EDUCATION IN INDIA

One issue that has not received the attention it deserves from observers of the Modi Government has been its treatment of education. We have all heard for some time about the demographic dividend that awaits our nation from its youthful population, but we can only reap that dividend if we train and educate our young people to be able to take advantage of what the world has to offer them in the 21st century. Otherwise, the Naxalite menace shows us how easily the demographic dividend can become a disaster: there is nothing more dangerous to the nation than legions of under-educated, unemployed and unemployable young men with no stake in our society. This is why I have often argued that education in India is not just a socio-economic issue, but a national security issue as well.

But the Modi Government's performance in education so far does not inspire confidence. Its budgetary allocations tell the tale. The overall education budget is down from Rs. 82,771 cr to Rs. 69,074 cr. Whereas under the UPA, the Plan allocation went up by 18 per cent in 2012-13 and by 8.03 per cent in 2013-14, the BJP Govt has reduced the Plan allocation for 2015-16 by 24.68 per cent. The savage cuts go across the board: the flagship Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan has been reduced by 22.14 per cent, funding for the Mid-Day Meal Scheme by 16.41 per cent, the Rashtriya Madhyama Shiksha Abhiyan for secondary education by 28.7 per cent and the Rashtriya Uchhattar Shiksha Abhiyan, to support state colleges, by 48 per cent. To take just one example, the SSA, which funds schools across the country: MHRD had asked for Rs. 50,000 cr in 2015-16; it received Rs. 22,000 cr from the Modi Government's current Budget.

In higher education, we have long lamented that not a single Indian university is in the top 200 of any of the global rankings. But look at the non-seriousness of the BJP's approach to our flagship IIT system. They have announced the creation of five new IITs with a grand total investment of Rs. 1000 crore - but the Government's own Detailed Project Report specifies that the cost of establishing an IIT is Rs. 2200 cr over a period of 7 years: in other words, each new IIT needs an annual expenditure of around Rs. 310 crore a year. Mr Jaitley's allocations fall dramatically short of that - and this excludes any amount which may be needed for completing the construction of previously announced IITs. Inadequate funding has compromised the quality of education in all newly established IITs and IIMs, with the government rolling out more such institutions without strengthening the existing infrastructure.

This is just one example. The reduced allocations across the board do not match the 12th Plan objectives regarding expansion, growth, access, or quality of Higher Education. The 12th Plan approach paper had proposed that 18 per cent of all Government education spending or 1.12 per cent of GDP should be on Higher Education, and Parliament's Standing Committee on HRD recommended raising it to 25 per cent and 1.5 per cent respectively. Instead, this government is going in the opposite direction.


An educated country needs good teachers, and enough of them. But only 63 per cent of government schools have a Pupil-Teacher ratio as per RTE norms (30:1 primary, 35:1 upper primary). According to the RTE Act, the prescribed norm had to be reached by March 2015: what is government doing about it?

We have a shortage of trained teachers as well as training institutes. There are 6 Lakh posts of teachers vacant under the SSA. Even in the KVs, 7698 out of 44,529 sanctioned teaching posts are vacant; so are 50 per cent of positions in teacher-training institutions. Most teacher training colleges, as the Verma Committee observed, are so bad they should be closed down. If we train teachers badly, they will teach children badly. A serious initiative by MHRD is needed: urgent recruitment, more Teacher Eligibility Tests, remedial training. Instead we have a level of governmental inattention to the crisis that matches our notorious culture of teacher absenteeism. The picture is even worse in higher education: Central Universities, IITs, NITs, IIMs, are all suffering crippling shortages of teachers.

Our educational system is over-regulated and under-governed. I hope this government will rethink the disastrous course upon which it has embarked, and revive the proposal to abolish UGC and AICTE and create an overarching Council of Higher Education to facilitate, rather than restrict, educational autonomy. Excellence can only thrive amid freedom.

-     - Mr. Manuel R  &  Mr. Krishna Mohan 

A GRANDPARENT IS SOMEONE WITH SILVER IN THEIR HAIR AND GOLD IN THEIR HEART

 “Young people need something stable to hang on to – a culture connection, a sense of their past, a hope for their future. Most of all, they need what grandparents can give them” – Jay Kesler

If you are one of the lucky ones to be blessed with a granddad and a grandma, you probably know how comforting it is to be put up with someone with a wealth of experience behind them, someone who loves you unconditionally and spoils you rotten with their affection. Grandparents cement the bonds between generations and infuse family values, religious beliefs and principles in the young ones. However, that is not all to being grandparents. They can be your companion in times of solitude, and may be even act as a mediator, adviser and your patient audience in times of need. Grandparents are truly God's most cherished gifts and there is little reason why you shouldn't have a day to commemorate their presence in your lives. Grandparents Day, a day dedicated to all the grand dads and grand moms in the world, to acknowledge their humongous contributions in our lives and celebrate their worth is truly one occasion to let the senior most member of your household know how much they are loved and cherished.

@ Sancta Maria, we celebrated this grandparent's day with lots of cheer and beautiful lines of appreciation from students making grandparents feel truly priceless. The pre-primary teachers greeted all the grandparents and parents with crafts made by students from the foyer to the amphitheater.

A sweet little welcome speech by Aripra started the celebrations, followed by dance performance by PP2 students on “Grandpa and grandma we love you” set the tempo of the celebrations.  Where students from PP2, Tanya and Pallavi expressed gratitude by speeches, Dhanya recited a poem.

Ramp walk: A huge sportive participation by the grandparents to walk the ramp was a pleasant surprise making everyone in the audience clap-clap-clap, cheering them all the way.

Pricking the eggplant: All the grandmothers enjoyed thoroughly while they did not they maintained the competitive spirit to prick as many toothpicks as they can in the eggplant in bucket of water.

     Couples Hair-deco: We had a joyful experience watching the couples play this game.  They had to plug-in straws in the hair of their partner. Be it mother- daughter duo, mother-son duo or daughter-in law clubbing with her mother-in-law or father-in-law, loved the spirit they showed up.

The tiny tots from Nursery performed on "I am so happy" for grandparents and PP1 students took the celebrations to next another level by dance performance on "we are going to grandmas' house". PP2 students then performed "love you grandparents" and marking a beautiful end to the celebrations, Debadrita of PP1 gave vote of thanks to all.

To see three generations together was delightful view adding a surprising positive energy to the celebrations, leaving a thought in mind to do things all year round to not let the celebrations shrink down to a day but to spread in life…

Can us-children, youth and younger adults, commit to do something grand…

-     Connect and serve with your grandparents or older adults in your community.

-     Recognize, honor, and thank grand families, who provide a safe and loving home to your grandchildren or other relatives.

-     Bring younger and older people together. Together, adults and youth can reach out to decision makers and begin one of the most important dialogues in our history: discussing how, as a country, we can address the many challenges facing future generations—from literacy to health and wellness to financial stability.

        - UmaTenneti

Education Gives You Wings

Education is igniting minds of the learners, so that a light is kindled and it spreads its brightness across the world. On account of teacher’s day we would like to remember a stalwart, who understood the importance of education so well. He is none other than former president and our beloved late Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam.

He always made sure he didn’t miss the opportunity to teach, whenever and wherever he got, even when he became the President of India in 2002. That’s how he always wanted the people to remember him. Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam – former President of India and a renowned scientist ignited a thousand minds, inspired a million to dream big.

Born to a very humble family, the stalwart never allowed his hardships pose a threat to his education and later went on to study aeronautics. Starting his career as a newspaper delivery boy he went on to becoming the first citizen of our country.  And the rest is history. His dream of a self-reliant and strong India has always been a strong motivation for the country and the citizens.

Some of his famous quotes that give us a peek into his thoughts and vision on education are quoted below:

“One of the very important characteristics of a student is to question. Let the students ask questions.”

“Creativity is a key to success in the future, and primary education is where teachers can bring creativity in children at that level.”

“Black colour is sentimentally bad. But every blackboard makes the students’ life bright.”

“Educationists should build the capacities of the spirit of inquiry, creativity, entrepreneurial and moral leadership among students and become their role model.”

“Creativity in education leads to evolution of self reliant youth with knowledge and action.”

- Ms. Raksha & Mr. Venkatesh