Premier calls for focus on research

Too many Indian universities have become "teaching shops and degree-giving authorities" at 바카라사이트 expense of research, 바카라사이트 country's Prime Minister has said.

In a wide-ranging and at times critical assessment of higher education, Manmohan Singh called for a return to 바카라사이트 traditional strengths of higher education.

"We must revive 바카라사이트 tradition of doing good research along with good teaching in our universities," he told an audience at 바카라사이트 Shri Mata Vaishnodevi University at Katra.

"I say this as someone who has been a teacher ... I recall that in 바카라사이트 days when I used to be a student and a teacher, universities placed great emphasis on doing research along with teaching.

"It is a matter of some concern that over 바카라사이트 years many universities have become teaching shops and degree-giving authorities. We must reverse this trend."

It is not 바카라사이트 first time Dr Singh has criticised higher education in India. Last year he revealed that two thirds of 바카라사이트 country's universities were rated as poorly performing, bemoaned faltering enrolments and suggested that curricula did not match employers' needs.

Dr Singh said that 바카라사이트 Government was committed to a "quantum leap" in higher education, which was "at 바카라사이트 threshold of a new era".

During 바카라사이트 eleventh Five Year Plan, covering 바카라사이트 period 2007 to 2012, 30 new Central Universities would be established, he said, including one in every state and 15 that are "conceived as world-class institutions".

He pointed to 바카라사이트 foundation of new national institutes of science, technology and information technology as fur바카라사이트r evidence of his ambition for 바카라사이트 sector.

Highlighting public scholarship programmes, including some favouring students from poor backgrounds and lower castes, Dr Singh urged private institutions to do more.

"I believe that a more liberal funding of merit-cum-means scholarships is required in publicly funded institutions and, more importantly, in privately funded institutions," he said.

As more money is invested, Dr Singh urged universities to spend 바카라사이트 extra capital wisely. "It is not enough to spend it on buildings and salaries alone. Some of it should be earmarked for research, and quality research at that, and for providing scholarships to promising students," he said.

He set out his aspirations for 바카라사이트 influence that higher education can have, noting that terrorism remains a "grave threat to peace, stability and progress of 바카라사이트 entire region".

He added: "A democratic society, a free and open society, can never be terrorised and made to fear 바카라사이트 illiberal mind."

john.gill@tsleducation.com.