Opinion A 360 degree education
Why an NCC course will be a welcome addition to physics,chemistry,math
A recent announcement from the HRD minister to the effect that the National Cadet Corps will be made an elective course is welcome. I remember my college days of 1962-65,when the NCC was compulsory for all students. I served in the NCC Corps of Signals for the first year,Infantry for the second,and Engineers for the third. That was immediately after the conflict with China,and hence all of us had to serve in the NCC. Even though it was compulsory,we enjoyed the weekly parades and the milk and snack supplements afterwards. We also enjoyed the yearly week-long camps. It added spice to our college life and we grew up as conscientious citizens,with some familiarity with military life and national security. I was sad when I heard that one of the IITs had scrapped the NCC.
The Indian education system in general,and the higher education system in particular,has evolved from an egalitarian system to a competitive one. In the process,education has shrunk from 360 degrees to 120. Unitary systems like the IITs,IIMs,IISERs and IIITs are most sought after as students and parents consider these places where one gets not simply degrees but an assurance of better jobs and careers. Unfortunately,knowledge is not unidimensional. Besides formal education inside the classroom,which is only 120 degrees,there are two important elements. First,the development of personality through activities like sport,culture and schemes like the NCC and the National Social Service. Second,the development of communication skills and social involvement through the activities of hostels,gymkhanas,festivals,clubs etc.
India,as a society,is passing through a period of stress. Economic prosperity has brought social and familial ambitions to the fore. Young boys and girls are subjected to a rigorous coaching culture when they should be developing capabilities as per their aptitudes. The stress of a career is taking its toll on families as well as young individuals. What matters is the total marks in PCM. It is difficult to understand why only physics,chemistry and mathematics should matter. Such a skewed value system has produced many maladies in our higher education.
While arguing about the NCCs importance,one would like to point out some other issues as well. Whenever a new NCC commanding officer came to IIT,I used to invite him for a cup of tea. The discussions were always cordial. However,I tried to emphasise that,with the times,the NCC needed to change its approach to training. The brute-force training imparted to cadets creates lot of dissatisfaction. College authorities have to sometimes armtwist students to enrol. That should not happen. What is needed is a platform for educationists,NCC officers and students to debate such issues and evolve a new model of training. The NCC has some unique attractions even today. The para-gliding event attracts a lot of students and even nearby residents. The treks in the Himalayas are a big draw. The rock-climbing training is very popular. So much so that one IIT has built a wall for rock-climbing. Students are hungry for learning life skills and the NCC is a suitable platform for imparting such skills. It should,however,be done with a modern approach.
Academic boards of universities and institutes need to take note of the concept of 360-degree education. Unless importance is given to sports,culture,values and societal awareness,technical education alone will not equip students sufficiently. Credits must be given for such activities. In case one does not want to put it on the academic grade sheet,such activities can appear on an additional grade sheet. I am sure prospective recruiters will look at this other grade card very carefully. There should be quality norms for providing credits for these activities. It is also recommended that quality teachers be made available. It is essential that better infrastructure be available on campus for such activities. When a university in western India decided to refurbish its two tennis courts,it became front-page news in local dailies. That it happens so rarely is a tragedy,not news.
The writer is former director,IIT Kanpur,express@expressindia.com
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