“Despite being one of the largest producers of academic degrees in the world, the quality of education (in India) is still unsatisfactory,” said ex-chairman and chief mentor, Infosys, Narayana Murthy while delivering a lecture on the ‘need for world class educational institutions’ to a gathering comprising students, professors and alumni of the University Institute of Chemical Technolgy (UICT), Matunga. Murthy was present at the the university’s platinum jubilee celebration function. “India has hardly produced any worthwhile inventions. Almost every technology we use is from abroad. The reason is the low quality and quantity of our doctoral programmes and our emphasis on rote learning,” he rued as the audience listened in rapt attention. At the function, JB Joshi, director, UICT announced that the UICT had been conferred deemed university status by the Ministry of Human Resources Development and the University Grants Commission earlier this month.Joshi said, “This will be a unique deemed university in Maharashtra which may bring paradigm shift.”Apart from Murthy, other dignitaries at the function included Dr R Mashelkar, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research Chief and Dr AD Sawant Pro-vice-chancellor, University of Mumbai among others.Highlighting the ‘worrisome aspects’ of the education system in India Murthy said that the absence of research excellence had seriously impacted India’s scientific and technological output. “The message is clear that every emerging nation and newly industrialized nation is racing ahead to secure her future through higher education. Our success in making our nation strong and prosperous depends on how well we prepare ourselves in higher education to wrest the advantage from these competing nations,” he said. Murthy suggested that universities need to focus on excellence in research, encouraging more Honours programmes, introducing loan systems for higher education like in the US. He emphasised on the need for the government to give up its control over higher education and instead become a catalyst to improve it.
