Mark Twain had once famously remarked: "I have never let my schooling interfere with my education". John Dryden, Oscar Wilde, Bernard Shaw, Hellen Keller, Albert Einstein, were not far behind in their distrust of 'formal education systems'. Why did these remarkable men and women - full of courage, character and creativity - see a startling dichotomy between 'real learning' on the one hand and 'mere schooling' on the other? Perhaps because even in their times, like in ours, formal education was hardly producing men and women of intensity, imagination and ingenuity.

India's case is all the more peculiar since she has not only to deal with a colossal mass of an illiterate populace but has to equally face the brunt of largely 'mal-educated' masses. Ridden with the colonial legacy of imparting an education aimed at churning out slaves, i.e a class of uninspired and unoriginal people, the majority of our educational universities and colleges are still steeped in the British-inspired rote learning system.  We have preserved its purity by not even allowing the revision of syllabuses in several areas. A system based on conformity cannot allow our students to be creative and innovative. A system , which considers 'marks' as the only basis for judging talent, can not promote talent so critical to ignite the creative energies of our youth.

Indeed, in a nation as large as ours we must deal pragmatically with issues of standardization, mass and reach. But in doing that, we must not neglect the values that are at the very heart center of the Education Enterprise: values of Innovation, Teamwork and Perseverance. These are the very values that will ensure that we learn to continuously build upon our strengths, maximize the results of collective efforts, and never be afraid to try, try, try again. In fact, in India, failure is taboo. Not so in America. The Americans rightly recognize that failure is as much part of innovation as success. Indeed, if you are always criticized for failure or rebuked or trampled upon then you will never ever try and without trying there can be no cases of success.

Obviously, these innovative thinking and values can hardly be ushered in without a corresponding change in teaching methodologies. Colonial systems must be cast away to find new ones that reflect contemporary India's preoccupations and aspirations. The handful of existing IITs and IIMs which are at the forefront of producing world-class graduates (less because of innovative teaching and more because of the innate potential of selected students) are clearly not enough to deal with the knowledge-poverty of an entire nation. Even after 58 years of our freedom, 32% of our men and 55% of our women are still illiterate. It is noteworthy that in China the illiteracy rate stands at at just 8% for men and 24% for women. In India, only 6% of the young people are currently enrolled in higher education, while in China, the figure is reached 15%. Clearly, with our less-than optimal performance in the education sector, we run the risk of busting the dream of India as the next Knowledge Power.   Therefore, it is imperative that we address the issues of reaching the remotest in India for the purpose of education, and simultaneously ensure that all of these colleges and institutions set up aspire to the highest of quality standards.

And "Quality", to me is not limited to ensuring that the labs are well-equipped and teachers well-qualified; it is in ensuring that the spirit and enterprise of students are given space for action, that their views are respected and heard, that their aspirations are nurtured with the most caring and concerned approach, that they are involved in their journey of learning from day one, that are made part of decision-making processes through the most-transparent of discussions , that they are encouraged by their teachers to question, challenge and engage in constructive conversation and more importantly that the system assures them of its support in success and in failure. The issue of Quality therefore must be dealt with by the highest of experts and must never be measured just in terms of bricks and mortar.

Stakeholders in the education sector need to radically look at higher education with a fresh perspective. I hereby provide five recommendations to move beyond:

Evidently, the status quo  in higher education just cannot be sustainable .  The example of the US has amply demonstrated the success of such an open system wherein the government's efforts are very adequately supplemented through by the private and non-governmental sectors. Not only has this tried and tested system adequately dealt with the issue of providing a diversity of courses to the largest numbers but has also brought in the most effective mechanisms to deal with issues of quality and funding.

Though the quality monitoring agencies will be initially required to play an important role, eventually, it will be   the  continued  practice of openness, transparency and natural responsibility that will automatically enforce quality in educational institutions. Through highly aware communities, and through increased competition amidst market-forces, utmost accountability and efficiency will be ensured.

Indeed, an open education sector is essential to keep alive innovation, creativity and enterprise. In short, it is indispensable to India leading the way in the global knowledge economy. With government budget and attention more focused toward primary education (and rightly so), we must mobilize competition and collaboration in the private as well as non-governmental sectors to step in and address suitably  both the quality and quantity lacunae in the higher education sector. Anything less will not allow us to be a Knowledge Super Power   and a world leader in the coming years.   Education holds the key to the knowledge economy.   The high quality of people is the new Oil reserve of today. 

At the end of the day it is all about our own Mindsets, our Hearts and our Attitudes. Like in all other areas EduCare-education with care and concern for values and societal needs will only come about with a change in attitudes and mindsets. This Change we owe to our Children.  

VINAY RAI