The Government Should Not Interfere In Higher Education

The Government Should Not Interfere In Higher Education

Q) What values should be prioritised by an institution?

A) Our higher education today is devoid of inculcating any values in the younger generations. We expect that students will learn about ethics and society in school but that is not being done. We need to bring that back and make sure that these values are also reflected in our higher education system.

Students must participate in cultural activities and they should get credit points for such participation and that is what we are doing in our university. Students must participate in sports and be given certain credits. Students should also go to the gym and keep themselves fit. Students should take part in yoga and in debates. They should carry out projects as a team so they understand team functioning.

Second, we also need to develop leadership skills among youngsters. That may not necessarily be through unions. I believe that is not the way to inculcate leadership skills. It has to be done in a calibrated fashion. As the Vice Chancellor of the Pune University, I had actually banned students’ union elections. Instead we made the academic toppers the class representatives. The model worked well and the students were groomed for their responsibilities. Students also need to develop ownership feelings for their institutions. It is only then that they will perform their duties diligently.

Q) What kind of teaching works best in enhancing the analytical and communicative skills?