Date : 15.06.2020
Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank
Hon’ble Minister of HRD
302-C, Shastri Bhawan,
New Delhi- 110001
Phones:+91-11-23782698/23782387
+91-11-23382365 (FAX)
E-mail: minister.hrd@gov.in
Sub: To draw up well-thought out higher education policy – reg:
Dear Hon’ble Minister,
Namaskar,
I had not long ago written a letter to your good self regarding the activation of library system in the States where in most of the States have not attended the activation of libraries.
Also lately I had written one more letter addressed to the Prime Minister on the need for education reforms which unfortunately had not taken off in the last six years of the BJP rule, in spite of several attempts to draw up an education policy.
I have been interested in this field for a long time.
Today I read in the Financial Times of London about how the recent Indo-China issue had led to many heart-rending scenes as circulated in the China media, the Chinese Global Times and also in the social media how the Indian soldiers are treated badly. I am sure the Government of India must be aware of these humiliations.
However, what prompted me to write this letter to your good self directly is the urgency, yes I would say so, to draw up a sound education policy that would, I am sure, meet the strategic need. To draw up a higher education policy that would add strength and also reverse the current trend towards lakhs of Indian students who migrate every year to pursue higher education in Western countries, UK and USA and also other countries like Canada, Australia.
By one latest count, again published in the FT, some around 3 lakh Indian students travelled in the year 2019 alone. You must be surely aware that it costs each Indian student nearly one crore for a first degree. While the home students, UK and USA, pay only one third of the same.
Are we not wasting so much of our foreign exchange? Simply because of our poor higher education policy in our country. Our higher education strategy doesn’t contribute to strengthen our country’s intellectual base, not contribute to the self-confidence and creativity and also in sciences and technology. We don’t match with the progress made in the new technologies, in particular in the IT and software fields, as per the latest data on, say start ups and other related tech fields.
When we write to the PMO our letters are filed under some head or other, it never gets the PM”s attention.
You have to engage the best minds of the country to draw up a well-thought out higher education policy and the comparable Indian university system. How long we are going to follow the Western education priorities?
Higher education has already become mass education and the private players have already commercialised the field that no longer contributes higher research and solving problems our country badly needs.
I am sure you are seized with the issues faced by the sector and in my opinion, the humbling truth is that bureaucrats can’t draw up a courageous and independent minded approach to the issues.
I had studied at Santiniketan and Oxford and I can say with confidence that if you don’t intervene the Indian education system won’t change for another one century and more!
Let us start right now and also we have to compete with the world higher education system.
Hope this letter triggers your thoughts and cause some action!
With warm regards,
V.Isvarmurti