For all the challenges faced by the National Knowledge Commission (NKC),its chairman SAM PITRODA,a leading policymaker and entrepreneur,believes that the Government is taking major strides in bringing about a change in Indias education sector. Excerpts from an e-mail interview with Anubhuti Vishnoi •Looking back from when the National Knowledge Commission (NKC) was formed,how has the journey been? The NKC was constituted to provide a blueprint for reform of knowledge-related institutions and infrastructure. From our point of view there are three key challenges demography,development and disparity. With 550 million below the age of 25,our human capital is our greatest asset. We need a focused agenda of education and skill development to harness this potential. Till date we have submitted over 250 recommendations on 25 focus areas covering a range of sectors of the knowledge economy. It has been a journey that has provided valuable insights into knowledge systems and enhanced our understanding of future challenges. We have had support from the Government,both at the Centre and in the states. The NKCs vision has been broadly endorsed in the 11th Plan as is evident from the increased allocation for education of Rs 3,00,000 crore. As a result of what we have proposed,almost 20 per cent of Indias plan allocation is linked to education. The Government is also going to start 30 new universities and 6,000 new schools,and all of these are giant steps. However,while things are moving,much more needs to done and at a much faster pace if we wish our education system to be truly world class. To improve the existing education system,the NKC has recommended reforms towards expansion,excellence and inclusion. Efforts have to be made to universalise primary education and rapid expansion of quality higher education systems is needed to meet the aspirations of our youth while addressing concerns of inclusion. •The HRD Ministry has not exactly welcomed most NKC recommendations. What are your views on the ministrys stand was it obstructionist or simply an inability to understand what is needed to reform the system? The NKC has received valuable inputs from all levels of Government. The Planning Commission,PMO and Cabinet Secretariat have provided great support in taking our recommendations forward. However,the process of reform has to take its own course and time. A process seeking to create generational changes is bound to be resisted by entrenched systems,but the key is to keep pushing for reform and create agents of change to expedite this process. •The Central Universities Bill,2008,has dropped governance reforms recommended by NKC but has incorporated some of its academic reforms. Is the legislation forward looking or still caught in a time warp? All our recommendations are geared towards autonomy,decentralisation and respect for professionals. In this regard,we have clarified our stand on the Central Universities Bill. •Key NKC recommendations have been ignored by the Government. Instead,there have been several UGC committees on similar subjects. The NKC has a distinguished panel of experts who have very carefully drafted all our recommendations through a participative and transparent process. We have worked very hard in understanding the present systems and needs and have proposed reforms taking into consideration future requirements,trends and challenges. It is now up to the Government to implement our recommendations. According to me,setting up committees to review something thats laboriously worked on is a duplication of effort. •What according to you is the most urgent reform in the education sector? One of the biggest challenges today is enhancing access to quality education at all levels. Our reforms have to be geared towards creating avenues of access for the youth,which has the potential to constitute one-fourth of the global workforce. Increasing access to education will harness the potential of our demographic dividend and create the next big revolution. •What has stood out in your experience with the NKC over the years? We were constantly amazed at meeting different cross-sections of people involved with education from schoolteachers to technologists who were so eager to see a national movement on the education front. Evem though we,as a nation,went to sleep on the education front for over two decades,there an eagerness to participate on changing the systems.
