Varsity issues have a bearing on school edu: Ex-NCERT Director

Universities of the country are losing their autonomy and going through a financial as well faculty crunch. All these issues have a direct impact on school education as teachers are produced by the universities. This was stated by Prof Krishna Kumar, a Padma Shri recipient, who is also an honorary professor at the Punjab University.

Prof Krishna Kumar, a former director of National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), was a keynote speaker for the session — “Understanding Higher Education and its Current Predicament” — at the 14th Annual International CESI Conference organised at Panjab University.

He said the state universities of the country were going through a financial crisis. “There is no hi-tech equipment in the labs. Things are getting expensive and the funds are decreasing,” he added. On the other hand, the situation is opposite in private universities, which have no shortage of funds. Claiming that the higher education used to fill the gap between the privileged and the underprivileged, he said in the past, when children from poor families took admission in colleges, they would interact and socialise with children from privileged backgrounds. “But this is not the case now as the well-off are taking admission in private universities,” said the Professor.

Citing stories from the Panchatantra, he reflected on the challenges being faced in the field of higher education in India, including the erosion of mutual trust, affection and reflective practices. These challenges have been exacerbated by the excessive focus on rankings and grades among both individuals and institutions, he added.