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Engaging in social business Single-sex schooling ups
gender stereotyping Campus Notes
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Engaging in social business
THE Indian higher education sector has expanded exponentially in the last two decades. The major transformation in terms of pace, scale, nature, role and impact being witnessed by the sector is leading to diverse, unprecedented challenges and opportunities. At the time of Independence, India had only 17 universities and about 600 colleges. Today, there are 611 universities and the number of colleges is estimated to be between 32,000 and 36,000. Recently, the National Knowledge Commission recommended that India should have at least 1,500 universities. Economic growth and increasing demand for skilled manpower, rising household income and demographic transformation — 50 per cent of the population is between the ages of 15 to 64 and the median age is between 20 to 30 — are some of the factors that have fuelled the demand for higher education. But India falls short of global averages in terms of its investment in higher education. With just 0.37 per cent of the GDP spent on higher education, India spends much less on higher education as compared not only the developed but also the BRIC countries. It is a well-known fact that the government alone cannot afford to meet the anticipated expenditure if the higher education sector has to grow to the desired levels. Capacity and fund constraints have thus presented an opportunity to the private sector to enter the field of higher education. This trend has been accelerated with the willingness of students to pay high fees for quality education. The growth of the private sector got further boost due to the huge demand for professional courses, which has resulted in a mad scramble to set up higher professional institutions by entrepreneurs. The cost of setting up such institutes is initially met by entrepreneurs but is invariably recovered by them later through fees. Further, not every entrepreneur who enters the field is scrupulous and fired by the zeal to serve the cause of education. Thus, the government has been forced to enact The Private Professional Educational Institutions (Regulation of Admission and Fixation of Fee) Bill, 2005. There have been numerous disputes on various issues related to functioning of private higher educational institutions and the Supreme Court of India has had to adjudicate on a number of occasions. It has highlighted that supply of education was a public good and could not be driven totally by commercial considerations. The Supreme Court has also clarified that the private institutions could not be expected to enter the sector for charitable purposes and should be allowed to generate a reasonable profit. However, profiteering is not to be permitted. It is here that the concept of “social business” finds relevance in the field of higher education. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus of Bangladesh describes social business as a non-loss, non-dividend company designed to address a social objective within the highly regulated marketplace of today. It is different from a non-profit company because a social business generally seeks to generate a modest profit but this is used to expand the organisation’s reach, improve the product or service or provide some other benefits that help in subsidising the social mission. Professor Muhammad Yunus is of the view that free market is an extraordinarily powerful tool to bring about prosperity and to meet the needs of the consumers. Investors, who primarily aim to maximise profits, continuously find ways to do more with less. But he also feels that the economic prosperity brought about by the free market also accentuates social problems. He maintains that the aim of the capitalist economy is not to solve social problems but to generate profits. The endeavour is always to compete to provide more advanced and expensive products in the market. He also postulates that the governmental agencies are constrained by inherent inefficiency and a prevalent threat of corruption. He, therefore, suggests not to design a new system but to utilise the powers of the market in a new way. The above concept of Professor Muhammad Yunus could be applied to the privatisation of higher education, especially in conjunction with the ruling of the Supreme Court that restrains profiteering but permits generation of reasonable profit. Providing education is a noble profession and is normally considered to be a function of the government that it performs as a “common good”. But, as brought out earlier, the government alone cannot take on this onerous task and the private sector has to contribute its might. However, the private sector would not enter the higher education sector purely for charity. There have to be some incentives. A system with checks and balances has to be devised. Thus, has emerged the Bill that regulates the fee structure and operations of private higher educational institutions and the concept of “management quota”. While the former aims to check profiteering, the latter provides the incentives to the private sector to generate “reasonable profits”. However, there are institutions in the country that while submitting to the Bill that regulate their fee structure and also their operations voluntarily surrender the management quota. These institutions could be considered as engaged in “social business”. These institutions, though making a modest profit, have social rather than financial objectives. Their concept, instead of being solely focused on profit maximising, is in fact driven by a prime objective to bring about a change while pursuing sustainability. Their endeavour is to achieve certain social and environmental goals. They measure their success based on the impact that they make on people and society rather than the amount of profit made in a given period. Today, the country faces a major challenge to regulate higher educational institutions that are operating with the sole objective of making profit. The need of the hour is to encourage private sector to set up higher education institutions that engage in social business. The writer is Vice-Chancellor,
Chitkara University
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Single-sex schooling ups
gender stereotyping Lynn S. Liben, Professor of Psychology, Human Development and Family Studies, and Education, Penn State, and her colleagues report that there is little concrete evidence to support claims that single-sex schools are a better learning environment. “Our examination of the existing studies leads us to conclude that there is not scientific evidence for positive effects of single-sex schooling,” said Liben. “That’s not to say that academic outcomes are definitively worse, but neither are they definitively better. Advantages have not been demonstrated,” she added. Some supporters of single-sex schools argue that brain differences between boys and girls require different teaching styles. But neuroscientists have not found hard evidence that show differences in girls’ and boys’ different learning styles. In 2010, Liben and her graduate student studied preschool classes to look at effects of gender divisions among the students. They found that after two weeks of teachers using gendered language and divisions — lining children up by gender and asking boys and girls to post work on separate bulletin boards — the students showed an increase in gender-stereotyped attitudes toward each other and their choice of toys, and they played less with children of the other sex. “The choice to fight sexism by changing coeducational practices or segregating by gender has parallels to the fight against racism,” the researchers write in the paper. “The preponderance of social science data indicated that racially segregated schools promote racial prejudice and inequality,” they concluded. The findings appear in the current issue of Science. — ANI
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Campus Notes THE Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi, has sanctioned a research project entitled "Genetic polymorphism, DNA Damage and Oxidant Status in Individuals Residing in the Vicinity of Mobile Phone Base Stations" to Dr (Mrs) Gursatej Gandhi, Reader, Department of Human Genetics, Guru Nanak Dev University. Dr Gandhi will work as principal investigator of this project for a period of three years commencing from October 1. The project is worth Rs 26.44 lakh. Lecture on floral diversity Dr R.R. Rao, a renowned scientist from Bangalore having specialisation in systematic and plant biodiversity, delivered a lecture on "Floristic Diversity in India" recently. The lecture was organised under the auspices of the Department of Botanical & Environmental Sciences of the university. The undercurrent of the proceedings remained "biodiversity nations will be the future, not dollar empowered countries". Dr Rao presented a stimulating and enlightening insight into the vastly rich yet undiscovered floral diversity of India, with special respect to the regions of the North-East and the Western Ghats, through a very descriptive PowerPoint presentation. Dr A. K. Thukral, Director of Research of the university who presided, emphasised on the integration of conventional and latest scientific knowledge in life sciences for better quality of research. Three members of the Programme Advisory Committee (PAC) of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), New Delhi were also present on the occasion. UGC-NET coaching
from Oct 12 The university will conduct nine-week coaching classes for the preparation of UGC-NET (December 2011) examinations under the aegis of its All-India Services Pre-Examination Training Centre. According to Dr Jagrup Singh Sekhon, Director of the center, the classes will be held from October 12 to December 14. Interested students can submit their application forms till October 5. The interview to select students will be held on October 7 at the centre. A sum of Rs 3,000 will be charged as fee from the general category students, while no fee will be charged from the reserved category students. Application forms are available at the Centre against a cash payment of Rs 30. — Contributed by G.S. Paul |
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Armed Forces Indian Navy, Post Bag No
04, Nirman Bhawan, New Delhi 110066 SSC Officers in Executive Branch (General Service & Technical Branches) July 2012 Course Eligibility: Unmarried
Indian males; BSc (with Physics & Maths; 60%) / BE / BTech (60%) /
BSc (with Physics & Maths) holding NCC Naval Wing, Senior Division
‘C’ Certificate / Bachelors/ Masters degree (Operations Analysis
and Operational Research / Quantitative methods, 75%) / Maths with
Probability or Statistics, 75%) Selection: SSB Interview; Medical Exam Application Form: Apply online Application Form & Details: Website Application Deadline: 04 October 2011 Integrated HQ of MOD
(Army), Adjutant General’s Branch, ADG Recruiting, West Block III,
RK Puram, New Delhi 110066 10+2 Technical Entry Scheme Course-27 (July 2012) Eligibility:
Unmarried males; 10+2 (PCM, 70%). Selection: SSB Interview: February / March ‘12; Medical Test. Application Form: Apply online Details: Website Details: Employment News (17 - 23 September 2011) Application Deadline: 30 November 2011 Engineering Indian Institute of
Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039 (Assam) Admission to PhD
Programme 2011 Application Form: Send request for application with a stamped self-addressed envelope (24 cm x 15 cm) to the Deputy Registrar (Academic) at the above address by 13 October 2011. Superscribe "Request for PhD Application Form" on envelope / download from website Details: Website Application Deadline: 21 October 2010 Indian Institute of
Technology Madras, Chennai 600036 (TN) PhD & MS Programmes
2011 Application Form: Apply online only Details: Website Application Deadline: 21 October 2011 Finance Institute of Insurance
& Risk Management, Plot No 38/39, Financial Dist., Gachibowli,
APSFC Bldg, Hyderabad 500032 (AP) (in collaboration with IRDA, Govt of
AP) International PG Diploma Course in Life Insurance / General Insurance (1-year, Distance) Eligibility: Employed professionals with bachelors / masters degree (any) with min 50% / Qualified CA / CS / ICWAI / Working professional in financial services Age: 35 years and above
can also apply Application Form: Send Rs 300/-by DD drawn on a scheduled bank favouring "IIRM," payable at Hyderabad to the above address / download from website. Application Deadline: 30 November 2011 Management Institute of Public
Enterprise, Hyderabad – 500007, AP PGDM (Banking, Insurance & Financial Services, Retail and Marketing, International Business, Biotechnology) Eligibility: Bachelors degree (any; min 50%) Selection: CAT / XAT / MAT / ATMA / JMAT / ICET Scores, GD & PI and Academic Record. Application Form & Details: Website Application Deadline: 29 September 2011 Choudhary Charan Singh
National Institute of Agricultural Marketing, Kota Road, Bambala, Near
Sanganer, Jaipur 302033 (Raj) PG Diploma in Agri-Business Management (2 years) Eligibility: ICAR / UGC recognized 4-year Bachelors degree in Agriculture & allied subjects, Veterinary Science / Dairy Tech / Food Tech / Agri. Engg (50%) Selection: CAT 2011; GD and Interview Application Form: Send Rs 1000/- by DD favouring "Deputy Director PGDABM" payable at Jaipur at the above address / Download from website Details: Website Application Deadline: 28 September 2011 Coffee Board of India,
No. 1. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Veedhi, Banglore – 560001 (Kar) PG Diploma in Coffee Quality Management (PGDCQM11) (1 Years Full time) Eligibility: BSc (any) Selection: Written Test, Merit & Interview Application Form: Send Rs 2000/- by DD favouring "Coffee Board General Fund Non Plan Account", at Head (Coffee Control Division), Coffee Board, No. 1. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Veedhi, Bangalore – 560001 / Download from Website Application Deadline: 30 September 2011 Ambedkar University
Delhi, Sector 9, Dwarka, New Delhi 110077 MBA Programme 2012-14 (2 Years Full Time) Eligibility: Bachelors degree (any; min 50%) Application Form: Download from website Selection: CAT 2011; GD and Interview Details: Website Application Deadline: 05 November 2011 Fore School of
Management, Adhitam Kendra, B-18, Qutub Institutional Area, New Delhi
– 110016, DL PG Diploma in Management
(2 Years Full Time) Eligibility: Bachelors (any) with min 50% Selection: CAT 2011; GD and Interview Application Form & Details: Website Application Deadline: 18 November 2011 International Management
Institute, B-10, Qutab Institutional Area, Tara Crescent, New Delhi
– 110016, DL 1. Executive PG Diploma
in Management (15 months) Eligibility: For
1: Working executives with min 5 years experience Selection: CAT 2011 Application Form & Details: Website Application Deadline: For 1, 2 & 3: 10 December 2011 For 3 & 4: 18 November 2011 University of Delhi, D/o
Financial Studies, South Campus, Benito Juarez Road, New Delhi 110021 Master of Business
Economics (2 years; Full
Time) Eligibility: Bachelors degree (50%) Selection: CAT 2011 Application Form: Send Rs 1100/- (For each course) or Rs. 1800/- (For combined course) by DD favouring "Director, University of Delhi South Campus," payable at New Delhi to the Department , Room No 229, Arts Faculty Building at the above address by 05 December 2011 / Download from website. Details: Website Application Deadline: 12 December 2011 University of Lucknow,
Lucknow 226007 (UP) MBA Admission Notification Eligibility: Bachelor’s Degree (any; min 50%) Selection: CAT 2011 Application Form & Details: Website Application Deadline: 10 December 2011 Symbiosis International
University, Symbiosis Institute of Media & Communication (SIMC),
Viman Nagar, Pune 411014 (Mah) MBA - Banking Management Eligibility: Bachelors degree with 50% Marks Selection: SNAP 2011 Application Form & Details: Website Application Deadline: 28 December 2011 College of Materials Management, Post Box No.-3, Ridge Road, Jabalpur - 482001(MP) MBA in Marketing / Finance / HRD (3 Years, Distance) Eligibility: Bachelor’s Degree Selection: Written Test: 12 February 2012 Application Form: Send Rs 350/- by DD favouring "CMM MBA (DLP) Fund Account", payable at Jabalpur addressed to the Registrar, University Cell at the above address. Application Deadline: 31 December 2011
Indian Institute of
Management Calcutta, Diamond Harbour Road, Joka, Kolkata 700104 (WB) Admission to Fellow
Program in Management 2012 (equivalent
to PhD) Eligibility: Masters degree (55%) with 50% in Bachelors degree / / BE / BTech (60% / 1st Div) with 50% in Class 10 / 12 / Final-year students of engineering / masters degree in relevant discipline also eligible. Selection: CAT
2011 / GMAT / GRE / GATE/ UGC-JRF Application Form & Details: Website Admission Deadline: 24 January 2011 University of Delhi, D/o
Commerce, Delhi School of Economics, Delhi 110007 1) Master of
International Business (2 years) Eligibility: Bachelors degree (50%) Selection: CAT 2011; GD & Interview Application Form: Send
Rs 1000/- (per course) / Rs 1700/- (for both courses) by DD favouring
"Registrar, University of Delhi" payable at New Delhi with a
self-addressed envelope (28 cm x 22 cm) at the above address. Mention
your name, address and phone number, centre and course(s) applied for
on reverse of DD / Download from website. Application Deadline: 27 January 2012 Management Development
Institute (MDI), Mehrauli Road, Sukhrali, Gurgaon 122001 (Har) 1) Fellow Program in
Management (3-4 years, Residential) Eligibility:
For 1: Masters degree (60%) / CA / ICWA / CS / BE / BTech / BArch
(60%) Selection: CAT / GMAT / GRE / GATE / UGC-JRF; Interview Application Form & Details: Website. Application Deadline: 31 January 2012 CEPT University,
Kasturbhai Lalbhai Campus, University Road, Navrangpura, Ahmedabad –
9, GJ MBA in Technology Management (2 years, Full Time) Eligibility: BE / BTech / BPlan / BArch / BDes (min 50%) OR Masters in Science / Computer Applications / Operations Research / Economics / Commerce (min 50%) Selection: CAT 2011, GD / PI and Technology Awareness Test Application Form & Details: Website Application Deadline: 26 March 2012 Recruitment Indian Oil Corporation
Ltd, Indian Oil Bhavan, G 9, Ali Yavar jung Marg, Bandra (E), Mumbai
400051 (Mah) Recruitment of Graduate Engineers through GATE - 2012 Eligibility: BE / BTEch Selection: GATE-2012 merit list + Interview. Application Form & Details: Website Application Deadline: 11 February 2012 Scholarship Indian Agricultural
Research Institute (IARI), Post Graduate School, New Delhi 110012 Rao Bhadur Dr. B. Viswanath Award 2011-12 Eligibility: 25 Year’s contributions in the concerned field of Agricultural Sciences while working in India. Age: Minimum 50 years Application Form & Details: Website. Application Deadline: 31 October 2011. IIT-Bombay - Monash
Research Academy, IITB, Powai, Mumbai 400076 (Mah) PhD Scholarships Eligibility: MTech / MS / Bachelors degree / Masters degree (with high GPA) from IITs, NITs or BITS Application Form & Details: Website / Apply Online Application Deadline: 03 October 2011 Sciences – Biological Medvarsity Online Ltd,
Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals Complex, Sarita Vihar, Delhi-Mathura
Road, New Delhi (Certification from Apollo Hospitals Education &
Research Foundation & Medvarsity ) Fellowship in Clinical Research (6 months) Eligibility: Bachelors in Life Sciences / Pharmacy / Medical Doctors & Allied Health Sciences Application Form & Details: Website Teaching & Education Indira Gandhi National
Open University (IGNOU), Maidan Garhi, New Delhi 110068 Research and Teaching Assistantship (RTA) Eligibility:
Masters degree (min 60%); Application Form & Details: Website Application Deadline: 10 October 2011 University Symbiosis Centre for
Distance Learning (SCDL), Symbiosis Bhavan, 1065 B, Gokhale Cross
Road, Model Colony, Pune 411016 (Mah) PG Diploma
in (Business Administration / International Business / HRM / IT /
Educational Administration) (2 years) Application Form & Details: Website. Application Deadline: 30 September.
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THE Indian higher education sector has expanded exponentially in the last two decades. The major transformation in terms of pace, scale, nature, role and impact being witnessed by the sector is leading to diverse, unprecedented challenges and opportunities. At the time of Independence, India had only 17 universities and about 600 colleges. Today, there are 611 universities and the number of colleges is estimated to be between 32,000 and 36,000. Recently, the National Knowledge Commission recommended that India should have at least 1,500 universities.
Research project sanctioned
WASHINGTON: A new study has suggested that single-sex schooling might not be as advantageous as previously thought. Penn State psychologists found that students who attend all-boys or all-girls schools are no better educated than those who attend co-ed schools. Instead, sex segregation increases gender stereotyping and sexism among students.