The editorial adds: “It is because the quality of education in most Indian universities is so lamentably low that there is this rush for foreign degrees. There are world-class institutions here. But they are not sufficient and there is a huge scope for a big bang in higher education through a combined effort of the private capital and public spending. The Knowledge Commission said that we need 1500 more universities of higher quality. In fact at this stage of development India should be attracting students from outside its shores rather than forcing Indian students spend billions of dollars abroad in pursuit of better education...”

Reboot the BJP

In a piece titled, “For the BJP, time for fresh thinking”, M.V. Kamath writes: “What, in the (present) circumstances, should the BJP do to win back public support? Is there a need for a sea-change in the BJP mind-set? One reason why the BJP could not cash in on the growing unpopularity of Mayawati and Mulayam Singh Yadav among Muslims (in Uttar Pradesh) was that it was not foreseen and if foreseen not taken into account. The Muslims were feeling rudderless. If the BSP and the SP had given them no relief as they saw it, the Congress seemed the only party one could turn to. Muslims had turned en masse towards the Congress following Partition out of a sense of guilt, in a plain case of self-preservation. The just concluded elections have shown the same signs. Against this background two points stand out for consideration: Is the BJP willing to give up or tone down its dedication to Hindutva to win Muslim votes? Alternately, can it convince the average Muslim that Hindutva is an over-riding sentiment that transcends religion and has more to do with India’s ancient culture that propounds sarve janaha sukhino bhavantu as an eternal way of life? Discarding Hindutva would be an act of hypocrisy that may create its own backlash”.

He adds: “For any success in the Muslim belt, the people’s feelings have to be taken into account. In such a situation the BJP has a hard task ahead. Would it help to recruit a younger leadership as the Congress is now engaged in? It may, but it is wise to be wary of the hype that the party is indulging in...Known primarily as an urban-centric party, the BJP must find out why it failed in cities like Delhi and Mumbai. The Congress is over a century and a quarter old. The BJP has yet to establish itself fully into the nation’s sub-consciousness. The nation has opted for a two-party system. BJP is the ‘other’ party. It can be ‘the’ party if it can work its way out of the present situation when the next elections take place, with foresight and right planning. It has all the talent. What it needs to do is to exercise its will”.

Compiled by Suman K. Jha