Major changes required in higher education sector

Curriculum planners must draw up syllabi that are not only more relevant and job-oriented, but also futuristic as it will ensure better and ready employability

Dehradun: With the youth population in India being the largest in the world, sweeping changes are required in the higher education sector so that the vast reserves of young energy at the country's disposal is utilised to the maximum in the task of nation building, said Uttarakhand Governor Krishna Kant Paul.

"It is estimated that by 2030, our country will witness the entry of 140 million people into the college/university -going group. The situation calls for major changes in the area of higher education. It becomes incumbent on the part of planners and policy makers and the Universities to put in place a system that is capable of making use of the largest reservoir of youth power in the world at their disposal so that they can effectively participate in nation building,"Paul said addressing the convocation of ICFAI University on Thursday.

Apart from the need for an education system based on positive methods of teaching and learning, it is time the youth grew out of the habit of seeking government jobs alone, as this sector has only a limited capacity to absorb people, he said. The youth must realise that with growth in the economy, there are opportunities in the private sector waiting to be seized, he said.

To harness the ingenuity and industry of young India, which values quality and aspires to scale greater heights, the higher educational institutions must change and move with the times, the Governor said. Curriculum planners must draw up syllabi that are not only more relevant and job oriented, but also futuristic as it will ensure better and ready employability.

Besides, the students need to be encouraged to explore their own creativity, instead of reproducing received knowledge, he said. Innovative practices need to be encouraged with universities required to, encourage an integrated, inter-disciplinary approach in teaching and research, so as to keep pace with the current scene.

The governor expressed happiness that Institute of Chartered Financial Analysts of India University (ICFAI) Dehradun is imparting knowledge and skills in some core areas. Certain innovative educational programs of the University, which also include research, consulting and publishing besides developing a new cadre of professionals are bound to be extremely useful to the society, he said.

Telling the students that they were on the threshold of a new life, Paul asked them to be the front-runners in the process of nation building and demonstrate sagacity, compassion, resolution and vision in all their endeavours. Regretting the fact that Universities of Uttarakhand do not rank among the best in the country except IIT Roorkee and Pant Nagar Agricultural University, Paul asked them to improve their standards and help in making the hill state a hub of quality higher education.

"Now that Dehradun is in line to be shortlisted as a smart city, Universities based in the state can attempt to formulate a number of study projects,” he said.