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Education fails expert tests at national conference in Pune
The conference, titled, ‘Education through ages in India: Ancient perspectives and modern methods of evaluation’, was inaugurated on November 14 and is scheduled to continue till November 16
Education has been reduced to examinations in the modern day. The initiative to understand, learn and inculcate knowledge needs to be revived if we wish to regain our previous reputation of housing the best centres of education,” said Dr N Jayasankaran, advisor at Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies University, Mumbai, and the chief guest at this conference organised by Deccan College, Pune.
Jointly, with the Association of Indian Universities, New Delhi, Deccan College Post-Graduate and Research Institute (deemed university) organised the national conference on examination reforms in higher education. The conference, titled, ‘Education through ages in India: Ancient perspectives and modern methods of evaluation’, was inaugurated on November 14 and is scheduled to continue till November 16.
Explaining the root of the problem, Dr Jayasankaran took a dig at the recent Mumbai V-C’s resignation by sharing an incident. “During a workshop in Tamil Nadu with a number of vice- chancellors, registrars, COEs and others, I asked them as to why a university exists. After much consideration and discussion, they answered that the purpose of universities is to conduct examinations on time and deliver results within a stipulated schedule.
“I was shocked then and now I know what the problem is, as we saw a certain vice-chancellor losing the position for not being able to deliver results on time,” he said.
According to him, a university is the sanctuary of the intellectual mind of the nation. “The true purpose of a university to cultivate the mind and illuminate the intellect of the students. but now, we have totally missed out on the true purpose and are concentrating more on examinations. Now the government has to scrutinise and recognise 20 universities in India as institutes of excellence, but in the ancient times, when learning reigned over marks, all our institutes were excellent. Teachers and students need to change the outlook into education,” he added.
