Associated blog post date: 9th Jun. 2014, link: http://eklavyasai.blogspot.com/2014/06/education-and-it-related-parts-of.html , short link: http://bit.ly/prez-speech
Here are some extracts and comments of President Mukherjee's speech to Parliament today (here's the full speech - a 14 page pdf document, [link is broken in Feb. 2020] http://www.pmindia.gov.in/President_Address.pdf):
12. India is the world’s oldest civilization. Today it is also a country with the largest population of the youth. We must equip and nurture our youth with the right kind of education, skill-set and opportunity to reap this demographic dividend. My government will strive to transition from Youth Development to Youth-led Development. It will set up Massive Open Online Courses and virtual classrooms. It will formulate a National Education Policy aimed at meeting the challenges posed by lack of quality, research and innovation in our educational institutions. We will set up IITs and IIMs in every state. In order to empower school teachers and students, a national e-library will be established. With the motto of "Har Haath Ko Hunar", my government will strive to break the barriers between formal education and skill development, and put in place a mechanism to give academic equivalence to vocational qualifications. With the goal of Skilled India, my government will also launch a National Multi-skill Mission.
[Ravi: I am so glad to see that education has been given significance in this govt's plan. Really great to see MOOCs being mentioned in the speech. MOOCs are the growing waves in higher education worldwide and seem to be going from strength to strength. India MUST get on to the bandwagon perhaps with a tie-up with leading players like edX and CourseEra.
"National education policy" - very interesting. But they must open it up to the public during the discussions stage itself rather than leave it to a small coterie of top academics and industry experts to make the policy, which is what seems to have been the case in the past. Use the Internet to involve all stakeholders including the vital students and parents stakeholders as well as junior faculty who have to deal with the teaching loads.
"academic equivalence to vocational qualifications" - wonder what that exactly means ... National Multi-skill Mission. Interesting. But one needs more information about them to comment meaningfully.
IITs and IIMs in every state - I am somewhat disappointed by no mention of UGC & AICTE specifically (but National Education Policy may involve UGC & AICTE) which cater to the vast majority of higher education students in the country. There seems to be a belief that bringing an IIT and/or IIM to a state will magically improve its higher education. It may do that for the brightest/elite among the youth of that state. But how about the other students who can't get into the IIT/IIM? They are the vast majority. And it is UGC & AICTE regulated institutions that cater to them. The govt. must explore ways to improve such institutions on a priority basis as it affects a vast number of youth, and not give so much importance to IITs and IIMs that UGC & AICTE institutions get treated as unimportant.]
...
The government will especially strengthen measures to spread modern and technical education among minority communities and a National Madarsa Modernization Programme will be initiated.
[Ravi: That's excellent.]
...
22. E-governance brings empowerment, equity and efficiency. It has the power to transform peoples’ lives. The backbone of my government's new ways of working will be a Digital India. IT will be used to drive re- engineering of government processes to improve service delivery and programme implementation. We will strive to provide Wi-Fi zones in critical public areas in the next five years. My government will rollout broadband highway to reach every village and make all schools e-enabled in a phased manner. Technology will be used to prepare our children for a knowledge society. The National e-governance plan will be expanded to cover every government office from the centre to the Panchayat; to provide a wide variety of services to citizens. Emerging technologies like Social Media will be used as a tool for participative governance, directly engaging the people in policy making and administration.
[Ravi: Fascinating! Shri Modi is strongly pro-technology and pro-e-governance. It will be very interesting for an IT guy like me to see how these plans work out over the coming months and years.]
...
36. Our rich cultural heritage is the very foundation on which rests the unity of our diverse nation. Indian languages are repositories of our rich literature, history, culture, art and other achievements. My government will launch a national mission "e-Bhasha” that will develop digital vernacular content and disseminate our classic literature in different languages. My government will also provide the required resources for the maintenance and restoration of national heritage sites.
[Ravi: That's great. Hopefully it will do a decent job, if not a good job.]
...
38. My government recognises the central role of Science and Technology in raising the quality of life. It will encourage and incentivize private sector investments, both domestic and foreign, in science and technology and in high-end research aimed at nurturing innovation. My government will build world class research centres in the fields of nanotechnology, material sciences, thorium technology, brain research, stem cells, etc. The government will also establish institutes of Technology for Rural Development and a Central University of Himalayan Studies.
--- end President speech education and IT related extracts and comments ---
[I thank former President Mukherjee of India and have presumed that the President's office will not have any objections to me sharing the above small extract(s) from their website in this book, whose ebook is freely downloadable/viewable by all, and whose paperback book is not-for-profit for me (author). This book does not have any financial profit motive whatsoever for the author.]
Associated blog post date: 13th Jun. 2014, link: http://eklavyasai.blogspot.com/2014/06/it-and-education-related-excerpts-from.html , short link: http://bit.ly/pm-speech
This speech was, if I am not mistaken, the concluding speech on the motion of Thanks for the President's speech on June 9th (earlier article in this book is on it). Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi mentioned in his speech that around fifty speakers (from various political parties) had spoken on this motion.
I could not locate a full text (translated to English) of this speech of Shri Modi so far. This link gives a lot of points from the speech: http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/narendra-modi-speaks-on-president-s-motion-of-thanks-in-parliament-highlights-539796.
Some excerpts of the speech and associated timestamps, mainly related to education and information technology, transcribed from this speech video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vUMYUaaY40, 1 hr 1 min 30 secs, are given below. These excerpts are a mix of full translation of Hindi sentences as well as only mention of key points.
Around 11:35 - Government's first responsibility is towards the poor
If the rich need to teach their children they can send them to any school in the world/hire any teacher in the world. If somebody in the home of the rich fall ill, many doctors can come to his home. Where will the poor go? In his destiny (naseeb) he has (only) government schools and government hospitals. Therefore it is the first responsibility (daayitva) of the government that they listen to the poor and live for the poor. If we do not run the government machinery (karobaar) for the poor, for the benefit of the poor, then this country's people (jantha) will not (never) forgive us.
Around 13:25 - Empower the poor to fight poverty through education and liberation from blind belief
(Hindi: Garib ko garibi se bahar lane ke liye, Uske andar wo taakath lani hai taaki wo garibi ke saath jujh sake. Garibi ke khilaaf ladaai ladne ki sabse bada (aujaar?) hota hai - shiksha. Garibi se ladne ka sabse bada saadhan hota hai - andh shraddha se mukthi. Agar hum garibi me - jo aaj andh shraddha ke bhaav pade hai, ashiksha ki avastha padi hai, agar usme se use bahaar lane me safal hote hai to is desh ka garib kisi ke tukdo par palne ka iccha nahi rakhta hai. Wo apne bal bute par apni duniya khadi karne ke liye taiyaar hai. Sammaan aur gaurav se jeena garib ka swabhaav hai. Hum iski us moolbhoot taakath ko pakad karke agar usko bal dene ka prayaas karte hain - Aur isliye sarkaar ke yojnaaye garib ko garibi se bahaar aane ki taakath de. Garib ko garibi ke khilaaf ladaayi ladne ki taakath de. Aur shaashan ki saari vyavasthayein garib ko shashakth banane ke liye kaam aani chaahiyein. Aur saari vyavasthaon ka antim nateeja us aakhri shor par baithe huen insaan ke kaam me aaye, us disha me hoga tab jaakar hum uska kalyan kar payenge.)
English translation of above (there may be minor inaccuracies as my Hindi knowledge is of middling kind): To bring the poor out of poverty, he has to be given that strength, that power that will enable him to fight poverty. To fight poverty, the biggest weapon is - education. The biggest means to fight against poverty is liberation from blind belief. If we, within/among the poor who today are (trapped) in an environment of blind belief, in a state of being uneducated, are successful in removing them from that state then the poor of this country (do/will) not wish to live on the crumbs of others. He is ready to create his own world (life) based on his own strength. It is the nature of the poor to live with dignity and respect. If we catch this root strength of his (of the poor) and make efforts to give (more) power to it - and so the plans/projects of the government should give strength to the poor to come out of poverty; give strength to the poor to fight against poverty. And the entire government administration should be of help/use to empower the poor. And the end result of all administration should be in the direction of being useful to the human on the final (distant) shore (frontier), then we will be able to ensure his well being (serve him/serve the poor on the final frontier).
Around 15:58 - Providing best teachers to (rural) villages using long distance education technology
We have used one word - Rurban, for the progress of villages, which I saw in the speech of the president. (Hindi: Jahaan suvidha shehar ki ho aatma gaon ki ho) English: Where the facilities should be of the kind in cities but the spirit (character) should be of the kind in villages. ... The noble character (the noble spirit) of the villages of our country is a priceless legacy which we must preserve. But will we deprive our villagers of modern facilities? And I am saying this with experience that when villages are given modern facilities they are making more contribution to the country's progress. If villages have 24 hour electric power supply, if villages have (Internet) broadband connectivity, (if) the children of villages get excellent education ... (If) we accept that we do not, (as of now), have good (best) teachers in our villages but today's science (and technology) gives us the full power of long distance education. (Using) the best of the best teachers sitting in cities we can teach the children sitting in villages (of the final frontier). Why should we not use the power of satellites, use modern science (and technology) for the education of poor children? If we can bring a change in the life of villages then nobody would want to leave their villages. What does the youth want? If he/she gets employment (in the village) he/she would prefer to stay with their parents. Can we not create industries in villages? ... Agro-based industries ...
Around 19:40 - Agricultural universities' challenges; traditional farmer has to be changed to modern farmer
We have so many agricultural universities. A lot of research is going on. But the unfortunate thing is that what is in the lab. is not on the land. The journey from the lab. to the land, till we do not make (that journey) ... There is a need to change the farmer from traditional farmer to modern farmer. ... Gujarat's soil health card experiment ... (govt.) came to know of inappropriate crops sowed by the farmer for the soil he has ... the farmer came to know (was informed by govt.) of the flaws of his approach and was able to consider better approaches ... Agriculture university students of our country can, during their (summer) vacation (in their home villages/towns) do soil testing in the school laboratories in their villages (or towns). The students will get paid, the school will get paid, (soil testing data will be made available) - can this not become a people's movement?
Around 22:42 - Indians recognized for Information Technology in the world; Yet we don't have real time data on Agri products
Today it is unfortunate in our country. Such a big technology came into being - Information Technology. (Hindi: Duniya mein hum chaaye huve rahein. Software engineer ke roop mein hamari pehchaan ban gayi. Lekin aaj hamare desh ke paas agro product ka real time data nahi hain.) English: We are spread out in the world (in IT). We Indians are now viewed/recognized as software engineer(s). But today our country does not have real time data on agro products. Can we not do that? ... it will help in price control.
Around 29:30 - Very big need for skill development
The whole world in the coming days has a very big need for skilled labour force/manpower. Those who know this knowledge area (shastra) know that the whole world needs skilled manpower. ... So skill development is an important agenda for all countries including the well developed countries. Our country's primary area (prathmikta) should be skill development. ... (Hindi: To hame srameva jayate is mantra ko (charitartha) karna hoga) English: So we will have to (adopt) the mantra of work/effort alone triumphs. ... From an image of 'scam India' we have to make the image 'skill(ed) India'. ... So we have created a new ministry for entrepreneurship and skill development. Our country has a misfortune. If we ask somebody what have you studied, he says I am a graduate or MA or a double graduate. We like hearing that. ... (talks of a book he read during childhood with a real life account of a graduate looking for a job. When the graduate is asked what do you know, the person says he is a graduate but does not answer the question i.e. does not say what he knows. He is told OK you are a graduate but what do you know. The person repeats that he is a graduate - this sequence is repeated one or two times more). (Hindi, around 32:07: Hum is baat se anubhav kar sakte hain ki jindagi ka gujara karne ke liye haath me hunar hona chahiye sirif haath me certificate hone se baath (nahi banthi)). English: From this we can (deduce) that to make a living we must have a skill in hand, just having a certificate in hand will not do.
And so will have to give emphasis on skill development. But we also have to give a social status for the skilled worker. (He gives an example of a 7th standard student leaving the village school and enrolling into a skill development course. But people do not give value to him - they treat him as a 7th standard educated student and ask him to leave.) We will have to bring in equivalence (to academic qualifications) for these (skilled courses). In Gujarat I tried an experiment. Those who do two years ITI course, I made them equal to 10th standard (passed/qualified) persons. Those who came after 10th standard (into ITI course?) were made equal to 12th standard. (For these ITI qualified students) doors were opened for studying (enrolling) in Diploma or Degree programmes. He was 7th pass but he can go upto degree now - the pathway was opened up. We will have to make new decisions with a lot of courage (himmat). If we want to give emphasis to skill development then we will have to give social standing for that.
... Today the whole world needs teachers. Can Hindusthaan (India) not export teachers? If we export Maths and Science teachers - if a businessman (vyapaari) goes abroad then at the most he will come back with Dollars - but if a teacher goes abroad he will bring back a whole generation along with him, this is the power (of teachers). [Applause.]
Around 38:34 - Progress (vikaas) should be a people's movement (jan aandolan)
We should make progress (vikaas) a people's movement (jan aandolan). If we make progress a government programme then (it won't work). But if we make progress a people's movement - in this country, every person must feel - a teacher also must feel, when I teach, I teach for the nation; even if a worker is carrying luggage in a railway station, he should feel that he is doing it for the nation, if a farmer is working on his fields, he should also feel he is working for the nation. Once again, in this country, a movement (aandolan) of good governance (suraajya) is required. ... And it is not that it is impossible. ... It is possible to create this feeling. (Hindi: Aaj bhi hamare desh me desh bhakti ki koi kami nahi hai.) English: Even today, in our country, there is no dearth of devotion to the country. ... (Hindi: Aavashyakta hain ki ham nethruthva pradaan kare. Yahan baithe huen sabhi samarthyavaan hain. Jan-jan ko jagane ki wo taakath rakhte hain - (us) taakath ko lagane ki jaroorath hain.) The need is that we (parliamentarians) should provide leadership. All the people seated here (parliament - lower house) are capable people. We have the power to rouse the populace - that power is needed to be used.
Around 45:04 - Duryodhan quote - I know Dharma but it is not in my DNA!
[Ravi: The following two excerpts are not particularly related to education or IT. However, I felt it was pretty noble stuff and so educative in that sense. So I have included it below.]
(Hindi: Ek baar Duryodhan ko poocha gayaa ki bhai ye dharm aur adharm, sathya aur jhooth, tumko samajh hai ki nahi hain. To Duryodhan ne ye baath .. Usne kaha Jaanaami dharmam nachame pravratti - main dharm ko jaanta hun lekin ye meri pravratti nahi hain. Sathya kya hai mujhe maaloom hain, achcha kya hain mujhe maaloom hain lekin woh mere DNA mein nahi hain. [Laughter.]) English: Once Duryodhan (the arch-villain in the great Hindu epic Mahabharatha) was asked whether he understood dharma (righteous action/living) and adharma (unrighteous action/living), truth and falsehood. Duryodhan said that he knew dharma but (following) dharma was not in his nature. I know what is truth and what is good, but that is not in my DNA.
Around 46:29 - Seniors' blessings will save govt. from arrogance and teach humility
(Hindi: Aur Vijay hame sikhata hai namrata. Aur mai is sadan ko viswas deta hun. Aur mujhe viswas hain yehaan ke jo hamaare seniors hain, kisi bhi dal ke kyon na ho, unke aashirwaad se hum us taakaath ko praapt karenge jo hame ahankaar se bachaye. Jo hamein har pal namrata sikhayein. Yahaan par (gesturing towards treasury benches) kitni hi sankhya kyon na ho lekin mujhe aap ke bina (gesturing towards opposition benches) aage nahi badna hain. Hamein sankhya ke bal par nahin chalna hain hamein saamuhikta ke bal par chalna hain.) English: And victory teaches us humility. And I give this house an assurance - . And I have the faith that the seniors here, no matter which political party they are from, with their blessings we will acquire that strength which will save us from arrogance. That will teach us humility at every step. No matter how many numbers we have here (treasury benches - massive majority) I do not want to move ahead without you (opposition benches). We do not want to proceed on the strength of numbers but we want to proceed on collective/united strength.
[I thank Prime Minister Modi of India and have presumed that the Prime Minister's office will not have any objections to me sharing the above extract(s) from their website in this book, whose ebook is freely downloadable/viewable by all, and whose paperback book is not-for-profit for me (author). This book does not have any financial profit motive whatsoever for the author.]
Associated blog post date: 29th Jan. 2014, link: http://eklavyasai.blogspot.com/2014/01/education-related-parts-of-us-president.html , short link: http://bit.ly/usprez-spch
The above mentioned blog post provides extracts related to education from US president Obama's State of the Union 2014 address, http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/01/28/president-barack-obamas-state-union-address, and some comments from me.
Here, in this book, I have used very limited quotes from above extracts of US President Obama's address. Comments of mine are prefixed by Ravi: and in italics.
----
Ravi: It is so wonderful to see the top boss of a country, in a yearly stock-taking and future-direction address, give so much importance to education, and have a clear focus on education that imparts the skills the youth need in these job-wise challenging times. In contrast, in India, most of what I read about speeches made by top ministers and education policy makers is about research. I don't recall coming across any speech in recent times by any top Indian higher education policy maker about teaching Indian students useful skills that will help them get a decent job! (Note that previous articles in this book covering education related parts of Indian PM Modi’s address and Indian President Mukherjee’s address are of their June 2014 speeches which were after US President Obama’s Jan. 2014 address covered in this article.)
BTW I saw the video of the speech as well. If you would like to do so here's the youtube video link I viewed, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hed1nP9X7pI, 1 hr. 29 min. 07 sec.
[I thank US President Obama and have presumed that the US President's office will not have any objections to me sharing the above small extract(s) from President Obama's speech in this book, whose ebook is freely downloadable/viewable by all, and whose paperback book is not-for-profit for me (author). This book does not have any financial profit motive whatsoever for the author.]
Associated blog post date: 27th Dec. 2013, last updated on 5th Sept. 2014, link: http://eklavyasai.blogspot.com/2013/12/usa-student-right-to-know-before-you-go.html , short link: http://bit.ly/right-to
Update on Sept. 5th 2014: The act (or rather bill) mentioned below seems to have got stuck at the introduction stage. https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/hr1937 states that it has only "4% chance of being enacted"! --- end update ---
I was very happy that some senators in the USA have introduced a new act which will empower USA students and parents with more information for making crucial higher education decisions.
Here's a press release dated May 9th 2013 about the act, "Sens. Warner, Rubio, Wyden Introduce Student Right to Know Before You Go Act", http://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2013/5/sens-warner-rubio-wyden-introduce-student-right-to-know-before-you-go-acy [short link: http://bit.ly/right-know ].
Some important extracts from the press release are given below:
The legislation would streamline existing institutional reporting requirements to give students and their families more tools to easily compare graduation rates, student loan debt, employment prospects and potential future earnings as they make important decisions about higher education.
...
"Many high school seniors who are heading to college this fall have just paid their tuition deposits, and they likely have real questions about what value they are getting for their money," Sen. Warner said. "This bipartisan legislation will combine relevant information in a rational way so that students and their families can access comparative information on which colleges and which majors will result in a good job.
...
“A college education is one of the most important investments an American can make in their lifetime, so it’s critical that we equip potential students and their families with as much information as possible,” Sen. Rubio said. “With this legislation we can finally provide meaningful, easily accessible data to make higher education decisions easier for the 21st century student.”
...
“There’s been a needed focus on access to higher education, but it’s time to bring value into the equation,” Sen. Wyden said. “Instead of forcing students to make blind decisions on such a huge investment, this bill would empower them with a wide range of information about what their choices will mean in working world.”
...
Rising educational costs and uncertainty in the job market have made the stakes higher than ever for individuals looking to invest in higher education. According to the College Board, the average cost of tuition and fees for the 2012–2013 school year was $29,056 at private colleges, $8,655 for state residents at public colleges, and $21,706 for out-of-s