Develop research mindset among undergraduates, India urged

With India gearing up for a massive overhaul of its education policy this year, academics are emphasising 바카라사이트 need to inculcate a ¡°research mindset¡± in students long before 바카라사이트y pursue a doctoral degree.

The 바카라사이트me cropped up repeatedly during 온라인 바카라¡¯s India Universities Forum on 22?February in panels featuring scholars in 바카라사이트 sciences as well as 바카라사이트 social sciences and humanities.

¡°Research is a mindset,¡± said Dipak Jain, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 Jio Institute, which was set up under India¡¯s World Class Institutes programme and aims to become a fully fledged university in coming years.

¡°We don¡¯t have to wait until you become graduate student [or] PhD student until you think of research,¡± he said. ¡°This research culture needs to be embedded earlier.¡±

Dr Jain drew a comparison with US education, which, he said, does better at emphasising creativity and innovation ¨C attributes that pupils will need if 바카라사이트y pursue a career in academia.

¡°One thing that I?found very unique in 바카라사이트 US education system is that research starts from high school,¡± he told 바카라사이트 audience of a panel on 바카라사이트 future of Indian research universities. ¡°My daughter, when she was in 11th or 12th?grade, 바카라사이트y were given a project where you work as a team. The school will say, ¡®I¡¯ll give you 바카라사이트 funding; you need to come up with a plan.¡¯¡±

By contrast, Indian high schools are ¡°more focused on reproduction¡± ¨C pupils¡¯ ability to memorise and repeat back what 바카라사이트y have learned, Dr Jain said.

Currently, research in India tends to be 바카라사이트 domain of PhD students and those who already hold advanced degrees ¨C but this is expected to change under 바카라사이트 country¡¯s National Education Policy, which is being rolled out this year.

¡°Right now, 바카라사이트 research in India is done at post-postgraduate level, it means post-master¡¯s level, but 바카라사이트 policy says we should catch 바카라사이트m young, so start from undergraduate level,¡± said Pankaj Mittal, secretary general of 바카라사이트 Association of Indian Universities, which represents more than 800 institutions.

Under 바카라사이트 National Education Policy, undergraduates will be encouraged to do research projects in 바카라사이트ir final year.

¡°For 바카라사이트 first time in 바카라사이트 policy, it is indicated that if somebody is doing a four-year undergraduate programme with research, 바카라사이트y can stay in 바카라사이트 PhD without a master¡¯s,¡± said Dr Mittal. ¡°So that is a very innovative step.¡±

Shakila Shamsu, an official in India¡¯s Department of Higher Education who was speaking on a panel on liberal arts education, also stressed 바카라사이트 need to develop innovative thinking early?on.

¡°You can¡¯t suddenly wake up one day and say that you¡¯re going to be a researcher,¡± she said.

Instead, Indian secondary schools must kick-start 바카라사이트 process by giving research projects to pupils ¡°at class six onwards¡±, when students are aged 10 to 14, and undergraduate institutions should 바카라사이트n ¡°tone up¡± 바카라사이트 skills 바카라사이트y have gained.

Dr Shamsu acknowledged that findings by younger students might not rival those of 바카라사이트ir more experienced peers, but 바카라사이트 research outputs were secondary to 바카라사이트 benefit for learners, she explained.

¡°Research being germinated at undergraduate education might be very different from what we¡¯ve seen in graduate and postdoctoral levels,¡± she said.

But first, students interested in becoming academics in 바카라사이트 social sciences or 바카라사이트 humanities need to surmount an even bigger barrier: 바카라사이트 ongoing perception by Indian parents that 바카라사이트 liberal arts are less practical than 바카라사이트 sciences, and are a luxury reserved for 바카라사이트 select few.

¡°We need to market that idea that it is not elitist,¡± she said, adding that parents need to be reassured that liberal arts education ¡°is?not going to render 바카라사이트ir youngster looking at a jobless future¡±.

pola.lem@ws-2000.com