Essay, Paragraph or Speech on “Higher Education in India” Complete Essay, Speech for Class 10, Class 12 and Graduation and other classes.

Higher Education in India

Essay No. 01

We have seen best and the worst of higher education in India. The long march of educated unemployed knocking at doors that do not open. The frustrated youth who find everything uninspiring—the curricula, the campus, the teaching fraternity, the country’s leadership, and later the job that has nothing to do with what they have learnt. They are in that job just because they do not get anything else. A postgraduate in physics becomes a clerk in the state Electricity Board. A post graduate Arts becomes a conductor. Bulk of graduates and post graduates in Humanities and Science in India take to professions that have no link to what they had been taught. There are cases of engineers joining India Police Service. Men and Women from professional courses have joined all India services and some of them are doing well. But what about the loss to the nation when they have wasted their talents of specialisation.

And what about the best ? And we can be proud of those boys, and girls who have hitched their wagon to a star from our elite institutions—the Indian Institute of Technology, the Indian Institute of Management and some of our medical and engineering colleges. India’s literate men and women are inferior to none and they can be seen anywhere in the world, USA, UK, Germany, Canada, Australia as software professionals, chartered accountant, doctors, engineers, scientists specialists, media persons etc. we can be proud of them and the countries where they are working are also proud of them. But these lucky ones are just a minority and do not necessarily reflect the state of higher education in India. While some believe that merit alone should be the criterion for higher education other argue that merit is not connected among the privileged. There are countless meritorious students who are unable of higher education due to economic and social constraints. So should they be deprived of higher education ? The other questions is should higher education be available not only to those who can afford it ? Obviously not. What then is the mechanism that we should evolve to sieve the eligible from the ineligible ?

Most people especially students community think that once they complete one programme of study, say a secondary or graduate level education, they Ought to go up for higher studies. Presently a majority of those who enroll are those who can afford it but are not necessarily well equipped and those who Come through reservations and other schemes. We must put an end to this approach if higher education is to become qualitatively different from what it is today ?

For starters jobs will have to be created. Unfortunately, few realise that unemployment or the creation of job is related to quality of higher education. Education and professional institutions are run by Indian’s the people who run the government are Indians and the student community is Indian then whom we blame for poor quality output from educational institutions. The problem in fact is that we have so been burdened by a top heavy higher education with poor teaching at the primary and secondary levels.

The curriculum should be restructured enabling those who can not take up employment. It should have vocational courses and training so as to enable those who have to leave it at any level to get employment and when they can afford it or have the wherewithal, funds and skill they should be able to take a break and go back to studies. This would not only reduce the present burden on the higher education system but would also produce qualitative output for employment at different levels. Employers would also be able to avail of skilled, unskilled, semi-skilled individuals. Currently, industries often have qualified but not necessarily competent people; students are of little use to the employer and they themselves are frustrated, faced as they are with a gloomy future.

Progress in science and technology is also playing a decisive role in bettering the quality of higher education. Perhaps in line with the policy of running access to advanced science and technology establishment universities should have closer interaction with other institution if possible to bring them to campus. Collaborative arrangements could be reached with these institutions to enable students to use their facilities.

Of course well equipped libraries that provide quick access to published data box, electronic journal, subscription facility and trained library personnel to provide assistance must also be a flexible and efficient administrative and financial support system. Very often the rules and regulation of the bureaucracy and government kill the teaching and research and force many a talented scientist to go abroad after a few years of staying in India.

The purpose of education is to impart knowledge and wisdom through innovative inter disciplinary trans disciplinary methods. Moreover, since what we are doing it for society our purpose of imparting knowledge should be turned towards the societal goal. If we do not keep societal requirements in mind our teaching and research will become infrastructure.

Let us remember that education, be it higher education or any other education is never ending, it is long process. Here are some immortal words uttered by Dr. Zakir Hussain, President of India “Please remember that education does not end with graduation.” It was never so even in the past and in the modern world in which knowledge is growing at phenomenal pace a university degree indicates only the arrival of the student at the threshold of knowledge. There is profound wisdom in the story of the young graduate who said to the world “Look world I have completed my education. I am B.A.” The world replied, sit down, young man and now learn the rest of the alphabets.

Essay No. 02

Higher Education in India

India’s achievements in the field of education are now being increasingly acknowledged by the international community. Our country has a vast educational network which includes scientific and technological education. The necessity is to “integrate our endeavour for the optimal utilization of the available infrastructure in our educational institutions,” according to the chairman UGC. Higher education institutions are the cross roads for-social cooperation, which can foster strong networks, stimulate voluntary activity and propose extra-curricular learning. The learned Professor laid stress on the “technological capabilities and skills” and “education at all levels and fields” contributing to the promotion of civic behaviour and nation building.

Thousands of students in our country are getting education through distance learning programmes. Many people who are working are unable to attend educational institutions. They have to learn through such programmes. Many young men and women who belong to poor and lower middle class families cannot afford to get education in regular educational institutions. They have also to avail themselves of the facilities provided by these programmes which

India has one of the largest networks of distance education in the world. There are many recognized universities and institutions giving such education. The most famous among them is the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU). The approval of the UGC or the Distance Education Council is essential to begin a distance course in any institution. Some time back even PTU came under fire for its distance courses having not been approved by the council for lack of proper infrastructure, etc. but the Punjab government tried to clarify the matter. Even if some of them are recognized for specific courses, they are offering degrees and diplomas which are not recognized or which are recognized only in a particular state. Thus, the future of thousands of students in our country is at stake.

School education, which is the foundation for college and university education, too requires much improvement. Chairman CBSE and President of COBSE (Council of Board for School Education) declared sometime back some of the major changes being made in the course curriculum and examination system. He said that grading system was being introduced from class V to IX in all schools from the 2007-2008 academic year.

Besides the introduction of some more useful subjects like skill education, virtual laboratories would be created. A theory examination based on practicals would he introduced which the students would attempt in these laboratories. The CBSE Chairman declared, “A five-point grading system up to class V, a seven point grading from class VI to VIII and a nine point grading in class X has been recommended. He announced the decision regarding continuous and comprehensive evaluation of students throughout the year instead of one time annual assessment.

A laboratory for Maths would be set up in schools and 20 per cent evaluation in Social Sciences would be done by the internal examiners. The CBSE also decided to increase marks for practicals in science from 25 to 40. These changes in the CBSE curriculum have emerged in the wake of International School Education Boards being set to make their presence felt in India.