Arjun Singh,78 Minister of Human Resource Development

Arjun Singh,78 Minister of Human Resource Development Result: -2/10 His tenure was marked by government interference in the functioning of IITs and IIMs. But the 27 per cent OBC quota was most controversial. Singh made Fulbright scholars wait six to 21 months for clearances and pushed through appointments of VCs to 15 new central varsities hellip;

Result: -2/10

His tenure was marked by government interference in the functioning of IITs and IIMs. But the 27 per cent OBC quota was most controversial. Singh made Fulbright scholars wait six to 21 months for clearances and pushed through appointments of VCs to 15 new central varsities before the model code of conduct came into effect.

His brief

The CMP promised to retain the autonomy of institutions and a National Commission for Education to monitor programmes.

Reforms derailed

amp;149; The CMP promised to increase the share of education to 6 per cent of the GDP. Even with a cess on central taxes,public spending on education is just a little over 3 per cent.

amp;149; The Right to Education Bill to provide free and compulsory education to all children between 6 and 14 languished for four years.

amp;149; Proposals like the Central Madrasa Board and the madrasa modernisation plan didnt take off.

amp;149; Recommendations of the PM-backed National Knowledge Commission NKCrationalisation of fees,all-India merit examswere all rejected.

Reforms scuttled

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amp;149; NKC suggested an independent regulatory authority for higher education to replace multiple regulators like UGC and AICTE.

The ministry instead set up another committee headed by Prof Yash Pal,which called for an independent regulator too. The ministry scuttled it again.

amp;149; The Foreign Education Providers Bill ran into quota hurdles posed by the HRD ministry.

Opportunities blown

Could have pushed for academic reforms and autonomy of institutes. Instead,he chose to make his OBC quota Bill the fulcrum of his ministry.

What was he thinking?

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Rahul Gandhi has all the qualities of his father. He is making sincere efforts to acquire the information and knowledge that is required. Singh openly called for Rahul as PM,only to get a summons from Sonia Gandhi.

High point

Pushed through the 27 per cent OBC quota despite opposition from a vocal section of students and academics.

Low point

When the Cabinet Secretariat overruled his choice of candidate for IIM Lucknow Prof D.K.Bandhopadhyaya and Prof Devi Singh was appointed director for a second term.

View from the shadow

He destroyed IITs,there is a free-for-all at IIMs,no new scheme has been implemented. His ministry only tom-toms about the SSA,which I initiated and he destroyed.

Murli Manohar Joshi,former HRD minister

Did he get your vote?

He is a Rajya Sabha member.