, May 22)
“Once courses are evaluated by students, the classroom should revert to being the instructor’s castle. A pincer movement of corporate interest and political pressure combined with regulatory overdrive have cramped the autonomy of the teacher.”
Pulapre Balakrishnan, professor at Ashoka University, Sonipat (The Hindu, May 22)
“Children are neither weightlifters nor school bags loaded containers.”
Madras High Court directing the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) not to over-load children with books and other study material (May 29)