National Knowledge Commission Report to the Nation 2009

National Knowledge CommissionReport to the Nation2006 - 2009Government of India

© National Knowledge Commission, March 2009Published by:National Knowledge CommissionGovernment of IndiaDharma Marg, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi-110 021www.knowledgecommission.gov.inCopy editing, design and printing:New Concept Information Systems Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi-110 076www.newconceptinfo.com

ForewordThe National Knowledge Commission (NKC) is pleasedto submit its final Report to the Nation. It is essentiallya compilation of our various reports from 2006 to 2009.The Commission was set up by the Prime MinisterDr. Manmohan Singh to prepare a blueprint to tapinto the enormous reservoir of our knowledge base sothat our people can confidently face the challenges ofthe 21st century. We were conscious that this was adaunting task, which required not only resources andtime, but also a bold vision and a long-term focus onspeedy implementation.At the heart of NKC’s mandate are five key areasrelated to ACCESS, CONCEPTS, CREATION,APPLICATIONS and SERVICES. We have addressedthe question of how to build a knowledge society fromthese perspectives, with particular focus on accessto knowledge. Under these five focus areas we havecovered various subjects related to Right to Education,Language, Translation, Libraries, National KnowledgeNetwork, Portals, Health Information Network, SchoolEducation, Vocational Education and Training, HigherEducation, More Students in Maths and Science,Professional Education, More Quality Ph.Ds, Openand Distance Education, Open Education Resources,Intellectual Property Rights, Legal Framework for PublicFunded Research, National Science and Social ScienceFoundation, Innovation, Entrepreneurship, TraditionalHealth systems, Agriculture, Enhancing Quality of Lifeand E-governance.In most of these areas we organised Working Groupsconsisting of domain experts from the government,academia, industry, civil society, media and others tomake the entire process democratic, transparent andparticipative. The Working Groups were requested tohave various consultations and prepare a white paperfor discussion and debate at the Commission. Basedon this methodology, a final set of recommendationswas agreed upon by the majority of the members ofthe Commission. As a result, we believe that theserecommendations reflect and incorporate the concernsand aspirations of domain experts and other concernedstakeholders.In the last three years NKC has submitted around300 recommendations on 27 subjects in the form ofletters to the Prime Minister. These have been widelydisseminated in our Reports to the Nation, seminars,conferences, discussions and covered by national andregional media. These recommendations are alsoaccessible through the NKC website in 10 languages.As part of our outreach program we have organisedvarious conferences and workshops in collaborationwith universities, colleges, schools, CII, FICCI, AIMA,and others. We have also been reaching out to variousState Governments to discuss recommendations andassociated implementation at the state level. Theresponse from most of the states has been very good.The UPA’s commitment to NKC’s Vision is reflectedin the 11th Five Year Plan adopted by the NationalDevelopment Council. The Plan places high priorityon education as a central instrument for achievingrapid and inclusive growth with specific emphasis onexpansion, excellence, and equity. This is reflected in theproposed allocation of Rs. 3 trillion, a four-fold increaseover the Tenth Plan. The share of Education in the totalPlan will accordingly increase from 7.7 to 20 per cent,representing a credible progress towards the target of6 per cent of GDP. The vision of the Prime Ministerand support of our leadership from across the politicalspectrum is indeed laudable. This is a landmark initiativein the history of government planning. We believe thatthe education agenda outlined in the 11th Plan is acritical step towards realising the objective of an equitablesociety. It is also fundamental to our continuing growth,employment generation, infrastructure developmentand other developmental priorities.While releasing the first NKC Report to the Nationin January 12 2007, the PM emphasised that theCommission “must be involved in ensuring theimplementation of their innovative ideas”. The focus of

our work has been on ensuring that while the CentralGovernment designs appropriate strategies supported byfinancial allocations to implement our recommendations,we engage simultaneously with diverse stakeholdersto build a groundswell of favourable opinion andassist preparation of implementation strategies at thegrassroots. Continuing dialogue with a wide and diverseset of stakeholders has been a critical part of our process,both in the formulation of the recommendations and inthe subsequent dissemination.Regarding implementation, we find that there is indeeda great deal of enthusiasm and emphasis on education asa means of achieving personal growth and development.The growing aspirations of children and parents acrossthe cross-section of society are reflected in an increasingdemand for education, which has far exceeded thesupply. There is still resistance at various levels in thegovernment to new ideas, experimentation, process reengineering,external interventions, transparency andaccountability, due to rigid organisational structureswith territorial mindsets. As a result, the real challengelies in organisational innovation with new regulatoryframeworks, new delivery systems and new processes. Intheir absence, increasing resources could well result inmore of the same things being replicated. Our countryis too large, too complex and too diverse for ‘one sizefits all’ solutions. Decentralisation and communityparticipation at the local level would be the key todevising effective programs for implementation.We hope that our recommendations find enthusiasmand support at various levels at State and CentralGovernment for speedy implementation. We believe thatimplementation is the key in going forward to addressthe three fundamental challenges related to demography,disparity and development. Knowledge, education, andinnovations are critical to provide opportunities for thepoor and underprivileged to reduce disparities in oursociety. These are equally important to expedite theprocess of development and to improve productivity,efficiency, and reduce cost. To get the real demographicdividends we need to empower and educate the 550million young below the age of 25 through propereducation to build future growth and prosperity. Thedestiny of India is in their hands.While making the recommendations we have beenguided by how knowledge will impact the livesof ordinary people of India. We are conscious thatknowledge is about farmers having access to accurateinformation about water, land, weather and fertilisers;students having access to quality education and jobs;scientists having access to laboratories; industryhaving access to skilled work force; and peoplefeeling empowered with good governance in a vibrantdemocracy.Finally, I want to thank all the members and our youngassociates for their exceptional hard work, dedicationand ongoing support. I would also like to thank themembers of various Working Groups and workshops,the Planning Commission, the Prime Minister’s Office,and various other individuals and organisations inthe government and industry for the their contributionand support.As we have said in the past, the recommendations ofthe National Knowledge Commission are really acall to action. It is time to act and implement theserecommendations now.Sam PitrodaChairmanNational Knowledge Commission

ContentsOVERVIEW 1Introduction 3Terms of Reference and Organisation 4Members 5Methodology 9NKC Snapshot 10Summary of Recommendations 13RECOMMENDATIONS 21ACCESS 23Right to Education 25Language 27Translation 29Libraries 31Knowledge Network 33Health Information Network 36Portals 39CONCEPTS 41School Education 43Note on School Education 46Vocational Education and Training 59Higher Education 62Note on Higher Education 66Appointment of Heads of Institutions 78Legal Education 79Medical Education 82Management Education 85Engineering Education 88Open and Distance Education 91Open Educational Resources 94More Talented Students in Maths and Science 96Note on More Talented Students in Maths and Science 99More Quality Ph.Ds 111Note on More Quality Ph.Ds 114

CREATION 129National Science and Social Science Foundation 131Legal Framework for Public Funded Research 133Intellectual Property Rights 135Innovation 140Entrepreneurship 141APPLICATIONS 143Traditional Health Systems 145Agriculture 148Enhancing Quality of Life 152SERVICES 157E-governance 159NKC: IMPACT 163Knowledge Initiatives in the Eleventh Five Year Plan 165Follow Up on NKC Recommendations 168NKC: State Level Initiatives 170ANNEXURE I: BASELINE 171ANNEXURE II: CONSULTATIONS 219

OverviewReport to the Nation1

IntroductionKnowledge has been recognised as the key drivingforce in the 21st century and India’s ability toemerge as a globally competitive player willsubstantially depend on its knowledge resources. To fostergenerational change, a systemic transformation is requiredthat seeks to address the concerns of the entire knowledgespectrum. This massive endeavour involves creating aroadmap for reform of the knowledge sector that focuseson enhancing access to knowledge, fundamentallyimproving education systems and their delivery, re-shapingthe research, development and innovation structures, andharnessing knowledge applications for generating betterservices. Such a knowledge revolution that seeks to buildcapacity and generate quality will enable our country toempower its human capital – including the 550 millionbelow the age of 25. Our unique demographic dividendoffers a tremendous opportunity as well as a dauntingchallenge which requires creative strategies for a newknowledge oriented paradigm.Keeping this scenario in mind, the NationalKnowledge Commission (NKC) was constituted inJune 2005 by the Prime Minister Dr. ManmohanSingh, under the Chairmanship of Mr. SamPitroda, to prepare a blueprint for reform of ourknowledge related institutions and infrastructurewhich would enable India to meet the challengesof the future. The Terms of Reference of NKC are:• Build excellence in the educational system to meetthe knowledge challenges of the 21st century andincrease India’s competitive advantage in fields ofknowledge.• Promote creation of knowledge in Science &Technology laboratories.• Improve the management of institutions engagedin Intellectual Property Rights.• Promote knowledge applications in Agriculture andIndustry.• Promote the use of knowledge capabilities inmaking government an effective, transparent andaccountable service provider to the citizen andpromote widespread sharing of knowledge tomaximise public benefit.To take its mandate forward the Commission focusedon five key aspects of knowledge: enhancing accessto knowledge, reinvigorating institutions whereknowledge concepts are imparted, creating a world classenvironment for creation of knowledge, promotingapplications of knowledge for sustained and inclusivegrowth and using knowledge applications in efficientdelivery of public services. Specific focus areas wereidentified to realise each of these objectives. NKCcarried out wide stakeholder consultations, in particularengaging non-government organisations and expertsin the form of Working Groups, while formulatingrecommendations.In three years NKC has submitted recommendationson 27 focus areas in the form of letters to the PrimeMinister. These have been widely disseminated in threecompilations: ‘Report to the Nation 2006’, ‘Reportto the Nation 2007’ as well as ‘Towards a KnowledgeSociety’ which is a compilation of the educationrecommendations. The recommendations, also accessiblethrough the NKC website, have been widely debated.NKC has also reached out to State Governments fordeveloping knowledge initiatives at the state level.Report to the Nation3

Terms of Reference and OrganisationThe National Knowledge Commission (NKC) wasconstituted on 13th June 2005 as a high level advisorybody to the Prime Minister of India. The vision forNKC was articulated by Dr. Manmohan Singh, PrimeMinister of India, in the following words:“The time has come to create a second wave of institutionbuilding, and of excellence in the fields of education,research and capability building.”The Terms of Reference of NKC are:• Build excellence in the educational system to meetthe knowledge challenges of the 21st century andincrease India’s competitive advantage in fields ofknowledge.• Promote creation of knowledge in Science &Technology laboratories.• Improve the management of institutions engagedin Intellectual Property Rights.• Promote knowledge applications in Agriculture andIndustry.• Promote the use of knowledge capabilities inmaking government an effective, transparent andaccountable service provider to the citizen andpromote widespread sharing of knowledge tomaximise public benefit.National Knowledge Commission had a designatedtime-frame of three years from 2nd October 2005to 2nd October 2008, which was extended to31st March 2009.The final Report of NKC contains the full text of allthe recommendations submitted by the Commissionin the last three years. It also includes follow up on therecommendations, baseline figures on the key focusareas as well as details of NKC consultations.OrganisationNKC consists of eight Members, including the Chairman. All Members perform their dutieson a part-time basis and do not claim any remuneration.The Members are assisted in their duties by a small Technical Support Staff. The Commissionis also free to co-opt experts to assist in the management of its tasks.The Planning Commission is the nodal agency for the NKC for planning and budgetingpurposes as well as for handling Parliament submissions or responses.Prime MinisterPlanningCommissionNKCChairmanMembersStaffMinisters/States4 National Knowledge Commission

MembersMr. Sam Pitroda (Chairman)Mr. Pitroda has spent four decades in the world oftelecommunications, having pioneered its use as a meansto expedite the process of development and nationbuilding, and in bridging the global communicationsdivide. His professional career has been dividedbetween the three continents of North America,Asia and Europe, and he has received internationalacclaim for using telecommunications as a tool fornational development.As Adviser to Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi,Mr. Pitroda helped to build India’s telecommunicationsand information technology infrastructure. He was thefounding Chairman of the Telecom Commission inIndia and headed the National Technology Missions onDrinking Water, Literacy, Immunisation, Oilseeds andDairy. In these roles, he made a notable contribution toIndia’s developmental planning and policy approaches.Mr. Pitroda has owned and run several companies inthe United States and Europe; as an inventor he ownsmore than 75 patents worldwide. He is also a recipientof the Padma Bhushan.Dr. Ashok GangulyDr. Ganguly is the Chairman of Firstsource Ltd. andABP Pvt. Ltd., and a Director on the Central Board ofthe Reserve Bank of India, since November 2000. Heheads his own consulting company, Technology NetworkIndia Pvt. Ltd. He also currently serves as a non-executivedirector of Mahindra & Mahindra, Wipro Ltd. Tata AIGLife Insurance Co Ltd. and ICICI Knowledge Park.He is a member of the Prime Minister’s Council on Tradeand Industry as well as the Investment Commission.Dr. Ganguly’s professional career spanned 35 years withUnilever Plc/N.V. He was the Chairman of HindustanLever Ltd. from 1980 to 1990 and a member of theUnilever Board from 1990 to 1997, with responsibilityfor worldwide research and technology.He was a member of the Science Advisory Council tothe Prime Minister of India (1985-89) and the UKAdvisory Board of Research Councils (1991-94). Arecipient of the Padma Vibhushan and an HonoraryProfessor at the Chinese Academy of Science,Dr. Ganguly has authored three books – Industry andLiberalisation, Strategic Manufacturing for CompetitiveAdvantage and Business Driven R&D - ManagingKnowledge to Create Wealth.Dr. P. BalaramProfessor P. Balaram is a Professor of MolecularBiophysics and currently the Director of the IndianInstitute of Science, Bangalore. Prior to this, he wasLecturer (1973-77), Assistant Professor (1977-82),Associate Professor (1982-85), Chairman, MolecularBiophysics Unit (1995-2000) and Chairman, Divisionof Biological Sciences (2002-05) at the Institute. Hismain research interests are in bio-organic chemistryand molecular biophysics. He is the author of over 370research papers. He received his M.Sc from IIT Kanpur(1969) and Ph.D in Chemistry from Carnegie-Mellon,Pittsburgh, USA (1972).Professor Balaram is a Fellow of the Indian Academyof Sciences, Indian National Science Academy andthe Third World Academy of Sciences, Trieste, Italy.Professor Balaram has received many awards andhonours in recognition of his work, including the ShantiSwarup Bhatnagar Prize, CSIR (1986), Alumni Awardfor Excellence in Research, IISc (1991), TWAS Awardin Chemistry (1994), G.D. Birla Award for ScientificResearch (1994) and the Padma Shri awarded by theGovernment of India (2002).Professor Balaram currently serves on many committeesof the Government of India, and is a Member, ScienceAdvisory Committee to the Union Cabinet, Board ofResearch in Nuclear Science of DAE, Advisory Boardof CSIR and Scientific Advisory Council to the PrimeMinister. He has been the Editor of “Current Science”for over ten years.Report to the Nation5

Dr. Jayati GhoshDr. Ghosh is a Professor of Economics and Chairpersonof the Centre for Economic Studies and Planning,School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University,and is an alumnus of Delhi University, JawaharlalNehru University and the University of Cambridge. Herresearch interests include globalisation, internationaltrade and finance, employment patterns in developingcountries, macroeconomic policy, and issues related togender and development.Her published works include Crisis as a Conquest:Learning from East Asia, The Market that Failed: ADecade of Neoliberal Economic Reforms in India, andWork and Well-being in the Age of Finance (co-authoredwith Prof. C.P. Chandrashekhar). She was the principalauthor of the West Bengal Human DevelopmentReport 2004 which received the UNDP Award forexcellence in analysis, and numerous academic papers.She is a regular columnist for leading journals andperiodicals. Dr. Ghosh is involved in managing severalpublic information websites, a founder of the EconomicResearch Foundation, and is the Executive Secretaryof International Development Economics Associates(IDEAS), an international network of heterodoxdevelopment economists. She chaired the AndhraPradesh Commission on Farmers’ Welfare in 2004,and continues to be closely involved in working withprogressive organisations and social movements.Dr. Deepak NayyarDr Nayyar is Professor of Economics at JawaharlalNehru University, New Delhi. Earlier, he has taught atthe University of Oxford, the University of Sussex, andthe Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta. ProfessorNayyar was Vice Chancellor of the University of Delhifrom 2000 to 2005. He also served as Chief EconomicAdviser to the Government of India and Secretary in theMinistry of Finance.He was educated at St. Stephen’s College, University ofDelhi. Thereafter, as a Rhodes Scholar, he went on tostudy at Balliol College, University of Oxford, where heobtained a B. Phil and a D. Phil in Economics. He hasreceived the V.K.R.V. Rao Award for his contributionto research in Economics. He is an Honorary Fellow ofBalliol College, Oxford.He has published more than 50 papers in academicjournals and is the author of 12 books, whichinclude India’s Exports and Export Policies; Migration,Remittances and Capital Flows; The Intelligent Person’sGuide to Liberalization; Governing Globalization: Issuesand Institutions; Stability with Growth: Macroeconomics,Liberalization and Development; Trade and Globalization;and Liberalization and Development.Professor Nayyar is Chairman of the Board of Governorsof the UNU World Institute for DevelopmentEconomics Research, Helsinki and is Vice President ofthe International Association of Universities, Paris. Hehas also served as a Member of the Board of Directorsof the Social Science Research Council in the UnitedStates, and Chairman of the Advisory Council for theDepartment of International Development, QueenElizabeth House, University of Oxford. He was aMember of the World Commission on the SocialDimension of Globalization.Mr. Nandan NilekaniOne of the founders of Infosys Technologies Ltd.Mr. Nilekani is the Co-Chairman of the Board ofDirectors. He has formerly held the post of ManagingDirector, President and Chief Operating Officer atInfosys. Mr. Nilekani co-founded India’s NationalAssociation of Software and Service Companies(NASSCOM). He is Vice-Chairman of TheConference Board, Inc., an international research andbusiness membership organisation and Member ofthe London Business School’s Asia-Pacific RegionalAdvisory Board. He has served as Chairman of theGovernment of India’s IT Task Force for the powersector. He was a member of the insider tradingsubcommittee of the Securities and Exchange Boardof India (SEBI), and of the Reserve Bank of India’sAdvisory Group on corporate governance. He is alsoa member of the review committee of the JawaharlalNehru National Urban Renewal Mission and serves onthe Board of Reuters as a non-executive member.His many honours include Fortune magazine’s ‘Asia’sBusinessmen of the Year 2003’ award (along with InfosysChairman Mr. N.R. Narayana Murthy), the CorporateCitizen of the Year Award at the Asia Business LeaderAwards (2004) and Padma Bhushan (2006). In 2002 and2003 he was named among the ‘World’s Most RespectedBusiness Leaders’ in a global survey by Financial Times andPricewaterhouseCoopers.Mr. Nilekani became one of the youngest entrepreneursto join 20 global leaders on the prestigious World6 National Knowledge Commission

Economic Forum (WEF) Foundation Board inJanuary 2006.Dr. Sujatha RamdoraiDr. Sujatha Ramdorai is a Professor at the School ofMathematics, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research(TIFR). She has held visiting positions in severaluniversities and research institutions around the world.Currently she is a visiting Professor at the ChennaiMathematical Institute.Dr. Ramdorai is a recipient of the Shanti SwarupBhatnagar Award and the ICTP Srinivasa RamanujanMedal awarded by the Norwegian Academy of Scienceand Letters for her research in algebraic number theory.She has been involved with issues related to educationand research, especially research in the pure sciencesin India. She has authored several research papers ininternationally reputed journals and has collaboratedwidely in her research work. She is the co-author (withProf. J. Coates) of Cyclotomic Fields and Zeta Values.Dr. Amitabh MattooProfessor Mattoo is a Doctorate in International Relationsfrom the University of Oxford, United Kingdom. He isthe former Vice Chancellor of the University of Jammu.He was also Professor of International Relations atJawaharlal Nehru University and concurrently Directorof the Core Group for the Study of National Security.Professor Mattoo is on the Governing Council of thePugwash Conference on Science and World Affairs, onthe Board of the India-Afghanistan Foundation and thePresident of the Jammu and Kashmir chapter of SPIC-MACAY.Professor Mattoo has been on the Governing Council ofthe Nuclear Science Centre; a member of the StandingCommittee of the Association of Indian Universities; andon the Executive Council of several Universities. He hasbeen the recipient of several national and internationalawards and was, till recently, a member of India’s NationalSecurity Council’s Advisory Board. In 2008 he wasconferred the Padma Shri by the Government of India.Report to the Nation7

Methodology• Identification of key focus areas• Identification of diverse stakeholders and understanding major issues• Constitution of Working Groups and organising of workshops/seminars, extensive consultations with concernedexperts and stakeholders• Consultation with administrative Ministries & the Planning Commission• Discussion in NKC to finalise recommendations in the form of letter to the PM from the Chairman• Letter to PM containing key recommendations, first steps, financial implications etc. supported by the relevantexplanatory documents by NKC• Dissemination of recommendations to State Governments, civil society and other stakeholders• Initiating the implementation of the recommendations under the aegis of the Prime Minister’s Office• Coordinating and following up implementation of proposalsWorking GroupsLibraries, Language, Knowledge Applications inAgriculture, Health Information Network, HigherEducation, Medical Education, Legal Education,Management Education, Engineering Education,Traditional Health Systems, More Students in Mathsand Science, Open and Distance Education, UsingKnowledge for Enhancing Quality of LifeWorkshops/SeminarsLiteracy, Translation, Networks, School Education,Muslim Education, Vocational Education, Open andDistance Education, Intellectual Property Rights,Science and Technology, Agriculture, Open EducationResources, Portals, Quality of Life, More Quality Ph.DsSurveysInnovation, Health Information Network,Traditional Health Systems, Entrepreneurship,More Quality Ph.Ds8 National Knowledge Commission

MethodologyThe methodology followed by the NationalKnowledge Commission involves identificationof focus areas in the first instance. This selectionarises from wide consultation, within and outside thegovernment. After the identification of focus areas,Working Groups of specialists and practitioners areconstituted. Working Groups typically consist of fiveto ten experts, and meet periodically over three to fourmonths in order to prepare a report. Working Groupreports are one of the inputs used by the NKC duringdeliberations to frame its recommendations. In addition,workshops and seminars are held periodically alongwith informal consultations with concerned expertsand stakeholders to get as broad-based a point of viewas possible.Following this, NKC Members discuss the issues raisedduring Consultations and in the Working GroupReports to finalise recommendations. After severalrounds of deliberations, a letter is sent to the PrimeMinister containing key recommendations. Widespreaddissemination of NKC recommendations to StateGovernments, civil society and other stakeholders takesplace after the recommendations have been receivedby the Prime Minister and the relevant ministries. Theimplementation of the recommendations under theaegis of the Prime Minister’s Office is then initiated,along with coordination and follow up with variousimplementing agencies. Key steps include:• Identification of key focus areas• Identification of diverse stakeholders andunderstanding major issues in the area• Constitution of Working Groups and organisingof workshops/seminars, extensive formal andinformal consultations with concerned experts andstakeholders• Consultation with administrative Ministries & thePlanning Commission• Discussion in NKC to finalise recommendations inthe form of letter to the PM from the Chairman• Letter to PM containing key recommendations,first steps, financial implications etc. supported bythe relevant explanatory documents by NKC• Dissemination of recommendations to StateGovernments, civil society and other stakeholders• Initiating the implementation of therecommendations under the aegis of the PrimeMinister’s Office• Coordinating and following up implementation ofproposals.Report to the Nation9

NKCSnapshotRecommendations submitted in 2006• Libraries• Translation• Language• National Knowledge Network• Right to Education• Vocational Education & Training• Higher Education• National Science and Social Science Foundation• E-governanceRecommendations submitted in 2007• Health Information Network• Portals• Open Educational Resources• Legal Education• Medical Education• Management Education• Open and Distance Education• Intellectual Property Rights• Innovation• Traditional Health Systems• Legal Framework for Public Funded ResearchRecommendations submitted in 2008• School Education• Engineering Education• More Talented Students in Maths and Science• More Quality Ph.Ds• EntrepreneurshipRecommendations submitted in 2009• Knowledge Applications in Agriculture• Knowledge Applications for EnhancingQuality of Life10 National Knowledge Commission

Knowledge PentagonAccess to KnowledgeKnowledge ConceptsDelivery of ServicesCreation of KnowledgeKnowledge ApplicationsReport to the Nation11

Summary ofRecommendationsACCESSProviding access to knowledge is the mostfundamental way of increasing the opportunitiesof individuals and groups. Therefore, it is essentialto revitalise and expand the reach of knowledge in society.In this context NKC has submitted recommendationson areas such as Right to Education, libraries, language,translation, portals and knowledge networks.• Right to Education: The 86th Constitutionalamendment act made the Right to Educationa Fundamental Right. However, to enhanceuniversal access to quality education for Indianchildren, NKC recommends that there is a needfor a central legislation affirming the Right toEducation. This must entail a financial provisionrequiring the central government to provide thebulk of the additional funds needed for realisingthe Right to Education. The legislation shouldalso lay down minimum standards of quality inschool education and for it to be effective, theresponsibility of the Government at differentlevels, must be recognised and made justiciable.• Language: In the current scenario an understandingand command over the English language is a mostimportant determinant of access to higher education,employment possibilities and social opportunities.NKC therefore recommends that the teaching ofEnglish as a language should be introduced, alongwith the first language (either mother tongue or theregional language) of the child, starting from ClassI. Further, NKC has also focused on the need toreform the pedagogy of English language teachingand the use of all available media to supplementtraditional teaching methods.• Translation: In a multilingual country, translationshould play a critical role in making knowledgeavailable to different linguistic groups. NKC hasrecommended developing translation as an industryand setting up a National Translation Mission witha focus on promoting translation activities acrossthe country. The Mission would undertake a hostof activities such as setting up a storehouse ofinformation on all aspects of translation, providingquality training and education for translators,and creating and maintaining various tools fortranslation.• Libraries: To revamp the Library and InformationServices (LIS) sector NKC has recommended acomprehensive census of libraries, modernisingmanagement of libraries to ensure greatercommunity participation, including models forpublic private partnerships in LIS developmentand leveraging ICT for various applications.For sustained attention to the sector, NKC hasrecommended the setting up of an independentNational Commission on Libraries which wouldstreamline all development initiatives in the sector.• National Knowledge Network: The key to successfulresearch today demands live consultations, dataand resource sharing. Towards this end, NKC hasrecommended the establishment of a high-endNational Knowledge Network connecting all ourknowledge institutions in various fields and atvarious locations throughout the country, throughan electronic digital broadband network withgigabit capacity.• Portals: NKC has also proposed the creation ofnational web based portals on certain key sectorssuch as Water, Energy, Environment, Teachers,Biodiversity, Health, Agriculture, Employment,Citizens Rights etc. The portals would serve as asingle window for information on the given sectorfor all stakeholders and would be managed by aconsortium consisting of representatives from awide range of stakeholders to ensure that theyhave a national character. NKC has facilitated thesetting up of five portals: on Water, championedby Arghyam Trust; on Energy, championed by TheEnergy Research Institute (TERI); on Environment,Report to the Nation13

championed by the Centre for Science andEnvironment (CSE); on Teachers, championed bythe Azim Premji Foundation; and on Biodiversity,championed by the Ashoka Trust for Research inEcology and the Environment (ATREE).• Health Information Network: The developmentsin information and communication technologyhave created new opportunities for enhancing theefficiency of health care delivery. NKC believes thatthe country needs to develop a web-based network,connecting all health care establishments, in bothprivate and public sectors. When fully functional, allhealth care transactions will be recorded electronicallyand this data will be available in the health data vaultto authorised users, when they need it and wherethey need it. For this purpose a common ElectronicHealth Record (EHR) based on open source solutionsneeds to be created and disseminated widely.CONCEPTSKnowledge concepts are organised and disseminatedthrough the education system. Education is the keyenabler for the development of an individual and foraltering the socio-economic landscape of a country.Therefore, NKC’s work has focused on revamping theeducation sector. NKC’s concern with many aspects ofthe Indian education system covers school education,higher education, professional education, and vocationaleducation.• School Education: Making access to good schooleducation a reality will require major expansion at theelementary and secondary levels and improvementin the quality of schools. NKC has thereforeproposed generational changes in the schoolsystem which would encourage decentralisation,local autonomy in management of schools, andflexibility in disbursal of funds. To improvequality and generate accountability, NKC has alsorecommended improving school infrastructure andrevamping school inspection with a greater rolefor local stakeholders and greater transparency inthe system. Further, wherever feasible, Informationand Communication Technology should be mademore accessible to teachers, students and theadministration. NKC has also emphasised the needfor reforms in the curriculum and examinationsystems by moving away from rote learning toa critical understanding of concepts and finallyimprovement in faculty.• Vocational education and training (VET): Toimprove vocational education and training (VET),NKC’s recommendations focus on increasing theflexibility of VET within the mainstream educationsystem. NKC has also emphasised the need toexpand capacity through innovative delivery models,including robust public private partnerships. Giventhat only 7 per cent of the country’s labour force isin the organised sector, enhancing training optionsavailable for the unorganised and informal sectorwill be critical for enhancing the productivity ofthe bulk of our working population. It is necessaryto ensure a robust regulatory and accreditationframework, along with proper certification ofvocational education and training. This will alloweasier mobility into higher education streams,enhancing the value of such training.• Higher Education: In higher education NKCrecommendations have focused on the three keyaspects of expansion, excellence and inclusion.NKC has recommended increasing GER in highereducation to 15 and above by 2015. In additionto increased public spending, this would involvediversifying the sources of financing to encourageprivate participation, philanthropic contributionsand industry linkages. To bring about thisexpansion, NKC has suggested the creation of1500 universities by 2015, partly by restructuringthe existing ones. In order to reduce the currentbarriers to entry, NKC has recommended settingup an Independent Regulatory Authority forHigher Education (IRAHE) which would be at anarm’s length from all stakeholders and would accorddegree granting power to universities. To ensurequality, NKC has called for reform of existinguniversities to ensure frequent curricula revisions,introduction of course credit system, enhancingreliance on internal assessment, encouragingresearch, and reforming governance of institutions.Further, there is an urgent need to restructure thesystem of affiliated undergraduate colleges whichno longer provides a viable model for quality highereducation. NKC has also suggested creating modelsfor community colleges that provide credit and noncreditcourses leading to two year associate degrees.These would include general education programs aswell as employment oriented programs, creating theflexibility for students to pursue higher educationlater in life. NKC believes that all deserving studentsshould have access to higher education, irrespectiveof their socio-economic background. While the14 National Knowledge Commission

government heavily subsidises university educationby keeping fees low, there is better value createdfor this subsidisation by ensuring well fundedscholarships and affirmative action that takes intoaccount the multi dimensionality of deprivation.• More Talented Students in Maths and Science:To rejuvenate science education and research inthe country NKC considers it crucial to attractmore students in maths and science. To encouragethis, NKC has recommended launching a massivescience outreach program, upgrading availableinfrastructure, revitalising the teaching professionand revamping teacher training at all levels.• Professional Education: The professional educationstreams are plagued by the problems similar to thehigher education system. NKC has recommendedthat the present regime of regulation in allprofessional education streams including medical,legal, management and engineering education, bereplaced by subgroups on different streams underthe proposed independent regulator. This wouldhave to be accompanied by independent multipleaccreditation agencies that provide reliable ratings.Other measures for improving professionaleducation include allowing greater autonomy toinstitutions, reforming the current examinationsystem, developing contemporary curricula andencouraging research.• More Quality Ph.Ds: To invigorate research anddevelopment in the country, NKC has recommendedsteps to improve the quality of Ph.Ds. It hassuggested massive investment in education andresearch at all levels, together with renovation andreform of the university system, and the fostering ofa global outlook in research. Further, steps have tobe taken to rejuvenate the doctoral program acrossdisciplines and develop vigorous industry-academiainteraction. NKC has also recommended the settingup of a National Research Mission which will createthe required research ecosystem in the country.• Open and Distance Education and OpenEducational Resources: Development of open anddistance education and open educational resourcesis imperative to achieve the objectives of expansion,excellence and inclusion in higher education.More than one-fifth of the students enrolled inhigher education are in the Open and DistanceEducation stream. NKC recommendations ondistance education focus on creating a national ICTinfrastructure, improving regulatory structures,developing web based common open resources,establishing a credit bank and providing a nationaltesting service. To supplement this, NKC alsorecommends that the production of quality contentand leveraging global open educational resources,needs to be focused on in a comprehensive manner.We need to encourage open access for all materialresearchpapers, books, periodicals etc.CREATIONProducing new knowledge and protecting existingresources is critical for a nation to compete in theglobal knowledge economy. This makes it importantto consider all activities that lead to the creation ofknowledge directly or help in protecting the knowledgethat is created. NKC has therefore examined issuessuch as innovation systems in the country, science andtechnology activities and the regime of IntellectualProperty Rights.• Intellectual Property Rights: For India to becomea global knowledge leader, we would need to be atthe forefront of creating knowledge. This requiresa favourable eco-system that not only protects theingenuity of the creator but also rewards knowledgecreation through commercial applications. Inorder to facilitate the creation of knowledge NKChas recommended scaling up efforts to build aworld class IPR infrastructure, including steps tomodernise the patent offices and building globalstandards. IPR training in IP Offices as well as ineducational institutions needs to be intensified,and IPR Cells need to be developed. In addition,NKC has recommended establishing newstructures such as a separate IPR Tribunal, anational institution for cutting edge IPR policyand a Global Technology Acquisition Fund. NKCrecommendations also highlight the need to protecttraditional knowledge, create incentives for it andalso explore mechanisms for identification of keyIPR issues in new technology areas.• Legal Framework for Public Funded Research: Torevitalise research in universities and give an impetusto public funded research, there is a requirement forenacting a legislation that would give universities andresearch institutions ownership and patent rightsover inventions arising out of government fundedresearch. This will create an enabling environmentReport to the Nation15

for commercialisation of such inventions throughlicensing arrangements where inventors would alsobe allowed to receive a share of the royalty.• National Science and Social Science Foundation:A National Science and Social Science Foundation(NSSSF) has been recommended by NKC to look atall knowledge as one seamless entity. The objectivesof the NSSSF would be to suggest policy initiativesto make India a leader in the creation and use ofnew knowledge in all areas of natural, physical,agricultural, health, and social sciences.• Innovation: Innovation is a key driver of growthbased on knowledge inputs. NKC conducted anextensive survey on the status of innovation in thecountry. NKC’s Innovation Survey reveals thatinnovation is emerging as one of the key factorsin India’s economic growth, where both largefirms and SMEs have increased innovation relatedrevenues. The strategic prioritisation of innovationhas also increased significantly since the start ofeconomic liberalisation. Crucial firm level structuresand processes play a key role in innovation, butskill shortage arising out of lack of emphasis onexperimentation/problem solving in the curriculais a critical barrier. There is also need for moreeffective synergy between industry, government,the educational system, R&D environment and theconsumer.• Entrepreneurship: Entrepreneurship has beenrecognised as a key driver for wealth creation andemployment generation. Given its importance,NKC undertook a study to explore factors thathave promoted Entrepreneurship in India as well asothers which could facilitate even greater growth ofEntrepreneurship. Based on the study, several policyrecommendations were suggested. These includecreation of a supportive business environmentthrough measures such as a single window system,composite application form etc. and setting up of newinstitutional mechanisms such as special commercialcourts and Limited Liability Partnerships. NKChas also suggested facilitating information flowsby creating one-stop shops, web based portals andinformation handbooks for entrepreneurs, andgiving incentives for seed capital funding. Further,creation of entrepreneurship clubs and incubationcentres, increase in industry-academia synergies,and introduction of entrepreneurship in school andcollege syllabus has been recommended.APPLICATIONSKnowledge can be productively applied to promotetechnological change, enhance quality of life andfacilitate reliable and regular flow of information. Thisrequires significant investment in goal-oriented researchand development along with delivery models that cansimplify processes within an industry. Initiatives in theareas of agriculture, labour and traditional knowledgecan demonstrate that knowledge can be very effectivelyapplied for the betterment of the community.• Traditional Health Systems: India has an immenselyrich and complex indigenous medical heritage. NKChas recommended that major efforts be undertakento provide quality education in traditionalmedicine. Evidence-based approaches should also beintroduced into the current educational framework,possibly through institutions of the standard ofIISc, IIT and AIIMS, with commensurate financialoutlays. NKC recommendations focus on the needfor strengthening research through concerted higherinvestments and more rigorous methodologies,ensuring internationally acceptable standardisationand documentation of herbal medications, promotingclinical trials, along with adhering to a world-classcertification process. Another aspect highlighted inthe NKC recommendations is the need to create asuitable IPR framework for better protection of thesources of traditional medical knowledge, while atthe same time ensuring that sufficient incentivesare created for commercialisation of traditionalmedicines.• Agriculture: NKC recognises that the challengesfacing Indian agriculture can only be addressedthrough a comprehensive package of measure thatincludes an emphasis on enhanced knowledgegeneration and application. NKC has recommendedconcrete steps to modernise and stimulateagricultural research institutions, coordinateresearch and make research support more flexible.It has also recognised the need for improving theorganisation of agricultural research, directingmore research to neglected areas, providing moreeffective incentives for researchers and reformingthe curricula in agricultural universities. Further,to improve the scope and efficiency of extension,NKC has stressed making knowledge applications inagriculture community-driven and farmer-led andshifting the focus to provide an integrated range ofservices. NKC has also recommended restructuring16 National Knowledge Commission

the Agricultural Technology Management Agency(ATMA) to make it more decentralised, participatoryand locally responsive, and enhancing the role ofprivate players in agricultural extension delivery.• Enhancing Quality of Life: NKC has focusedon knowledge applications for enhancing thewell being of common people, especially in ruralareas. Towards this end, NKC has recommendedthe setting up of Panchayat Gyan Kendras(PGKs) throughout the country which wouldensure efficient implementation of NREGA andwould eventually develop into resource centres todemonstrate best practices, evolve local solutionsand provide a platform for converging differentsocial sector programs. NKC has also recommendedconceptualising fresh perspectives in tool designto improve dignity of labour and ensure skillfulengagement and enhanced productivity.SERVICESFor the creation of a true knowledge society, theavailability of efficient knowledge services for citizensis critical, especially for enhancing citizen-governmentinterface. Technology provides us with an opportunityto ensure accountability, transparency and proficiencyin government services. E-governance is one of theways in which citizens can be empowered to increasetransparency of government functioning.• E-governance: To enhance the efficacy of deliveryof services by the government, NKC has reiteratedthat e-governance should be an opportunity notmerely for computerisation of age old processes,but a step towards re-thinking our systems andprocesses to ensure greater efficiency and citizenorientation. NKC recommendations focus onre-engineering government processes to changethe basic pattern of governance for simplicity,transparency, productivity and efficiency. Theyhighlight the need for developing commonstandards and deploying a common platform/infrastructure for e-governance. Further, 10 to 20important services that make a critical differenceto citizens may be selected, simplified and offeredas web-based services, along with beginning allnew national programs (like Bharat Nirman, RuralEmployment Guarantee Scheme etc.) with wellengineerede-governance implementation andweb interface. This will ensure speedy delivery,productivity and efficiency of services makingthem citizen centric and ensuring that the rightpeople get the benefits.Report to the Nation17

Follow Up on NKC RecommendationsBy focusing on the five aspects of the knowledgeparadigm, NKC has created an extensive roadmapfor the future. The Governments at the Centre andState are taking steps for the successful implementation ofthese policy suggestions. The Government’s commitmentto NKC’s vision is reflected in the Eleventh Five YearPlan where NKC’s inputs have been incorporated informulating the broad contours of the Plan.The Eleventh Five Year Plan (2007-2012) placeshigh priority on education as a central instrumentfor achieving rapid and inclusive growth with specificemphasis on expansion, excellence and equity.This is evident from the proposed allocation ofRs 3 trillion, a four fold increase over the Tenth Plan.The share of education in the total Plan will accordinglyincrease from 7.7 per cent to 20 per cent.Initiatives to improve school education in the Planinclude reorienting Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan with a strongrights focus to make Right to Education a reality. Underthe Scheme for Universal Access and Quality at theSecondary Stage, 6000 new high quality model schoolsare to be set up, with at least one school in each block.The first stream will consist of 2500 public fundedschools [2000 in KVs (Kendriya Vidyalayas) and 500 inNVs (Navodaya Vidyalayas) template] to be launchedin the Educationally Backward Blocks which have asignificant SC, ST, OBC and Minority population. Thesecond stream of about 2500 schools would be set upthrough Public Private Partnership in other Blocks withemphasis on geographical, demographic, gender andsocial equity. Modalities for the remaining 1000 schoolshave not yet been finalised.To strengthen vocational education a new SkillDevelopment Mission under the supervision of thePrime Minister, with an outlay of Rs. 31,200 crore, willaim at opening 1600 new industrial training institutes(ITIs) and polytechnics, 10,000 new vocational schoolsand 50,000 new Skill Development Centres. A SkillDevelopment Corporation will also be created by theGovernment with the active participation of the privatesector to give special training to young men and women,workers and technicians.In Higher and Technical Education the focus of theEleventh Plan is on expansion, inclusion and rapidimprovement in quality by enhancing public spending,encouraging private initiatives and initiating the longoverdue major institutional and policy reforms. TheEleventh Plan aims at expansion with the establishmentof 30 new universities. Further, 8 new IITs, 7 newIIMs, 20 new IIITs, 5 new Indian Institutes of Science,2 Schools of Planning and Architecture, 10 NITs, 373new degree colleges and 1000 new polytechnics will alsobe set up. In establishing these institutions the scope forPublic Private Partnership will be explored. The Planalso recognises the need for the review of regulatoryinstitutions such as the UGC, AICTE, MCI and BCI.Subsequently, a High Level Committee has been set upto suggest a specific reforms agenda in this context. Forrejuvenation of research in Universities a National Science& Engineering Research Board is proposed. A provisionof Rs. 5,000 crore has been made in the Eleventh Planfor an ‘Education Mission through ICT’ to leverage thepotential of ICT to enhance the Gross Enrolment Ratio(GER) in Higher Education. The Plan also envisages thesetting up of a National Knowledge Network (NKN)interconnecting all knowledge institutions in thecountry with gigabit capabilities, for sharing resourcesand research. To operationalise the first phase of theNKN, 1000 institutions would be linked up.The Plan also makes a commitment to improvepublic libraries and create a National TranslationMission for promoting Translator education includingspecialised courses in translation technology. TheGovernment has approved the setting up of aNational Translation Mission with an outlay ofRs. 73.97 crore for the Plan period, under the aegisof the Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL),Mysore. The process for launching a National Missionon Libraries is also underway.Emphasis has also been laid on strengthening traditionalheath systems such as AYUSH in the National healthprograms and improving IPR, with the ultimate aimof enhancing the outreach of AYUSH health care inan accessible, acceptable, affordable and qualitativemanner.Provisions for strengthening IPR in the Eleventh Planinclude undertaking the second phase of modernisationof IP offices. This would specifically seek to addressthe needs of human resources development, training18 National Knowledge Commission

and awareness and also infrastructure, besides regularupdating of the IT facilities.The Eleventh Plan also recognises the need for anappropriate legislative framework for incentivisingthe innovators and commercialisation of publicfunded R&D where the Government, the recipientsof funds, the inventor as well as the public benefitfrom the protection and commercialisation of IP.A Bill on the subject is expected to be introduced inthe Parliament.Understanding the importance of innovation, the Planemphasises the need for a National Innovation Policywhich encourages competition among enterprises,greater diffusion of knowledge and increased supportto early stage technology development initiatives andgrassroots level innovators.NKC recommendations on e-Governance were broadlyendorsed by the government and incorporated into theNational e-Governance Plan (NeGP). As part of theProgram Management Structure for the implementationof NeGP, the Cabinet approved the setting up of a Bodyunder the Chairpersonship of the Prime Minister toprovide leadership, prescribe deliverables and milestonesand to monitor periodically the implementation ofthe NeGP.Report to the Nation19

RecommendationsReport to the Nation21

Access toKnowledgeRight to EducationLanguageTranslationLibrariesKnowledge NetworkHealth Information NetworkPortals

Right to EducationOctober 23, 2006NKC believes that providing universal accessto quality school education is a cornerstoneof development and a minimum necessarycondition for any progress towards making India aknowledge society. NKC is in the process of extensiveconsultations and will make detailed recommendations onvarious issues relating to school education at a later date.However, at this point NKC would like to respondspecifically to the recent initiative of the CentralGovernment of sending a model Right to EducationBill to the Secretaries of State Education Departments,with incentives for the State Governments to enact thisbill. NKC has perused the bill and consulted with awide range of experts and educationists. It feels that themodel bill is flawed for a number of reasons, and mostimportantly that such legislation must be enforced by theCentral Government following upon the commitmentmade in the Constitutional Amendment Article 21A.NKC recognises that there may be concerns aboutfederalism, since school education is dominantly theresponsibility of the State Governments at present.However, it feels that this matter can be resolvedthrough an appropriate central legislation which takesinto account the following proposals:1. Central LegislationLegislation at the national level is required to affirmthe Right to Education, which is a fundamental rightmandated by Article 21A. Since it cannot be dependentupon which state a citizen lives in, a model bill sentto be enacted individually by State Governments is notadequate to meet the constitutional responsibilities ofthe Government of India. Therefore, a central legislationshould be enacted along the lines of the Panchayati Raj(Amendment) Act, requiring the states to enact Right toEducation Bills within a specified time period, and withthe primary financial responsibility for this resting withthe Central Government.2. Financial CommitmentThe Central Government must provide the bulk ofthe additional funds required to ensure the Right toEducation. Therefore there must be financial provision inthe central legislation, requiring the Central Governmentto share the revenues of the Prarambhik Shiksha Koshwith State Governments and to provide additionalresources as required to meet the requirement of ensuringthe right to all children. Estimates for the additionalresources required to achieve the goal of universalelementary education currently range from 0.8 per centto 2.5 per cent of GDP, depending on the criteria used.However, the required financial resources are likely to beat the lower end of these estimates, since there is alreadyclose to universal provision in several states and there hasbeen recent progress in providing more access throughthe Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan in other states.3. Time FrameThe state-level legislation should specify the periodwithin which universal education of reasonable qualityis sought to be achieved, preferably within three years.The model bill does not provide any time frame foradoption and implementation of the provisions.4. Schedule of Norms and StandardsTo ensure a minimum quality of education, it isimportant to have a schedule of norms for all schoolsto follow. The model bill does not have such a scheduleof norms, and there is no specification of the minimumquality of education that schools should provide. Thereis only a reference to ‘equitable quality’ without definingthe parameters of quality. While ensuring quality is acomplex matter, certain norms regarding infrastructure,number of teachers per school and per student, teachingmethods and other facilities, must be adhered to asnecessary conditions.Report to the Nation25

5. Specification for TeachersSince teachers are critical to ensuring the quality ofeducation, it is particularly important to lay down welldefinedbut flexible norms for the minimum qualificationsof teachers. The model bill has no specification of ateacher, or the qualifications and in-service trainingneeded for the position. A teacher is only defined as aperson who teaches in the classroom. It is necessary tospecify norms for teacher qualification and training.6. JusticiabilityAny right, including the Right to Education, is onlymeaningful if it is justiciable. However, in the modelbill sent to State Governments, the onus is placed onparents or guardians of the child. The responsibility ofthe Government, at different levels, must be recognisedand made justiciable. The example of the NationalRural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) could beused in this context.7. Redressal MechanismTo ensure justiciability, a redressal mechanism should beoutlined and an appropriate procedure must be set in placefor students or parents in case the right is not upheld.8. Universal SchoolingSchool education must be provided to all. This necessarilyalso requires that children of the disadvantaged, landlessand minority communities must also be integrated,along with children with disabilities or special needs.There should be no distinction made in terms of thetype of schooling provided within the governmentsystem for children from different social, economicand cultural backgrounds. The model bill has thepotential of creating a parallel and discriminatorysystem of schooling which can result in stratification ofthe education system for children from disadvantagedcommunities and backgrounds, because it requires onlyprovision of non-formal education in such cases, ratherthan mandating the provision of regular schooling.Obviously, in all cases, the school system should beflexible enough to cater to particular needs of students.NKC can offer detailed explanations on these points.Continuing to consult with stakeholders and examineother issues in relation to school education, it isfocussing in particular on the questions of how toensure better quality across the board; the institutionalstructures and forms of control by local communitiesthat could contribute to improved quality of schooling;issues related to common schooling and neighbourhoodschools; ensuring adequate quantity and quality ofschool teachers, especially in specified areas. NKC willmake a broader set of recommendations on schooleducation in the near future.In a subsequent letter to the Prime Minister, NKCreiterated that the proposed central legislation on RTEmust include a financial commitment on the part of theCentral Government. NKC believes that the potentialexpenditure on this is probably less than has beenestimated earlier. The Kapil Sibal Committee that hadprepared the CABE draft had estimated an expenditureof Rs. 2,20,643 crore for the period 2008-2012.However, this was based on population projections forthe future that have since been revised downwards bythe Census of India. For example, current populationprojections suggest that there will be at least 6 millionless children in 2011-12 than the earlier projectionsused by the Sibal Committee had indicated. This inturn means a significant reduction in the estimatedcosts for universal schooling. Using the same percapita spending with the new population projectionsgives a total cost for the five year period 2008-2012of Rs. 1,51,273 crore, based on 50:50 divisionof SSA. This amounts to an average of just aboveRs. 30,000 crore per annum, which is much less than1 per cent of GDP and also less than 8 per cent of totalcentral government spending. 1In this connection, NKC would also like to expressits concern about the recent decision of the centralgovernment to reduce the central funding for the SarvaShiksha Abhiyan from 75 per cent to 50 per cent. Thereis a fear that this may lead to a sharp curtailment ofprogress towards universal school education, especiallyin the more backward states where the gap is greater.It is worth noting that state governments are alreadyincurring the bulk of school education expenditure. 2NKC strongly recommends that, in addition to 50 percent of SSA, the Centre should provide all the necessaryfunding to ensure the Right to Education in those stateswhere the state government is already spending at least15 per cent of its total budget on school education.1If the centre provides 75 per cent of the spending for SSA, the additional cost would be Rs. 37,000 crore over the 11th Plan period, that isaround Rs. 7,000 crore per annum.2Currently, the ratio of central government to state government spending for school education, including SSA, is 12:88. If mid-day meals areincluded, it is 20:80.26 National Knowledge Commission

LanguageOctober 20, 2006The National Knowledge Commission hasemphasised the importance of an inclusivesociety as the foundation for a knowledgesociety. NKC has also recognised the significance oflanguage, not only as a medium of instruction or ameans of communication but also as a determinantof access. An understanding and command over theEnglish language is a most important determinant ofaccess to higher education, employment possibilitiesand social opportunities. School-leavers who are notadequately trained in English as a language are alwaysat a handicap in the world of higher education. Moreoften than not, teaching is in English. Even if it is not,in most subjects, books and journals are available onlyin English. And those who do not know English wellenough find it exceedingly difficult to compete fora place in our premier educational institutions. Thisdisadvantage is accentuated further in the world ofwork, not only in professional occupations but also inwhite-collar occupations overall.This reality is not lost on our people, who recognisethat the English language is a critical determinant ofaccess to, and opportunities for a better life. Availableinformation suggests that middle-income or lowerincomehouseholds spend a large proportion of theirmodest income on sending their children to relativelyexpensive English medium schools. Such educationalopportunities for children are a priority that is almostat par with health care for the family. But there are avery large number of people who simply do not havethe resources for such investment. The outcome isexclusion. We believe that inclusion is possible throughpublic provision.There is an irony in the situation. English has beenpart of our education system for more than a century.Yet English is beyond the reach of most of our youngpeople, which makes for highly unequal access. Indeed,even now, no more than one per cent of our people useit as a second language, let alone a first language.These realities cannot be changed overnight. But NKCbelieves that the time has come for us to teach our people,ordinary people, English as a language in schools. Earlyaction in this sphere, would help us build an inclusivesociety and transform India into a knowledge society.In just 12 years, it would provide the country’s schoolleaverswith far more equal access to higher educationand, three to five years thereafter, much more equalaccess to employment opportunities.The Commission engaged in informal consultations onthis subject with a wide range of people in government,academia, media and industry. It consulted someChief Ministers in the states. It consulted Members ofParliament. It consulted people in professions such asmedicine and law as well as civil society organisations.There was unanimity that this can and should be done.A Working Group was constituted to work out themodalities in terms of first steps. The report submitted bythis group was used as an input in NKC’s deliberations.NKC recommends that the teaching of English as alanguage should be introduced, along with the firstlanguage (either the mother-tongue or the regionallanguage) of the child, starting from Class I in school.This phase of language learning should focus onusing both languages to create meaningful learningexperiences for the child without disproportionateemphasis on grammar and rules.NKC recognises that nine States (of which six are inthe north-east) and three Union Territories have alreadyintroduced English as a compulsory subject from ClassI onwards. In addition, as many as 12 States and threeUnion Territories have made English a compulsorysubject, at different stages in primary school, by ClassV at the latest. However, the implementation is slowand the quality of English language teaching is simplynot good enough. The support systems, such as thenumber of teachers or materials for teaching, are neitheradequate nor appropriate. NKC is recommendinga fundamental change that seeks to introduce,nationwide, the teaching of English as a language fromClass I onwards. This is not meant to be a stand-alone,add-on subject, but is meant to be integrated into theschool curriculum.Report to the Nation27

Language learning cannot be separated from, and mustbe integrated with, content learning. Therefore, Englishshould also be used to teach some non-language, contentsubjects, starting from Class III in school. The choiceof subjects for this purpose can be left to schoolsdepending on the proficiency of teachers and availabilityof materials. This would, in effect, create multi-mediumschools. It would also help reduce the divide betweenEnglish medium schools and regional languagemediumschools.The pedagogy of language learning as well as teachingshould be suitably contextualised, to lend meaning toreal situations and daily lives. Moreover, assessmentshould be based on proficiency rather than specifyingachievement targets that reward mastery of single textsacquired through rote learning. To this end, a NationalTesting Service (NTS) for certification of languagecompetence as well as recruitment of language teachersshould be set up.In order to meet the requirement for a large pool ofEnglish language teachers, graduates with highproficiency in English and good communicationskills should be inducted without formal teachertrainingqualifications. They could be selectedthrough an appropriate procedure developed by theNational Testing Service and then given a short–termorientation. The nearly four million school teachers allover the country, regardless of their subject expertise,especially teachers at the primary level, should betrained to improve their proficiency in English throughvacation training programs or other short-termcourses. Most teacher training programs are not basedon a real assessment of needs of teachers. Thus, theentire teacher training system catering to pre-serviceand in-service training that exists today, includingtraining for language teaching, needs to be thoroughlyreviewed, recognising the centrality of language inthe curriculum.A multiplicity of English textbooks should be madeavailable to address the diversity of English languageenvironments in the country. However, to ensure thatcertain standards are maintained, benchmarks may belaid down for the content of textbooks at each stage.For this purpose, an expert group should be set upto develop pedagogically sound English textbooksfor every level, from Class I to XII. These should beused as models by states and made freely available onthe web to allow easy access. While the State Councilfor Educational Research and Training (SCERT) maycontinue to be a nodal agency for textbook developmentfor state board schools, the writing of textbooks needsto be further decentralised. To make the exercise morecollaborative, civil society organisations with expertisein the domain should be involved in developingtextbooks. Since language learning takes place notonly through direct instruction but also throughassimilation from the environment, the classroom needsto be equipped with appropriate supplementary audiovisualand print material. Resource libraries could beset up in every classroom, comprising of a collectionof books, magazines, newspapers, audiovisual materialand posters, appropriate to the age of the students, ona variety of subjects. Language learning opportunitiesshould also be created outside the classroom throughspecific bi-lingual radio and TV channels, which couldbe introduced for formal and informal teaching andlearning of English. Knowledge clubs could be formedto discuss and disseminate knowledge as well as extendthe use of English outside the classroom. Given thatlanguage learning requires extensive resources, a centrallysponsored scheme of financial assistance for developingEnglish language resources (teachers and materials)should be instituted to address this requirement.State Governments would need to be equal partnersin the implementation of this idea. NKC thereforeproposes that the Prime Minister discuss this matterwith all Chief Ministers at the National DevelopmentCouncil, to formulate a National Plan for the teachingof English as a language, in addition to the regionallanguage, starting in Class I. This would also ensure thatat the end of twelve years of schooling, every student isproficient in at least two languages.28 National Knowledge Commission

TranslationSeptember 1, 2006There is an urgent need to expand the quantityand improve the quality of translation ofdifferent types (human, machine-aided, orinstant) and in different domains (literary, scientific,technical, business) that would provide greater accessto knowledge across the country. The current facilitiesavailable are inadequate and less than what is sociallyrequired. There is latent unrecognised demand whichis not being met because of incomplete and asymmetricinformation. Inadequacy of information, compoundedby the lack of coordination between potential users,also leads to market failures. There is inadequatedissemination of good quality translations whichwould provide a benchmark and create incentivesfor more private activity in this area. This thereforerequires some amount of public intervention, not asa permanent feature, but as a set of measures to kickstarta process of encouraging private initiative so thatthe large commercially viable provision of high qualitytranslation in different areas becomes feasible. Thedirect and indirect employment generation potential oftranslation activities is very high, and could absorb asubstantial part of educated unemployed youth.Based on these insights, NKC formed a WorkingGroup led by Dr. Jayati Ghosh to bring together peopleand agencies involved in translation, publishing anddissemination activities. They included representativesof some of the relevant government bodies, academics,language experts, publishers, teachers and othersassociated with translation activities in India. They metseveral times for workshops and consultations.As a result of their work and discussions NKCrecommends the following:1. Provide impetus for developing translation as anindustry in the country. Going by the experiencesof other countries, in a country like India with itsmany languages, as well as the huge potential forforeign language translation, the entire translationindustry has the potential eventually to employbetween 200,000 and half a million people.2. Establish a store-house of information on allaspects of translation involving Indian languages,and make this available by creating, maintainingand constantly updating information on translationspublished, training programs, translation tools/instruments and new initiatives, and facilities suchas a ‘National Register for Translators’.3. Promote printed as well as virtual publication ofworks on translation studies; provide a clearinghouse for all translation activities, both in theoreticaland applied subjects, in as many Indian languagesas possible.4. Create and maintain various tools for translation,including digital tools like Thesauri, BilingualDictionaries and software for translation. Inaddition, promote machine translation, leveragingemerging technologies to provide a rapid and largevolume of translation at a relatively low cost.5. Provide quality training and education fortranslators. This could be done through short termtraining programs, course packages for translatorsthat could be incorporated in language teachingprograms, and fellowship programs and researchprojects to encourage quality. There is also need forguidance in the methodology of translation and foraction to enrich teaching and training activities intranslation studies.6. Translate pedagogic materials at all levels (includingprimary onwards to tertiary education) specificallyin natural and social sciences.7. Project Indian languages and literatures withinSouth Asia and outside through high-qualitytranslation.8. Set up a national web portal on translation as a onestopshop for all information on translation and toprovide a forum for dialogue by creating a bulletinboard for people to post questions and answers.Report to the Nation29

9. Organise annual national conferences on translationto take stock of activities and initiatives in the field,for experts, industry and practitioners in the fieldto confer.10. Promote book launches, festivals, fellowshipsand prizes and encourage collaborative translationwork, as well as long-term multi-translator projects,and organise workshops for translators to interactand exchange views and experiences.NKC feels that in order to achieve these goals as rapidlyand efficiently as possible, the Government of Indiamay establish a National Translation Mission (NTM),which would take up these tasks in a systematic way.The NTM would be a relatively small body in terms ofits own infrastructure and be flexible in organisation,but would have a budget sufficient to enable it tocarry out targeted funding in identified areas. It wouldnot function in a centralised way but will requireinvolvement of state and local levels, and co-ordinationwith many different agencies. Since immediaterequirements may be different from future needs notonly in terms of translation activities but also the natureof interventions required, the NTM should be flexibleand responsive to current and future social realities andmarket conditions.It is envisaged that a National Translation Missionperforming these activities could be set up during the11th Plan, with a proposed budget of Rs 250 crore for theentire Plan period (around Rs 80 crore for organisationalcosts, manpower and scholarships, and around Rs 170crore for all other activities, which would involve fundingother collaborating institutions or parties). Dependingupon the experience during the 11th Plan period, theextent of this support could be enhanced subsequently. Inaddition, the NTM would require some one-time supportfor creating and developing the necessary infrastructure.A proposal on these lines was sent to the PlanningCommission which made some further suggestionson the organisation and structure of the NationalTranslation Mission.Translation activities should be seen in tandem withthe plan to increase access to English language trainingacross the population, and the promotion of English inschool education at the primary level. Both are aspectsof the goal of increasing access to knowledge.30 National Knowledge Commission

LibrariesDecember 7, 2006Public libraries play a pivotal role in disseminationof knowledge and are an extremely importantelement of the foundation of a knowledgeeconomy. There is widespread agreement that there is anurgent need for reform in the Libraries and InformationServices (LIS) sector. Several initiatives in this regardhave already been taken by the Government. NKChas consulted extensively with diverse stakeholders,including a Working Group of experts and professionals.NKC’s recommendations for formulating strategies inthe LIS sector are as follows:1. Set Up a National Commissionon LibrariesA permanent, independent and financially autonomousNational Commission on Libraries should be set up bythe Central Government as a statutory body to address theinformation and learning needs of the citizens of India.To launch the process in a mission mode, a NationalMission on Libraries should be set up immediately, fora period of three years.2. Prepare a National Census of AllLibrariesA national census of all libraries should be preparedby undertaking a nation-wide survey. Collection ofcensus data on libraries would provide baseline data forplanning. The Task Force that has been set up by theDepartment of Culture for this purpose should be givenfinancial and administrative support to implement thisactivity and complete the survey on a priority basis(within one year). User needs and reading habits shouldbe periodically surveyed at the national level as part ofthe National Sample Survey.3. Revamp LIS Education, Trainingand Research FacilitiesThe proposed Mission/Commission on Libraries mustassess as soon as possible the manpower requirementsof the country in the area of LIS management, and takenecessary steps to meet the country’s requirement throughLIS education and training. To keep the LIS sectorabreast of latest developments, necessary encouragementshould be given to research after evaluating the researchstatus in this field. Establishing a well-equippedinstitute for advanced training and research inlibrary and information science and serviceswould provide the necessary impetus to this task.4. Re-assess Staffing of LibrariesIn the changed context, it is necessary to assess themanpower requirements for different types of librariesand departments of library and information science,keeping in mind job descriptions, qualifications,designations, pay scale, career advancement andservice conditions.5. Set Up a Central Library FundA specified percentage of the Central and Stateeducation budgets must be ear-marked for libraries. Inaddition, a Central Library Fund should be institutedfor upgrading existing libraries over a period of 3-5years. The initial funding from the Government may beRs 1,000 crores, which may be matched by the privatesector through corporate philanthropy. This fund shouldbe administered by the National Mission/Commissionon Libraries.6. Modernise Library ManagementLibraries should be so organised and the staff sotrained that they become relevant to user communities(including special groups) in every respect. Also,to optimise resources, efforts should be made tosynergise the strengths of different types of librariesthrough innovative collaboration. NKC proposesthe creation of a model Library Charter, a list ofservices to be performed by libraries, a LibraryNetwork and a National Repository forBibliographic Records.Report to the Nation31

7. Encourage Greater CommunityParticipation in LibraryManagementIt is necessary to involve different stakeholders anduser groups in the managerial decision-making processfor libraries. Public libraries must be run by local selfgovernmentthrough committees representing usersof the library. These committees should ensure localcommunity involvement and should be autonomousenough to take independent decisions to conductcultural and educational community-based programs.Libraries should integrate with all other knowledge-basedactivities in the local area to develop a community-basedinformation system. In the rural sector, the responsibilityfor village libraries or Community Knowledge Centresmust lie with the Panchayats. These should be set up inclose proximity or on the premises of schools.8. Promote InformationCommunication Technology(ICT) Applications in All LibrariesThe catalogues of all libraries should be put on local,state and national websites with necessary linkages.This will enable networking of different types oflibraries and setting up of a National Repository ofBibliographic Records and a centralised collaborativevirtual enquiry-handling system using the latest ICT.To enable equitable and universal access to knowledgeresources, libraries should be encouraged to create moredigital resources by digitising relevant reading materialin different languages, which can be shared at all levels.Peer-reviewed research papers resulting from publiclyfunded research should also be made available throughopen access channels, subject to copyright regulations.It is recommended that open standards and free andopen source software may be used for the above.9. Facilitate Donation andMaintenance of Private CollectionsThere are numerous rich private and personalcollections in India which need to be identified,documented and preserved for posterity. While there isa need to create a decentralised model for identificationof personal collections, it is also necessary to sensitiseorganisations to receive and preserve donations ofpersonal collections through a simplified process.The National Mission/Commission may set upa committee on private and personal collectionsunder the chairpersonship of an eminent scholar.Since special facilities for maintaining private orpersonal collections are not easily available, it issuggested that 10 regional centres with specificmandates be set up in different parts of the countryfor this purpose.10. Encourage Public-PrivatePartnerships in LIS DevelopmentPhilanthropic organisations, industrial houses andother private agencies should be encouraged throughfiscal incentives to support existing libraries or set upnew libraries. The ingenuity of civil society may also beutilised to prepare necessary infrastructure to meet thespecial ICT needs of the LIS sector.In order to facilitate the coordinated developmentof libraries across different sectors and to providethe legislative framework, required legal support andfinancial backing to the library sector, the Governmentcould, in course of time, consider including librariesin the Concurrent List of the Constitution ofIndia. This should be done without in any wayabrogating the existing responsibilities of the statestowards libraries.32 National Knowledge Commission

Knowledge NetworkDecember 21, 2006NKC strongly feels that to optimally utilise thepotential of institutions engaged in generationand dissemination of knowledge in variousareas, such as research laboratories, universities and otherinstitutions of higher learning, including professionalinstitutions, it is important to connect them througha high-speed broadband network. In order to explorethe feasibility of establishing broadband connectivityamong such institutions, NKC spent six monthsstudying various issues and alternatives. Extensiveconsultations with experts, potential users, telecomservice providers, government officials and variouseducational and research institutions provided insightson the requirements, implementation issues and benefitsof creating an integrated national knowledge network.The purpose of such a knowledge network goes tothe very heart of the country’s quest to build qualityinstitutions with requisite research facilities and tocreate a pool of highly trained persons. Consideringthe magnitude of the challenge, NKC believes animmediate objective of the network will be to sharethe existing content, coursework, expertise, ideas,innovations, equipment and facilities available in thelimited number of centres of excellence, with a widergroup of institutions, educators and students.Globally, research and development activities andinnovations are increasingly multidisciplinary, andcollaborative, and require substantial computationalpower. The key to successful research today is liveconsultations, data sharing and resource sharing.Therefore it is essential to provide broadbandconnectivity to our knowledge institutions to improveaccess, quality and quantity of R&D activities.The primary objective is to interconnect all ourknowledge institutions in various fields, and at variouslocations throughout the country, through an electronicdigital broadband network with adequate capabilitiesand access speed to encourage sharing of resources andcollaborative research.NKC commissioned an expert to examine what it wouldtake to create a national knowledge network. NKC alsoheld detailed discussions with the office of the PrincipalScientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India. Thediscussions yielded a consensus on the optimal approachto be adopted for setting up such a network, whether it isfor a broad range of institutions as envisaged by NKC ora specific community of Science and Technology (S&T)research institutions. Based on the various discussionsNKC recommends the following:1. National Knowledge NetworkBuild a national knowledge network with gigabitcapabilities to connect all universities, libraries,laboratories, hospitals and agricultural institutions toshare data and resources across the country. This willultimately require provision of connectivity to around5,000 nodes covering all major institutions. The actualimplementation could be in phases targeting 500 to1,000 nodes in the first phase. However, the design ofthe network will have to be based on the final network.The prioritisation of the nodes for implementationpurposes should be on the basis of the institutions whichare most likely to use the network from day one andwhich would be able to demonstrate the benefits. Basedon a detailed analysis of the country’s existing optic fibreinfrastructure and technologies available, it is estimatedthat a 500 to 1000-node network can be commissionedwithin three to six months.2. OptionsWide consultations with experts and technologyproviders suggest that there are four possible networkingoptions:• The first one involves hiring dark fibres thathave been extensively laid out by varioustelecom service providers and lighting them.• The second involves lit fibres and differsfrom the first in not requiring transmissionequipment procurement and its maintenance.Report to the Nation33

• The third involves using existing commercialnetworks, making capital investment inequipment unnecessary. It requires minimummaintenance and operations organisation.• The fourth is a hybrid approach where the Coreconsists of two layers in which the inner higherspeedlayer is wholly owned by the stakeholderswhile the lower layer is provided by commercialservice providers.From the viewpoint of cost, the third approach basedon the utilisation of the available commercial networksappears to be most attractive to start with. This isbecause the capital expenditure is negligible if theoperator chosen has a well established network whichis being used by a large number of existing customers.However, lack of experience of architectural flexibilityand security aspects of virtual private networks (VPNs)set up on a commercial basis, do not allow prospectiveusers to be entirely comfortable with this approach.Therefore, NKC recommends that existing commercialnetworks be utilised. Subsequently, feedback from thisexercise could enable a shift to a hybrid network with acentral Core, preferably of a relatively few nodes, and anouter network constituted by practically each one of theother operators’ networks.3. ArchitectureThe network should consist of a Core using InternetProtocol (IP) and Multi-Packet Labeled Services(MPLS) technology, an Aggregation or Distributionnetwork, and an Access or Edge network linking theinstitution’s local area network (LAN) to the Core. TheCore network could be a single hierarchy or a two-stageKnowledge network with a higher speed network at thetop to accommodate architecture flexibility and securityconcerns in a VPN-based commercial Internet Protocol-Multi Protocol Label Switching (IP-MPLS) network.The detailed specification of the network will have tobe drawn up with a view to inviting bids for speedyimplementation. The network should be implementedin phases. The first phase should cover about 1000institutions and should be commissioned in three tosix months.4. Congruence with E-governanceThe question of whether the network for E-governanceand the Knowledge Network should be one singlenetwork assumes importance and relevance dependingupon the approach adopted for the realisation of thenetwork. In the recommended approach in the firstphase, namely VPNs on commercial MPLS networks onDense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM),this question becomes irrelevant because several VPNscan be created on a commercial network and they couldbe entirely un-correlated, as may be the case with thesetwo networks. This question would assume importanceonly if the country were to implement a purely ownednetwork on lighted fibres. On the other hand, even inthe hybrid approach, the E-governance network with anentirely different geographical spread and much lowerbandwidth requirements, can be realised as VPNs andthe security and flexibility could be addressed by theinner core. The issue of congruence of the two networkstherefore no longer remains important and the twoaspects can be totally de-linked.5. Security and PrivacyMethods will have to be evolved both at the timeof commissioning of the network as well as duringoperations, to ensure security of data along with privacyand confidentiality. Access to data from the Data Centreof a given institution should be under the control ofthe institution being addressed. An arrangement forauthentication and authorisation, with the participationof the connected institutions is essential to launchthe network.6. One-time Support for LANsThe proposed broadband network envisages higheraccess bandwidth and therefore almost all userinstitutions will have to upgrade their networks to beable to cater to these speeds. While several institutionsmay have the resources for doing this, a largenumber will need one-time capital support to set upFast Ethernet LAN (FELAN) which includesexpenditure on routers, switches and optic fibre cableon the campus.7. CostsThe Knowledge Network initially proposed to belaunched on existing commercial networks willtherefore involve a recurring cost of Rs 20-40 lakhper institution connected, amounting to Rs 200-400crores annually for 1000 institutions in the first phase.In addition, there will be a one-time capital investmentin upgrading the LANs of these institutions to a 10034 National Knowledge Commission

Mbps capability Fast Ethernet LAN. Thereafter,based on feedback, the installation of the inner corenetwork of 10 Gbps or higher capability will be takenup. This will involve a capital investment of aroundRs 1,000 crores on a 7 or 8-node Inner Core network,its Gigabit connectivity to the commercial IP-MPLSnetworks, as also direct connectivity to a few userswho are particularly concerned about the security andinternetworking experiments. This expenditure willbe incurred over a period of time. There will be anadditional recurring expenditure for this Inner Coreon hiring large bandwidths from bandwidth serviceproviders. This amount will depend on the number ofnodes and the negotiated or bid-based price.8. OrganisationTo ensure day to day coordination, operation andefficient utilisation NKC recommends establishinga Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) consisting of majorstakeholders. Such an SPV should have professionalexperts pooled from various stakeholder institutions forcoordinating and guiding various private vendors forspeedy implementation. The policy, security and overallmanagement should be the responsibility of the SPV andthe operational support requirements should be met bythe industry. One of the compelling reasons for such amechanism is to provide assurance that the use of cyberspace will in no way compromise the security concernsof the country.9. OwnershipThe Knowledge Network should be owned by the SPVconsisting of major stakeholders. Government ownershipis not desirable, despite the fact that substantial fundingwill be from the Government, because:• It is the Government’s policy to withdraw fromdirect operations and maintenance activities in theICT sector.• The type of trained manpower needed, though notlarge, is in great demand in the market, and thereforewill require special remuneration and incentives.10. Special GroupNKC recommends the setting up of a specialWorking Group of experts to finalise specifications,implementation plans, cost estimates, and network plans,as well as to carry out the actual task of procurementand commissioning of the network. This group will alsoestablish the SPV needed for running the network on aday to day basis.NKC believes that a National Knowledge Networkinterconnecting our knowledge institutions andinfrastructure with access speeds of 100 mbps and morewill give a major push to collaborations and sharingneeded to enhance the quality of our education, researchand applications and at the same time will empower ourpeople to be competitive in the global economy.Report to the Nation35

Health InformationNetworkOctober 12, 2007National Knowledge Commission (NKC) isconvinced that extensive use of IT in healthcare will promote the delivery of efficienthealth care in the country. However as the use ofIT in the management of healthcare and medicalknowledge will increase, the health care establishmentswill develop and use their own health IT systems. Ithas been the experience of western countries thatthese individually developed systems are often notinteroperable with other establishments, which makesthe health care system inefficient and expensive. NKCbelieves that India has a unique opportunity to learnfrom the world experience and adopt only the provenbest practices in the field.In this context NKC constituted a working group, underthe chairmanship of Dr. N.K. Ganguly, ChairmanIndian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) to studythe use of IT in future health care. The working groupstudied the future need, conducted several meetingsand deliberations, and held consultations with variousnational and international experts. NKC believes thatthe use of IT in health care needs a national directionfor its proper implementation and makes the followingrecommendations for developing a Health InformationNetwork:1. Initiate Development of IndianHealth Information NetworkIndia needs to develop a web-based network, connectingall health care establishments, in both private andpublic sector. When fully functional, all health caretransactions will be recorded electronically and this datawill be available in the health data vault to authorisedusers when they need it and where they need it.The proposed Knowledge Network with gigabitcapabilities may provide the backbone and networkinfrastructure on which the Health InformationNetwork may ride. The network will be a ‘hub andspoke model’. All health care establishments in a districtwill connect to a central data repository at the districtlevel. All the district nodal data repositories will connectwith a state level data bank, which in turn will connectwith a central data bank.There should be active involvement of private and publichealth entities to effectively address the creation of thisnetwork, portals, electronic health records, health datavault, security, privacy and other related issues in future,which will encourage the participation of the following:• Citizens• Health care providers and players• Education, research institutions and investigators• Government departments and institutions• Public health agencies and NGOs• Pharmaceutical industry and medical devicemakers• Telemedicine institutions• Software and hardware developersThe ready availability of information will accrueenormous benefits to public health planning, medicaleducation, cost control, medical research, drugdevelopment, prevention of fraud, disaster managementand improved patient care.2. Establish National Standards forClinical Terminology and HealthInformaticsFor a web based interoperable national grid it isimperative to have common clinical nomenclature, orelse disparate programs developed by the industry willnot be interoperable. The clinical standards will establisha common lexicon to be used in electronic transactions.This will enable all geographically scattered entities tocommunicate in one common language and facilitatedata transmission and collection. It is important todevelop common nomenclature standards for thetraditional medical systems, as large numbers of peopledepend on these systems for their medical needs. Besidesthe common clinical language, adoption of a commonnational standard in health informatics will facilitate themessaging, collation and analysis of data.36 National Knowledge Commission

3. Create a Common ElectronicHealth Record (EHR)An electronic health record (EHR) is the record ofa person from birth to death where all heath careencounters are recorded. Health transactions arepresently recorded in a paper format, like a hospitalpatient chart, prescriptions, laboratory tests etc. Thetechnology to capture and store this informationelectronically already exists and has been developed bymany private and public organisations in India. Foruniform data capture, storage and subsequent use, itis recommended to create a common national EHRbased on common clinical and IT standards. Therecord should be able to capture data generated by the‘traditional medicine’ health providers. To promotethe early adoption of the health IT, this EHR may begiven free of cost or at subsidised rates to all users. Theother IT tools and applications can be developed bythe private industry and should be compatible withthe national EHR.4. Frame Policies to Promote Use ofIT in Health CareThe use of IT in health care needs an impetus from thegovernment; otherwise the development and penetrationwill be slow and arbitrary. These policies should beformed, not to hamper, but promote the health ITbusiness in the country and generate employment inthis sector. The Central Government should declare atime period after which all transactions in health carein the country will be in electronic format. Sufficienttime should be given for the health establishments toadopt electronic transaction. NKC feels 7-10 yearsis an adequate time for all parties to evolve electronictransactions after which all health establishments shouldbe able to comply.5. Create Appropriate PolicyFramework to Protect HealthData of CitizensThe integrity of data at the primary data collectionsite will determine the usefulness of this enterprise.To ensure that only correct patient and other healthdata is collected, it is of utmost importance to gain theconfidence of the citizens that their health data will notbe misused by the health providers, insurance companies,employers and the government. Both technological andlegal framework is important to achieve this. Whileencryption, anonymity and other IT security measuresshould be in place; it is also important to have rules inplace. It is important to maintain confidentiality andsecurity of the personal health data and to govern theaccess and use of data.6. Medical Informatics to be Partof Medical and ParamedicalCurriculumMedical education needs to take full advantage of thepower of ICT. A well-structured health informaticscurriculum needs to be made an integral part ofmedical education at all levels. Basic ICT facilities,such as good quality access to Internet and e-Journals,need to be made compulsory for all medical colleges inthe country. For capacity building, ICT tools shouldbe effectively deployed to train the large number ofhealth workers. Short and medium term coursesneed to be developed and made available on the netto address training needs of all health workers in thefield. It should be made affordable, accessible andeasily available for small players. There is a need toevolve common formats for data reporting to facilitateIT enablement of medical manpower at all levels.Education related portals should also be set up fortraining of medical manpower.7. Create an InstitutionalFramework for ImplementationAn autonomous body with the Ministry of Healthshould be responsible for planning and implementingthe project in a time bound manner. This body shouldbe autonomous and a non-profit organisation withrepresentation from private, public and voluntarysectors. 1 All stakeholders should be represented in thisbody and it should have the resources to promote andimplement the plan. It should also have the authorityto ensure the smooth functioning of the Indian HealthInformation Network.The objectives for this institutional body will be:• To formulate an implementation plan• To coordinate the participation of all stakeholders• To create linkages with e-governance, medicaleducation network1It may be modeled after the Canadian Health Infoway, which is a non-profit autonomous body funded by the federal and provincialgovernments in Canada.Report to the Nation37

• To ensure financial viability of the project• To set up a comprehensive and interactive nationalhealth portal• To suggest common national standards• To protect confidentiality and security of data• To facilitate the ownership, access and flow of data• To maintain and upgrade the system in futureThe next step in the development of Indian HealthInformation Network is to formalise the institutionalbody with appropriate professional people with domainexpertise, adequate budget, time tables, and measurablemilestones to implement these recommendations. Thebody may consider conducting pilot programs beforescaling at the national level.38 National Knowledge Commission

PortalsJanuary 9, 2007Recognising that the Internet constitutes apowerful and democratic source of informationand knowledge, the National KnowledgeCommission (NKC) deliberated on ways to create aseries of web portals. These web portals should becomea decisive tool in the popular movements in support ofthe right to information, decentralisation, transparency,accountability and people’s participation.In order to increase openness and enhance accessibility,NKC recommends the creation of web portals toaggregate, organise and present relevant and usefulcontent in local languages, in a highly uniform,customisable, user friendly and personalised way forseveral key areas related to basic human needs. In thiscontext the Commission recommends the following:1. Create National Portals for BasicNeedsNational web-based portals should be set up on certainkey sectors such as Water, Energy, Environment,Education, Food, Health, Agriculture, Employment,Citizen Rights etc. These would serve as a single pointof access for consolidated information, applicationsand resources on the sector and will cater to a widespectrum of users from citizens, entrepreneurs, smallscale industries, students, professionals, researchers,local practitioners etc.2. Management and Ownership byConsortiumWhile the government will be a key partner in theinitial set up, the portals should be managed by aconsortium with adequate representation from a widerange of stakeholders from the sector including NGOs,Research and Scientific Groups, Academic Institutions,Advocacy Groups, Government Agencies/Departments,International Bodies, Other Funding Agencies, PrivateSector, Technology Experts, Educators, e-Learningexperts etc.This will ensure that:• The portal remains a dynamic repository ofinformation from multiple sources to aggregatecontent.• A collaborative model is adopted so that allstakeholders such as citizens, NGOs, businesses etc.participate in the creation, collaboration, sharingand discussions in a rich and meaningful way suchthat information cannot be monopolised by anyone group.• The portal would have greater communityownership in order to ensure its success.• Experiences, technology, processes etc. would beshared between various portals.3. Establish ProceduresA set of procedures should be followed for setting upPortals:• Agreement on the subject area• Identification of champion/lead organisation/s• Submission of proposal on architecture of the portalby the champion organisations for consideration ofthe Commission• Identification of stakeholders and partners andsetting up of framework for portal management.• Development of content• Launch of Portal• Development of rich, useful and relevant contentThe cycle is expected to take between nine months toa year to complete, at the end of which a portal wouldbe put in place which could then continuously beenhanced, populated and promoted.4. Provide Access to GovernmentHeld DataThere are a host of issues related to data for a portal,such as sourcing, validation, quality and formats. Thegovernment is a major source of extensive data on varioussectors. All government departments should easily makeReport to the Nation39

available data sets they have, in a digital format to theportal consortium. Data from different sectors needs tobe analysed holistically so that planning becomes moredata-driven and reflects the ground situation. This meansthat data that is traditionally collected and managedseparately, unrelated to each other, should now be seentogether. There are no platforms or mechanisms currentlyin place to allow this to be done easily. Clear guidelinesshould be developed under which this data could besourced in appropriate formats and regularly updated.The Right to Information may make this easier, but itcontinues to be a long drawn process. These proceduresneed to be streamlined and made simpler.5. Encourage Collaborative FundingThe Portal effort can escalate quickly as the scale ofcontent, partnerships and the scope is very large. Theissue of funding for the effort includes big line itemslike technology development, map preparation, datagathering, developing applications, content creation,organising and coordinating partnerships. Solutionsneed to be evolved depending on the sector in question.Several possibilities including public private partnershipsand new business models should be explored. Thegovernment may also look at providing some publicmoney for these efforts through grants.6. Reform Mapping PolicyThe advance in computer based Geographic InformationSystems (GIS) has given mapping and use of maps ahuge impetus in various fields. The ability to makesense of large amounts of interrelated data in spatial andattribute form has helped in visual decision making invarious areas such as Agriculture, Transport, DisasterManagement etc. An unambiguous mapping policycoupled with clear guidelines for use of spatial data arenecessary to share GIS data and thereby maximise theuse of cutting edge technology and applications. Underthe new mapping policy announced in May 2005,there is still some ambiguity about publishing of GISmaps on the Internet by NGOs, Government and otherdevelopment oriented agencies. Rich GIS based contentin various sectors like Water, Health, Education etc.can be delivered by various organisations and bodies inorder to share information, foster an informed debateand allow for more effective planning. The mappingpolicy needs to allow for such access and provide clearguidelines.7. Enhance Internet Penetration andAccessAt this stage, the use of Portals may be limited by thelow Internet penetration in the country, where less than 5per cent of population has access to Internet. To addressthis challenge it is essential that the portal team shouldwork proactively with NGO and Government networks,use mass distributions channels like radio, television andthe print media to ensure this knowledge is leveraged toprecipitate change on the ground. There needs to be afirm commitment to support alternate non-web outreachmethods that make this knowledge accessible to allsections of society (the digital haves and have nots).An alternate IT technology can support those who donot have Internet access. This calls for a locally residenttool that is run on a desktop PC which can provideinformation and run applications pertaining to specifictopics. Since these applications are not relying on theInternet or storing information at a distant server, they canbe used locally at the site without network connectivity.Subsequently, it would be useful to be able to connect toa server to upload local data or download updates andinformation. These software thick client applicationscan be the source of bottom-up data, since NGOs andindividuals can upload local data over the Internet foranalysis at a central server. This provides an alternativebottom-up way of collecting fine grained local data in acontinuous manner.The portal will thus address the needs of a very diversespectrum of users from researchers and policy makersto local practitioners at the ground level who stand tobenefit greatly from the comprehensive availability ofinformation on a sector relevant for them in an openand transparent manner.8. Translate into Indian LanguagesThe portals should be translated into all Indian languagesto reach a wider audience. Interactive applications ande-learning content must be made available in locallanguages for it to be relevant.40 National Knowledge Commission

KnowledgeConceptsSchool EducationVocational Education and TrainingHigher EducationLegal EducationMedical EducationManagement EducationEngineering EducationOpen and Distance EducationOpen Educational ResourcesMore Talented Students in Maths and ScienceMore Quality Ph.DsReport to the Nation41

School EducationFebruary 3, 2008Ensuring quality school education to all is thefoundation upon which any further advancestowards a knowledge society must be based.Noting the crucial importance of school education,the National Knowledge Commission held a seriesof workshops and consultations around the countryinvolving a very wide range of stakeholders, todiscuss issues of quantity, quality and access in schooleducation.NKC recognises that the primary responsibility forschool education is borne by the State Governments,and therefore any policy changes must be with the fullparticipation and involvement of the states. Nevertheless,NKC believes that positive changes in systems ofschooling will require the active involvement of theCentral Government as well as State Governments, notonly in the matter of providing resources but also inpromoting organisational and other changes.NKC has a number of suggestions and recommendationscovering the different aspects of school education, butthe essential thrust can be summarised in terms of moreresources, more decentralisation and more flexibility.1. Central Legislation for the Rightto Education, backed by FnancialCommitmentNKC endorses the speedy enactment of a centrallegislation that will ensure the right of all children inthe country to good quality school education up toClass VIII, supported with financial commitments ofthe Central and State Governments. This obviouslyrequires substantially increased public spending for bothelementary and secondary school education, which mustbe seen as a priority area for spending. Currently schooleducation is highly segmented, even in government-runinstitutions, as a result of the parallel track of “educationcentres” in some states. These separate systems mustbe integrated to give all children access to schoolsof acceptable quality, which will obviously requireadditional spending.2. More Fexibility in Disbursal ofFundsHowever, there is a strong case for changes in the mannerin which such expenditure is incurred. The current normsfor central government disbursal to states of funds for[including for Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA)] the plannedSUCCESS program for secondary education and othercentral schemes, are too rigid and must be made moreflexible. NKC strongly recommends a system of fundstransfer and accounting that will allow for regional andother differences as well as changing requirements overtime, and thereby allow State Governments to use theresources in the most effective way. There should alsobe greater flexibility in disbursing funds down to theschool level and a greater degree of autonomy of locallevel management in the use of funds. The norms andrules should allow schools to adapt to local conditionsand meet particular requirements of their students.3. Decentralisation and GreaterLocal AutonomyCommunity participation is an important instrumentto ensure accountability and improve the day-todayfunctioning of schools. This in turn means thatthe management of schools, including the use andmanagement of funds, should be decentralised to localauthorities as far as possible, whether they be panchayats,Village Education Committees or municipalities,and to School Boards that have representation of allstakeholders including parents.4. Expansion of Functional LiteracyNKC would like to stress the continuing importanceof a focus on expanding functional literacy among thepopulation. Illiteracy remains a major problem, evenamong the age group 15-35 years, and therefore literacyprograms must be expanded rather than reduced, andgiven a different focus that is directed towards improvinglife skills and meeting felt needs, especially (but notonly) among the youth.Report to the Nation43

5. Planning for School InfrastructureIt is important to remember that land is an essentialrequirement of schools, and this requirement is likelyto increase in the near future given the expansionimplied by demographic changes and need to ensureuniversal schooling. Therefore, urban master plans andlocal development plans must explicitly incorporatethe physical requirements for schooling, includingprovisions for playgrounds and other school facilities.6. Enabling and RegulatingMechanisms for Private SchoolsSince private schools play an important role in theprovision of education, there is need for both enabling andregulating mechanisms to be developed and strengthenedfor them. There should be transparent, norm-basedand straightforward procedures for the recognition ofprivate schools, to reduce harassment and bureaucraticdelay. There should also be transparent criteria as forthe disbursement of aid from the government to someself-financing schools, especially those which cater tounderprivileged children, and clear norms with respectto the ability of school managements to raise resourcesfrom other sources. The monitoring of private schools,in terms of ensuring a transparent admissions process,regulation of fee structures, as well as meeting minimumset standards for quality of teaching and infrastructure,also requires attention. The possibility of greater exchangebetween schools, including mentoring of one school byanother, should be allowed and encouraged.7. Database on School EducationEducational planning and monitoring are made muchmore difficult because of the lack of comprehensive andaccurate data on schools, school-age children and actualattendance of both students and teachers. The collectionand speedy dissemination of accurate and current dataon schooling must be made a priority. It is necessary tocreate a complete database on schools and school-agechildren so as to track the actual coverage and qualityof schooling at different levels, and to make it widelyavailable in a timely manner. Such data collection may bemade an essential part of the fund allocation for schooleducation, with appropriate institutional mechanisms.8. More Co-ordination betweenDepartmentsThe multiplicity of management structures andgovernment departments that currently governsschooling creates confusion, unnecessary replication andpossibly inconsistent strategies across different schools.There must be greater co-ordination between differentdepartments of government on school educationpolicy, even while ensuring more autonomy to the localmanagement of schools.9. National Evaluation Body forMonitoring QualityEducational administration also needs to be moreconscious of actual learning outcomes at different levels,which will determine both policy and functioning.NKC therefore proposes a national evaluation body tomonitor the quality of both government and privateschools, using a results-based monitoring frameworkbased on a short list of monitorable criteria that includeboth process and outcome indicators.10. Revamping School InspectionThe system of school inspection needs to be revampedand revitalised, with a greater role for local stakeholdersand greater transparency in the system. The solutiondoes not lie in simply expanding the system – rather,we need to develop systems to ensure meaningfulmonitoring, including provision of greater facilitiesto school inspectors, a separation of inspection ofqualitative and administrative aspects, transparency inthe criteria of inspection, and greater involvement oflocal stakeholders.11. Teachers and Teacher TrainingTeachers are the single most important element of theschool system, and the country is already facing a severeshortage of qualified and motivated school teachersat different levels. It is urgent to restore the dignityof school teaching as a profession and provide moreincentives for qualified and committed teachers. Nonteachingofficial duties such as electoral activities shouldnot be allowed to interfere with the teaching process.Forums that allow and encourage teachers to exchangeideas, information and experiences, including a webbasedportal, should be developed.At the same time, there should be transparentsystems for ensuring accountability of school teachers.As far as possible, teachers should be recruited toparticular schools.The training of teachers is a major area of concern atpresent, since both pre-service and in-service training of44 National Knowledge Commission

school teachers is extremely inadequate and also poorlymanaged in most states. Pre-service training needs tobe improved and differently regulated in both publicand private institutions, while systems for in-servicetraining require expansion and major reform that allowsfor greater flexibility.12. Reforms in the Curriculum andExamination SystemCurriculum reform remains a critically important issue inalmost all schools. School education must be made morerelevant to the lives of children. There is need to moveaway from rote-learning to understanding concepts,developing good comprehension and communicationskills and learning how to access knowledge independently.This also requires substantial changes in the examinationsystem, especially at Board level but also earlier.13. Use of Information andCommunication TechnologyWherever feasible, ICT should be made more accessibleto teachers, students and administration for learning,training, research, administration, management,monitoring etc. This requires the provision of morefacilities such as computers as well as connectivity andbroadband facilities. Computer-aided learning alsorequires training of teachers and other staff in order tomake the best use of technology.14. English Language TeachingProficiency in English is widely perceived as an importantavenue for employment and upward mobility, whichalso greatly facilitates the pursuit of higher education.The incorporation of English into the curriculumthrough the teaching of English as a language in ClassI and teaching of one other subject in English mediumin later classes requires making pedagogical changesto contextualise language learning, increasing theavailability of English language teachers and providingmore bilingual and supplementary teaching materials.At the same time, multi-linguality must be promotedand language issues must be explicitly taken on board indesigning school curricula and methods of pedagogy.15. Interventions to Ensure Access ofEducationally Deprived CategoriesSpecial interventions are necessary to ensure greateraccess to education of educationally deprived categories,and some proposals for this are developed in moredetail in the accompanying Note. Obviously, specificmeasures are required to ensure greater enrolment andretention of girl students. Education of SC childrenmust be a priority, which necessitates both flexibilityof approach and avoidance of discrimination. Theaccess of children from Scheduled Tribes requires moreflexible and sensitive schooling strategies. Languageissues must be explicitly taken on board in designingschool curricula and methods of pedagogy. Specialstrategies are required to ensure greater access to schoolsfor children in backward regions, remote locations anddifficult terrains. Official strategies for ensuring betteraccess of Muslim children to schooling are excessivelyfocused on madrasas which cater to only a tiny minorityof such children; the emphasis should be on creatingenabling conditions for Muslim children in the generalschool system. Children of seasonal migrants requirespecial conditions and efforts to ensure continuousaccess to schooling. Similarly, labouring childrenrequire incentives and bridge courses. The needs ofphysically disadvantaged children, as well as teachers,have to be factored in more thoroughly in provisionsfor school education.There is wide diversity across states in terms of progresstowards achieving universal elementary education, andalso diversity within states with respect to the quality ofschool education. But NKC believes that these proposals,which require the active involvement of the CentralGovernment as well as State Governments, will go someway in terms of ensuring universal access to elementaryeducation, wider access to secondary education as wellas better quality and greater relevance of all schooling.Given the strong synergies between this and other areassuch as libraries, translation, knowledge networks etc,these suggestions should be seen in conjunction withother recommendations that have already been made inthese other areas, as part of a systematic set of knowledgeinitiatives for the young.Report to the Nation45

Note onSchool EducationThe Prime Minister has repeatedly emphasisedthat ensuring quality school education to allis one of the most important priorities of thegovernment, and the National Knowledge Commissionhas also recognised the crucial significance of this as thefoundation upon which any further advances must bebased. NKC has held a series of workshops around thecountry, addressing issues of quantity, quality and accessin school education, and tried to involve a very widerange of stakeholders in the consultations.NKC recognises that the primary responsibility forschool education is borne by the State Governments,and therefore any policy changes must be with thefull participation and involvement of the states. Also,there is wide diversity across states in terms of progresstowards achieving universal elementary education, andalso diversity within states with respect to the qualityof school education. Nevertheless, NKC believes thatpositive changes in systems of schooling that will ensureuniversal access to elementary education, wider accessto secondary education as well as better quality andgreater relevance of all schooling, will require the activeinvolvement of the Central Government as well as StateGovernments. Such involvement is necessary not only inthe matter of providing resources but also in promotingorganisational and other changes. NKC has a number ofsuggestions and recommendations covering the differentaspects of school education, but the essential thrustcan be summarised in terms of more resources, moredecentralisation and more flexibility. Outlined beloware the most important areas of possible intervention.NKC is aware that while some proposals are new, otherrecommendations have found expression in differentways in previous reports and studies. However, NKChas chosen to reiterate them because they are still crucialand relevant.NKC would also like to emphasise that there are verystrong synergies between these recommendations forschool education and other proposals of NKC withrespect to libraries, translation, networks, language inschools and vocational education. These suggestionsshould therefore be seen in conjunction with the otherrecommendations that have already been made in theseareas, as part of a systematic set of knowledge initiativesfor the young.1. Quantity and Resources1.1 Substantially increased public spendingis required for both elementary andsecondary education.NKC strongly endorses the speedy enactment of acentral legislation that will ensure the right of all childrenin the country to good quality school education up toClass VIII. We also believe that this should be extendedto cover universal schooling up to Class X as soon aspossible. NKC has emphasised that a vibrant, goodquality and universally accessible government schoolsystem is the basic foundation upon which the schoolingsystem in the country must rest.Therefore this must be supported with a financialcommitment of the Central Government, in such a wayas to ensure that the right to quality school educationis provided to all children of the country, regardless ofwhich state they are residing in. This necessarily requiresa significant expansion of the resources to be providedto elementary school education. While the governmenthas increased allocations for school expenditure, theamounts are still far below what is required to achieveuniversal school education of reasonable quality for all.This is even more true because of the need to upgradethe “Education Centres” that are operating in manystates to proper schools that meet all the norms in termsof trained teachers, minimum facilities etc. ThereforeNKC strongly recommends a substantial increase inCentral Government allocation.NKC has already expressed concern on the recentdecision of the central government to reduce thecentral funding for the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA)from 75 per cent to 50 per cent. This may lead to asharp curtailment of progress towards universal school46 National Knowledge Commission

education, especially in the more backward stateswhere the gap is greater. It is worth noting that StateGovernments are already incurring the bulk of schooleducation expenditure. NKC strongly feels that, inaddition to 50 per cent of SSA funds, the Centre shouldprovide all the additional funding required to ensurethe Right to Education in those states where the stategovernment is already spending at least 15 per cent ofits total budget on school education.At the same time, the importance of increased spendingon secondary education is greater than ever before.There is a huge shortage of middle and secondaryschools, which is one of the important reasons for thelow rates of retention after Class V. Currently, secondaryeducation is massively under-funded, which in turncreates not only absolute shortages but also problemsof inadequate quality in many government secondaryand higher secondary schools. The aim should be toreach universal secondary school education within amaximum of 10 years. Given the demographics, thisimplies that expenditure on secondary schooling mustbe increased by several multiples within the next twoyears, indeed by at least five times the current level ifthe CABE estimates are used. Currently, many primaryschools are being upgraded to secondary school status,without provision of sufficient teachers, rooms and otherpedagogical requirements, which severely comprises onthe quality of such secondary education. The norms forsecondary schools, which include not only provisionfor specialised subject teachers but also for sciencelabs, counselling etc, must be strictly adhered to whennew schools are created and when primary schools areupgraded.1.2 Urban planning and local planningmust explicitly incorporate the physicalrequirements for schooling, includingprovisions for playgrounds and otherschool facilities.It is important to remember that land is an essentialrequirement of schools, and this requirement is likely toincrease in the near future given the expansion requiredby demographic changes and the need to ensure universalschooling. In the context of rapid urbanisation, it hasbeen found that urban conglomerations often come upwithout adequate provision for ensuring the physicalspace required for schools in the vicinity. This isparticularly a problem in new settlements with quicklyincreasing density of population, not only in large citiesbut also in smaller towns and fast growing villages. Thismakes it difficult to establish schools where required,and to ensure that schools are able to provide all thenecessary facilities including sports fields etc. It isessential that the urban land use policies and regulationsin all states and municipalities explicitly factor in thephysical requirements of schools in areas of a certainpopulation density.Similarly in rural areas, there must be adequate provisionfor land for setting up schools in areas that surpass acertain population density. In rural areas with lowpopulation density, difficult terrain or extreme climaticconditions, the government may consider setting upresidential schools, which could also address the problemof migrant labourers and nomadic populations.1.3 The norms for central governmentdisbursal to states of Sarva ShikshaAbhiyan (SSA) funds and other centralschemes for school education are toorigid and must be made more flexible.The current system of funds transfer and the accountingrules create unnecessary rigidities that often do notallow the State Governments to use the money in themost efficient or desirable way, and also lead to less thancomplete utilisation of the budgetary allocation.Some of these problems include:• very rigid norms on unit costs and what is allowedin terms of spending, that do not recognise thediverse requirements of different states or particularregions;• inadequate financial provisions for infrastructuresuch as buildings etc, especially for some states andcities, which leads to the creation of poor qualityinfrastructure;• an inflexible accounting system that does not allowtransferring funds across heads to meet particularor changing requirements, and therefore inhibitsfull utilisation and also prevents synergies fromdeveloping;• insufficient allocation for repair and maintenanceof infrastructure;• treating rural and urban schools in the same mannereven though the requirements are often verydifferent (for example, urban government schoolsmay require different infrastructure and facilities inorder to attract students); and• treating all districts and geographical areas in the samemanner regardless of the degree of backwardness,topographical conditions etc. (This is especially aReport to the Nation47

problem for schools in hilly or heavily forested areasor those with poor physical connectivity, for whichper capita allocations are the same as for other moreaccessible areas);• problems in the timing of fund transfer, as wellas uncertainties in fund provision created by theinsistence on matching funds and the fact that planceilings keep changing every year.NKC strongly recommends a less rigid and moreflexible system of funds transfer and accounting thatwill allow for regional and other differences as well aschanging requirements over time, and thereby allowState Governments to use the resources in the mosteffective way. This recommendation is both for the SSAand for the planned SUCCESS program for secondaryeducation, and also for other centrally sponsoredschemes relating to school education.1.4 There should be greater flexibility indisbursing funds down to the school leveland a greater degree of autonomy of locallevel management in the use of funds.Even within the states, the norms for fund disbursal andthe requirements are often very time consuming andbreed delays and unnecessary rigidities. There shouldbe recognition of differences in per capita resourcerequirement according to particular criteria, such asgeographical and spatial characteristics, the presence ofchildren with special needs, seasonality and other features.In addition, there is a strong case for providing greaterautonomy to local level management of schools,including locally elected bodies, school boards, VillageEducation Committees etc., in the use and managementof funds, subject to some overall criteria. Within thestipulated norms for expenditure, there should be scopefor greater flexibility in the use of funds in response tolocal needs and local innovation.1.5 There should be transparent, norm-basedand straightforward procedures for therecognition of private schools, as wellas for the disbursement of aid from thegovernment to self financing schools andthe ability of school management to raiseresources from other sources.Private schools play a significant role in dispensing schooleducation. It is estimated by NUEPA that around 15per cent of schools in the country are privately ownedand managed, while in some urban areas, private schoolscater to a very large proportion of school going children.Their role must be recognised, and those providingquality education should be encouraged, especiallywhen they cater to less privileged children.However, many private schools have identified thetime consuming procedures for renewal of recognitionfrom the government, which have to be undertaken atrelatively frequent intervals, as a source of harassment.It is necessary to simplify the rules and reduce themultiplicity of clearances required for private schools, bydeveloping a modality for coordinated point of clearanceas far as possible. There is also a case for increasing thetime period for which recognition is granted to suchschools, especially those with a proven track record.Transparency in dealings between the government andprivate schools will also be aided if the information onrules and criteria for registration and the results of allschool applications for granting of recognition are madepublic in an accessible form, including by making therelevant information available on websites.Those charitable schools that provide quality educationto children from underprivileged and marginalisedsections of society deserve encouragement, and may beconsidered for receipt of government resources, accordingto transparent and norm-based procedures. However,all mechanisms of government aid disbursement toprivately run schools should be transparently conductedand according to defined norms.There is a widespread perception that government rulescurrently reduce the ability of school managements toraise resources from other sources for the expansionof infrastructure or to provide other facilities. Thisvaries across states, but in general in most states thecurrent system does allow schools to raise funds fromdonations, resources extended from the panchayat andother sources. However, it is important to ensure thatthe available flexibility for school management to raiseresources should be widely known and publicised. Inaddition, innovative methods of raising additionalresources could be allowed and encouraged. For example,schools, particularly in urban areas, could use assetssuch as buildings during non-school hours to generateadditional funds to improve the quality of facilities.1.6 Illiteracy remains a major problem,and therefore literacy programs cannotbe ignored or given less importance.Expenditure on the National Literacy48 National Knowledge Commission

Mission (NLM) must be expanded ratherthan reduced, and given a different focus.The shift in policy focus from the National LiteracyMission (NLM) to the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan has ledto a declining emphasis on the need to ensure universalfunctional literacy. However, according to the 2001Census, a significant proportion of the population– nearly half of all females and one-quarter of males –remains functionally illiterate. According to the NSSO,a significant proportion of households in 2004-05(more than a quarter in rural India and nearly 10 percent in urban India) have no literate member. The lackof functional literacy is much more marked amongwomen, those residing in backward areas and thosefrom marginalised social groups. Also, a significantproportion of young people – around 30 per cent ofthe age-cohort of 15-35 years – is functionally illiterate,since they were too old to benefit from the SSA and alsoslipped through the net of the literacy programs. Thisis of great concern because such people will continue tobe active citizens for the next half century and therefore,must not be denied the capacities and opportunitiesthat come from being literate.NKC therefore recommends the following measures forliteracy:• Ensure greater funds for the NLM, includingprovision for more pedagogical resources includingnot only ICT but also locally generated teachingmaterial as well as local hiring of temporary staffwherever required.• Encourage the NLM to shift to creating ContinuingEducation Centres in both rural and urban areas,to impart functional literacy that is of relevanceand interest to those who are currently illiterate orrecently literate, as well as provide further learningmaterial and other resources and facilities to thenewly literate.• Orient the post-literacy and continuing educationprograms to the emotional, physical andpsychological needs of adults rather than children,incorporating issues regarding citizens’ rights,human rights, sex education, health and livelihoodgovernment programs etc.• Use a variety of methods to ensure functionalliteracy, which combine more centralised schemesbased on ICT and other new technology withcontinuous work at the local level based on a clearinstitutional structure. While new technologiessuch as ICT provide important new methods forimparting literacy in a short time, they necessarilyhave a limited role. They cannot be seen as standalonequick-fix solutions, but must be combinedwith other methods.• Move to a sustainable system of literacy generationthat does not rely on underpaid “volunteer” labouralone, which therefore involves budgetary provisionfor better remuneration for literacy workers.• Create synergies between NLM and the proposedSkill Development Mission, while taking localneeds and field requirements into account. Forexample, in some primarily agrarian economies,undue emphasis on industrial skills in ITIs maybe incongruous while horticultural and animalhusbandry skills may be more relevant.1.7 Early childhood education is extremelyimportant and must be universalised.There are two aspects to ensuring the universalisationof early schooling and pre-school education. The first isthe systematic extension of balwadis with trained staffto handle child pedagogy. The second is the provision forone year of pre-schooling in all institutions of elementaryeducation. Both of these have implications for resourceallocation and recruitment of the requisite staff.1.8 The collection and speedy disseminationof accurate and current data on schoolingmust be made a priority. It is necessaryto create a complete database on schoolsand school-age children so as to track theactual coverage and quality of schoolingat different levels, and to make it widelyavailable in a timely manner. Such datacollection may be made an essentialpart of the fund allocation for schooleducation, with appropriate institutionalmechanisms.India has an extensive and regular mechanism ofdata collection for primary education. However,its methodology and use leave much to be desired.For example, at present there is no reliable methodfor establishing which children are in schools. Datacollection is too extensive, time-intensive and donealmost entirely by teachers, rather than by independentand specialised personnel. There is minimal crosstabulation, coordination and cross referencing of data.The results are typically revealed to administrators,schools etc. too late to be relevant – often several yearsafter the survey takes place. It is immensely difficult evenfor stakeholders, as well as other concerned citizens,Report to the Nation49

to access the data lying with official sources, despiterepeated requests.It is necessary to have a system to provide reliableschool education statistics which must be transparentlyformulated and freely available to all. This requiresmechanisms that are incorporated into the funding forall school education, at central and state governmentlevels. These would ensure data collection and access,provide up to date information as rapidly as possible,make it more relevant for planning and implementationand more accessible for everyone. The following goalsare relevant in this context:• The process of data collection must be streamlined,made less time consuming and more relevant.• A comprehensive mapping is required of schoolsand children of school-going age, so as to haveaccurate information on which children in whichlocalities are enrolled, and attending which schools,as well as those not enrolled. This would also mapout localities where there are high rates of drop outand/or non-enrolment.• A tracking mechanism for all school children shouldbe set up, to track their individual school goingstatus, and progress in school. This tracking shouldcover both government schools and private schools.This would ensure universal access for children in alllocations, as well as for girls and specific categories.A tracking mechanism will also facilitate checkingfor drop outs and related problems, and allow forspeedy intervention to address such problems. Itshould be noted that there are already ongoinginitiatives in this regard in some states, which canbe replicated and scaled up.• Data collected for the purposes of planningmust provide all the relevant information. Thisis also important with respect to information oninfrastructure provision: for example, the numberof rooms should also mention whether these areelectrified; where availability of toilets is described,there should also be information on the availabilityof water in the toilets.• Safeguards must be instituted against “creativereadjustment” of data, which is a common problemgiven the structure of incentives and the fact thatthe data are most often provided by the teachersor school management. This requires that datashould be collected by independent agencies as faras possible, or necessarily subject to frequent andrandom cross-checks.• ICT must be integrated for data collation andmanagement, wherever required. A local areanetwork with digital entry provisions could be setup to make it easier for the teachers and others whoprovide and use the data.• The data thus collected must be freely available andeasily accessible, provided on dedicated websites inaddition to the usual means of publication.• More specialised micro level surveys and researchshould be commissioned. There should also beattempts to bring together other relevant researchfor easy access by practitioners.2. Quality and Management2.1 Currently school education is highlysegmented, even in government runinstitutions, as a result of the paralleltrack of “education centres” in somestates. These separate systems must beintegrated to give all children access toschools of acceptable quality. This willrequire additional spending.In a number of states, funds under various schemes(SSA, EGS and AIE) were used to create “EducationCentres” (Shiksha Kendras) rather than proper schools.These typically involve “teachers” who are essentially localwomen who have just passed Class VIII (or even Class Vin some cases) and are paid between Rs. 1000 to Rs. 3000per month in the different states. They typically receiveno training or a two-week training at best, and may haveto teach multi-grade classes often in single rooms. Theproportion of children in such schools varies widely, butthe all India average amounts to around 16 per cent oftotal enrolment in primary education, according to thePlanning Commission. All such children are described inthe official statistics as enrolled in schools, even thoughgoing to an Education Centre cannot be treated as schoolenrolment on par with the proper schools, and suchinstructors do not meet the required norms for teachers.Currently, State Governments allow these parallel (anddeeply unequal) systems of schooling to continue to berun by different departments – “proper schools” by theEducation Department, and education centres under thepanchayats and therefore by the Panchayat Department.The need to integrate these two parallel systems mustbe explicitly recognised. This requires special budgetaryallocations for upgradation and quality improvementof the Education Centres through better infrastructure,as well as intensive training of existing teachers andadditional employment of adequate numbers of qualifiedteachers – all of which will have financial implications.50 National Knowledge Commission

2.2 At the same time, planning for schooleducation must take into account the ecologyof education – the need to adjust schoolsystems to agro-climatic and other localvariations.This requires flexibility with respect to school timings,vacations, teacher recruitment – but without sacrificingquality. Norms for schools must recognise thepossibility of regional and local differences as well as theparticular requirements of certain communities, such asnomadic groups, tribal communities, short-term migranthouseholds etc.2.3 School management must bedecentralised as far as possible.Decentralisation of the management of schools,combined with community participation, is the mosteffective instrument for ensuring accountability,improving the day-to-day functioning of schools andallowing for flexible responses to local requirements.Therefore, there should be devolution of authority tolocal levels, whether to panchayats, Village EducationCommittees or municipalities. School ManagementCommittees that include representatives of allstakeholders, including parents and teachers, should beempowered to make many decisions. Social audits ofschools should be supported and encouraged.2.4 There is a multiplicity of managementstructures and government departmentsin the administration of schooleducation. This creates confusion,unnecessary replication and possiblyinconsistent strategies across differentschools. There must be greaterco-ordination between differentdepartments of government on schooleducation policy, even while ensuringmore autonomy to the local communityin matters of day-to-day managementof schools.Currently schools are run or funded and monitored notonly by the Central and State Governments, but also bydifferent departments within State Governments – theEducation Department, the Panchayat Department,the Department for Tribal Welfare, the Departmentfor Minority Welfare etc. This creates overlappingand conflicting structures of authority, an excess ofbureaucratic tangles, unnecessary replication of someactivities (and even replication of enrolment in somecases!), different guidelines and differential standardsfor acceptable quality and other sorts of confusion. Forexample, in the rural areas of several states, the localPanchayati Raj Institution (PRI) runs parallel to theSSA run Village Education Committee (VEC). Theexact remit of each is not clear and the policy intentionsof both become diluted in the process.It is necessary to make systematic efforts to integrateor at least co-ordinate the activities of these separatemanagement structures. The precise roles andresponsibilities of each local level and state leveldepartment should be clearly specified, but even morethan that, there should be some sort of pressure forthese different bodies to work together as far as possibleand provide a common and equal schooling. Educationpolicy must be part of the integrated framework ofdecentralised planning.In the day-to-day management of schools, it is alsonecessary to work towards segregating teachers frommanagers in the school administration. At the sametime, as noted above in point I.4, the decentralisationof authority is critical in improving and maintainingthe quality of education. Therefore, the local levelmanagement of schools, including locally elected bodies,school boards, Village Education Committees, must beallowed a significant degree of autonomy in handlingmatters relating to their schools, including not only theexact allocation of funds, but also other matters relatingto school functioning and monitoring of teachers etc.2.5 There is need for a national body tomonitor the quality of both governmentand private schools, to ensure thatminimum standards are met in terms oflearning outcomes.Currently there is no systematic and continuousfeedback on the actual impact and outcome of variouseducational schemes and initiatives, or the actual qualityof education imparted in schools. There is a strongcase for a testing body at the national level for qualityassessment of schools. A results-based monitoringframework with due process indicators and outcomeindicators needs to be evolved. This should be basedon a short list of monitorable criteria. These shouldinclude fixed infrastructural requirements, enrolmentand attendance, as well as outcome indicators such aslearning levels achieved in certain basic areas such aslanguage skills and numeracy etc. Such a process ofReport to the Nation51

assessment needs to be applied to all schools – bothpublic and private. However, the testing of studentsmust not involve topics or questions that provide anyincentives for rote-learning. The tracking mechanismshould ideally be concerned with the profile of skillattainment of each student.Since school education is largely a state subject, but it isalso important to achieve minimum schooling norms atthe national level, the institutional framework for thiscould be at the national level with state subsidiaries.The role of this testing body will simply be to provideinformation on the results of its assessments, with theState Governments free to act upon this information.The results of such regular tests must be made publiclyavailable in a format accessible to all, including websites.The monitoring of private schools, in terms of ensuringa transparent admissions process, regulation of feestructures, as well as meeting minimum set standardsfor quality of teaching and infrastructure, also requiresattention. There is currently no exact data on the numbersand enrolment of unrecognised private schools in thecountry, their fee structure or admissions policy, or theirstandards of infrastructure and quality. Private schoolsshould become the subject of regulation and inspectionwithin a set framework which is universally applicable.2.6 The system of school inspection needsto be revamped and revitalised in moststates, with a greater role for localstakeholders.The current inspection system is overburdened andinadequate, with a small number of inspectors requiredto cover a large number of schools, often spread overwide physical areas. The solution does not lie in simplyexpanding the system – rather, we need to developsystems to ensure meaningful monitoring. NKCrecommends that the strategy for the revitalisation of theschool inspection system should include the following:• Local stakeholders should be involved in themonitoring of schools, whether in the form ofVillage Education Committees, parent associations,or other such bodies.• The number of inspectors needs to be increasedin many states, and they must be provided thefacilities to undertake their activities properly, suchas transport, communications devices etc.• The inspectors themselves must be accountable tothe stakeholders of the area, through appropriatechecks and balances.• The criteria for inspection, the dates on whichinspection of particular schools has taken placeand the results should be made publicly available,including by posting on websites.• The monitoring and inspection of schools must beseparated from school administration, as the twofunctions require completely different orientations.• The criteria for inspection should include not onlyinfrastructure, facilities and teacher presence butalso minimum standards for quality.2.7 The dignity of school teaching as aprofession must be restored, and at thesame time there should be transparentsystems for ensuring accountability ofschool teachers.Teachers constitute the basic foundation of the schooleducation system. However, there is a general declinein morale among school teachers, especially those inprimary schools, and consequently it is no longer seenas an attractive profession for qualified young people.Two types of public perceptions, also propagated in themedia and among officialdom, contribute to the lowmorale among school teachers: first, that anyone canteach and no particular pedagogical skills or trainingare required; second, that in any case most teachers donot work much and are frequently absent from school.While the latter may be the case for a relatively smallminority of teachers, most school teachers are committedto their profession even if they have to function undervery difficult conditions. However, they are also subjectto many other pressures such as political pressure andobligations to perform non-teaching duties, whichcan prevent them from fulfilling their teaching dutiesadequately.It is essential to ensure that qualified teachers are hired andprovided with the necessary incentives to enable them towork better. The professional status of teachers shouldnot be diluted, and all drives at recruiting untrainedteachers must be checked, although it is important toallow for flexibility in recruitment of teaches for specificsubjects such as art, craft and livelihood skills. The useof para-teachers must be treated as a strictly transitionalmeasure until proper schools are established.The imposition of a wide range of non-teaching duties,such as that of manning poll booths and collecting datafor surveys etc., cuts into the available teaching time andalso undermines the professional status of teachers. Theseactivities should be shared out among a wider range of52 National Knowledge Commission

public employees or even those hired specifically forthe purpose, and the burden of such work on teachersmust be reduced. Specifically, unemployed local youthand recently retired people may be considered for suchactivities as far as possible.The recruitment of teachers from the locality has manyadvantages, as they can become accountable to thecommunity, and have added stakes in improving thequality of education in their schools. In cases where locallanguage or dialect is different from the state language,teachers familiar with the local language are likely tomake better teachers.NKC proposes that teachers should be recruited toparticular schools as far as possible. At the very minimum,school teachers should be appointed to a particularlocation for a minimum fixed term of at least five years,since a major problem cited by many teachers in thegovernment school system is that of frequent transfers.(The specific case of attracting teachers to remote andbackward areas is considered below under Access.)There should be increased attempts to improve publicrecognition of the contribution of school teachers,through various incentives such as more local, state-leveland national awards etc.It is necessary to monitor the emoluments and workingconditions of teachers in private schools, which varysubstantially, and prevent exploitation of teachers byprivate school employers as far as possible.However, in addition to improving the workingconditions of teachers, it is also necessary to institutemeasures to provide greater accountability of schoolteachers not only to their superiors, but to students,parents and the local community. Currently, anymention of increasing teacher accountability is viewedwith hostility and suspicion by teachers themselves.Such an outlook needs to be changed. There is clearlya need for greater accountability of teachers to thecommunity and the school, and this will be facilitatedby greater decentralisation of school management tolocal stakeholders as has been suggested above. Thisshould be accompanied by recognition of the concernsof teachers and allowing them more space to be activein school management and school activities. The actualadministrative arrangements whereby this is done shouldbe left to be decided at the state and local level. Systemsof self-evaluation and peer evaluation of teachers shouldbe encouraged.2.8 The training of school teachers isextremely inadequate and also poorlymanaged. Pre-service training needs to beimproved and regulated, while systemsfor in-service training require expansionand major reform in all states.Both pre-service and in-service teacher training programsface major problems at present, at the national level andin almost all states. With respect to pre-service training,there is a proliferation of private colleges awarding theB.Ed. degree, and these are inadequately monitoredor regulated. A significant proportion of those whoreceive B.Ed. degrees do so through correspondence ordistance learning courses, which involve absolutely nopractical exposure. In any case, classroom experience isunderplayed in standard B.Ed courses. At the same time,the employment of ad hoc teachers and those withouteven high school diplomas as teachers in the parallelstream perpetuates the notion that it is not necessary forschool teachers to have systematic and prolonged preservicetraining.In-service training shows problems of inadequatequantity, uneven quality, outdated syllabi, and poormanagement. A very large proportion of school teachersin the country have received no in-service training atall. In any case, many DIETs are currently understaffed,demoralised, and incapable of giving good qualitytraining to teachers. In part, this is because teachertraining positions are often occupied by those whohave not themselves been school teachers. In manystates the administration of DIETs is left to bureaucratswho view this as a punishment posting and have nopedagogical experience. Further, DIETs typically lackadequate infrastructural facilities. Even when in-servicetraining is regularly held, there is no mechanism whichcan monitor the impact of in service teacher trainingcourses on the subsequent teaching-learning process inthe classroom. Most SCERTs themselves hire contractteachers since there are very few qualified and regularteachers and lecturers. These therefore find it difficultto supervise functions at the block level unless theirnumbers are greatly increased. Funds are needed fromthe central government for human resource developmentat this level.NKC therefore suggests the following for teachertraining:• Institutions providing pre-service teacher trainingand granting B.Ed degrees should be subject tothe same regulatory authority, and there should beReport to the Nation53

adequate monitoring of the training provided byprivate organisations.• The budgetary allocation for teacher training needsto be enhanced and made explicit, and centralgovernment provisions are required for this.• There has to be greater flexibility in the modalitiesof teacher training. Diverse strategies such as greateruse of ICT, Visiting Trainers and empoweringlocal trainers who would visit schools should beencouraged.• State-level teacher training needs to be revampedin most states. The system of DIETs needs tobe restructured. In some smaller states, there isa strong case for one state-level institution forteacher training. In other states, the DIETs needto be strengthened and undergo structural changes.The faculty of SCERTs, SIEs and DIETs must beexpanded, and include experienced school teachers.The use of contract teachers must be kept to aminimum. In addition, the link between universitydepartments and school teaching needs to bestrengthened.• The administrative hierarchies within DIETand SCERT have to be restructured, so thatthere is a clear separation of personnel engagedin administrative and academic activities. (Thisdistinction is currently blurred in most states.)• The teacher training course should not be seen interms of a finite period of time, but as a processby which the quality of teaching and learning inthe classroom can be regularly improved, in acontext that fosters an attitude of lifelong learning.Therefore, there should be a mechanism for feedbackand subsequent interaction between teachers andthe training institutes, especially for pedagogicaltechniques that are new or require more continuousinnovation from the teacher.• Currently in-service training is offered throughpre-determined themes which trivialise the role ofpersonal meaning while upholding requirementsdictated by educational reform agendas. Greaterfreedom of choice would help to increase personalinitiative and absorption of training inputs. NKCtherefore, suggests the provision of short term inservicecourses (in both contact and distance mode)that teachers can choose from. These could includecourses developed outside the DIET/SCERTstructure, subject to a thorough review of quality.• In addition to being made more flexible, in-serviceteaching courses need to be incentivised, possiblyby making attendance at and completion of suchcourses prerequisites to professional advancement.• There is need for curricular reform in both preserviceand in-service teacher training. Thecurriculum should be framed in ways that aredirectly relevant to teachers and the requirements ofparticular classroom situations, such as multi gradeteaching, special needs of first-generation learnersetc. This means that curricula should be framedwith greater inputs from teachers themselves, andtheir practical requirements in the classroom.• ICT must be incorporated more fully into teachertraining programs, which in turn leads to ICT beingused more freely in the classroom.• It is necessary to develop content for and access toopen educational resources for teacher training.2.9 It is important to develop and nurtureleadership for managing schools.Even talented individuals who could be suitable forthe tasks of school management need to be trained forthis purpose. Such capacity building would create apool of potential principals or heads. There are severalways in which this can be done. State Governmentscould assign such training to existing institutions suchas SCERTs or SIEs, leveraging the expertise availablein Navodaya Vidyalayas, Kendriya Vidyalayas, othergovernment schools and private schools. Such trainingprograms, as well as re-training programs for existingprincipals, could also seek the expertise of specialistsin management education. Also, individual mentoringprograms for school leaders could be evolved.2.10 The possibility of greater exchangebetween schools, including mentoringof one school by another should beallowed and encouraged.The current system creates many distinctions andprevents interaction between schools. There is a needto constitute mechanisms of exchange and interactionbetween students and teachers of different schools. Inaddition, schools that wish to do so should be allowedto exercise the option of being ‘mentored’ by anotherschool to improve facilities and teaching methods.2.11 Curriculum reform remains animportant issue in almost all schools.School education must be made morerelevant to the lives of children. There isneed to move away from rote-learningto understanding concepts, goodcomprehension and communication54 National Knowledge Commission

skills and learning how to accessknowledge independently.Successive Commissions and Committees set up bythe government have emphasised the need to make thecurriculum more interesting, relevant, creative and usefulfor students. The National Curriculum Framework 2005also clearly articulated such an approach. Nevertheless itappears that in a majority of schools across the country,a significant emphasis on rote-learning and memorisingfacts remains the norm. Also, there is evidence of childrenbeing overburdened with too much detail and an excessof scholastic requirements at the elementary level.It is important to orient students towards independentand continuous learning. This makes it essential tomake greater efforts to change the attitude to learningand knowledge. It has been noted in several states thatlearning results have improved considerably uponproviding inputs for communication and comprehensionin language and basic mathematical skills using activitybasedand imaginative pedagogical strategies. The focusof primary schooling in particular must be on goodlanguage and communication skills, basic foundationmaths and inculcation of self-learning and criticalexamination through innovative teaching methods.For language teaching in particular, there should bemuch greater emphasis on communication skills at apractical level.It is also important to ensure that the curriculumcontains locally relevant content that children canrelate to their own lives. For example, in certain parts ofthe country (such as, but not only, the Northeast) thecurriculum at both primary and secondary levels couldalso include training in disaster management, especiallyfor floods, while in other parts of the country responsesto earthquakes may be more relevant. In rural areas,horticulture and pisciculture techniques should beincluded in the syllabus. Co-curricular reading materialshould be propagated, such as children’s books with localstories and histories to strengthen the linkages betweenschool and home.To make secondary school education more relevant, andalso address the problem of drop outs, NKC recommendsthe setting up of Livelihood Centres in secondaryschools that would impart practical employable skillsand provide career counselling to students. All schoolchildren should be encouraged to be involved in somepractical activities that require working with the hands.These activities should not be treated as catering to aparallel stream, but should be provided to all studentsand integrated with the overall syllabus. Once again,links with the Skill Development Mission should bedeveloped wherever possible.2.12 Changes in the examination system arerequired, especially at Board level butalso earlier, to ensure that the pressurefor rote-learning is reduced.The current over-emphasis on details, memorising offacts and similar abilities rather than on understandingand accessing knowledge independently is reflected inthe pattern of examinations. Board examinations inwhich marks are awarded based on the ability to recalllots of details or on rapidity of response or on the abilityto do large numbers of sums in a limited period throughpractice in pattern recognition, are not sufficientlydiscriminatory and may end up providing misleadingresults. They also put pressure on schools to ensure thatmemory and pattern recognition skills are developed atthe expense of genuine understanding.This is also reflected in the pattern of annualexaminations which many schools continue to runeven in junior classes such as Class III and Class V.Performance in such examinations then becomes thebasis for choosing students who will be eligible forscholarships or gain entrance to Navodaya Vidyalayasand similar schools. Forcing children to undergo a largenumber of examinations in different subjects, with anemphasis on memory rather than comprehension, mustbe discouraged at the primary level.For curriculum reform to be successful, it is necessaryto make major changes in the examination system.This applies equally to some of the national schoolboards (such as CBSE) and the state-level boards. Itis also crucial to push for such reform in the annualexaminations held by schools, where the testing mustbe focused on language and comprehension, numericand quantitative skills, and ability to use knowledgecreatively.2.13 New technologies, especially but notonly ICT, should be used as much aspossible to reduce costs, enable moreeffective use of resources, and providewider exposure to students and teachers.The use of ICT as a teaching and learning device needsto be more firmly incorporated into the classroom. BothReport to the Nation55

teachers and students need to be far more familiar withICT, and get practical experience of web based research.Therefore ICT should be made more accessible toteachers, students and administration for learning,training, research, administration, management,monitoring etc. This requires the provision of morefacilities such as computers as well as connectivity andbroadband facilities. Computer-aided learning alsorequires training of teachers and other staff in order tomake the best use of the technology.2.14 There is need for a web-based portal forteachers to exchange ideas, informationand experiences.A forum for teachers needs to be developed where theymay interact, share experiences and ideas. This needsto be incorporated into teacher training programs, andalso provided generally for in-service teachers. A webbasedteachers’ portal can play an important role as sucha networking forum.3. Access3.1 Special strategies are required to ensuregreater access to schools in backwardregions, remote locations and difficultterrains.There is a tremendous shortage of teachers and also greatdifficulty in ensuring minimum schooling infrastructurein some areas that have been historically deprived orhave difficult topographical conditions. Distance anddifficulty of physical access are important reasons forschool drop out, especially in such areas. Sometimes it isalso the case that such areas are inhabited by particularcommunities with their own language or dialect thatis different from the state language. In order to ensureaccess to schools for children in such areas, specialmeasures must be taken.NKC recommends the following measures for suchareas:• Financial norms for schools in such locations mustbe different from those in more accessible areas,as they will require additional resource allocationbased on particular conditions.• Special incentives, including a financial incentive(such as a “hardship bonus”) need to be providedfor teachers to take up jobs in such areas. Twodifferent models may be considered – one basedon recruiting local teachers on a permanent basisfor a job in a particular school without transfer;and another based on a transfer policy that divideslocations into hard/middle/easy categories andallows teachers to rotate among them at specifiedintervals. Ideally, there should be at least one localteacher and one non- local teacher to ensure somevariation, local acceptability and quality.• Residential arrangements must be made for teachersin such locations, by providing quarters next to ornear the school. The cost of building such quartersshould be factored into the costs of the schoolbuilding.• There are some geographical zones especially inmountainous regions, that are plagued by uniqueproblems due to vast tracts of land, difficulttopography, and a sparse and nomadic population.In such areas, well equipped residential schoolsshould be set up instead of insisting on a school inevery habitation. These schools must be equippedto look into the needs of very young children livingaway from their families.3.2 Measures are required to ensure greaterenrolment and retention of girl students.The high drop out rate of girls especially from Class Vonwards is a matter of great concern. One major reason,as noted above, is the sheer lack of secondary schoolsnearby, as parents are reluctant to send girls to travellong distances to school. However, social conditioningand other constraints also play a role. Some policies toaddress this include:• Special incentives for girls in secondary educationwhere these are required (they are not requiredeverywhere), in addition to free textbooks anduniforms, such as bicycles.• Girls-only schools especially in particular areas.• An enhanced scholarship scheme especially forgirls, with particular emphasis on girls from sociallydeprived groups.• The need for separate and functional toilets for girlsin all schools, with access to water, is very important,especially but not exclusively in urban areas.3.3 Language issues must be explicitly takenon board in designing school curriculaand methods of pedagogy.Language has been found to be a highly alienating factorin the education of many school children, particularlyamongst minorities, tribal communities with languageswithout a script, as well as linguistic minorities in most56 National Knowledge Commission

states. Many children resent the imposition of the statelanguage as the medium of instruction, or as secondlanguage in school.More teachers for teaching minority languages must beappointed in government schools to increase the intake ofchildren from minority language communities. Qualifiedteachers from the local community and therefore speakingthe same language must be recruited on a larger scale,as a means of encouraging retention amongst those whofeel marginalised, as well as a means of bringing greatercommunity control in the school. This would also act as aboost to confidence, and provide role models to studentsfrom disadvantaged backgrounds.3.4 The teaching of English should beintroduced along with the first language,starting from Class I in school.Proficiency in English is widely perceived as animportant avenue for employment and upwardmobility, which also greatly facilitates the pursuit ofhigher education. The incorporation of English into thecurriculum, through the introduction of English as alanguage in Class I and the teaching of one other subjectin English medium in later classes, requires pedagogicalchanges to contextualise language learning, increasingthe availability of English language teachers and thosewho can teach at least one subject in English, as well asbilingual and supplementary teaching materials.At the same time, school education must commit topromoting multi-linguality, given the multilingualnature of our country.3.5 There is need to re-orient officialstrategies for ensuring better access ofMuslim children to schooling.Areas with Muslim majority population have tended tobe overlooked in the implementation of governmenteducational schemes. In addition, with a few exceptions,there has been less private initiative in this regard. Asa consequence, Muslims as a community, have accessto fewer government schools, girls schools, and highereducational institutions.It is important to rectify this gap and ensure adequatepublic expenditure to ensure that the physical and socialinfrastructure for schooling is made available. Thismeans that the government should have a minoritycomponent in all its school development schemes andbudget outlays, which should be in proportion to theminority population.The strategy cannot be based solely on more publicresources provided to madrasas for their modernisation,as according to the Sachar Committee Report, 96 percent of Muslim children do not attend madrasas forschooling. Indeed, if the modernisation of madrasaeducation is the only policy for increasing access forMuslim school children to modernised education, itwill only result in their being further isolated.It is important to ensure that children from all minoritiesand socially deprived groups are not discriminatedagainst in the process of attending school. This must bean active and concerted campaign, in which syllabi andcurriculum are checked to avoid prejudice, teachers aresensitised and instances of discrimination are punished.This also requires grievance redressal mechanisms at theschool level and also at higher levels.3.6 The access of children from ScheduledTribes requires more flexible and sensitiveschooling strategies.Tribal children face problems of inadequate geographicalaccess, discrimination at school and issues of language,which have been discussed earlier but are especiallyrelevant in these cases. Tribal students have to competewith SC students, often at a disadvantage to the former.All of these must be addressed at the local level as well asat the district and state level.Every state should have an education policy for tribaland minority education, with a long term vision ofeventual integration into the mainstream.Rather than setting up separate schools for those whohave dropped out because they felt discriminatedagainst, teachers should be better sensitised to theneeds of students from such communities, as well as theparticular needs of first generation learners.The issue of language is particularly important in areaswith tribal population, and care must be taken to findand train teachers who can deal with children in theirown language, rather than forcing them to adjust to theregional language.3.7 Education of SC children must be apriority, but with the required flexibilityand avoidance of discrimination.Report to the Nation57

The points made earlier with respect to discriminationare especially valid also for SC children, and must beaddressed in similar ways.In addition, scholarships should be increased andprovided to much larger numbers of Dalit children,along with other provisions such as free textbooks up toClass X and other incentives.3.8 Children of seasonal migrants requirespecial conditions and efforts to ensurecontinuous access to schooling.Seasonal and short-term migration is a major cause forearly drop outs and non enrolment. In order to ensurethat such children have access to a quality and completeeducation, their economic insecurity has to be takeninto account while formulating educational schemes.Tent schools and mobile schools must be made a partof the urban landscape for migrant children, while ruralschools also have to be made aware of the need to admitmigrant children. This requires a significant changein the way that school admissions and enrolment arecarried out, as well as greater sensitivity, flexibility andeffort on the part of the school administration, all ofwhich require hard and soft resources. It is necessary toidentify good practices in this regard which can serve asa model to be emulated elsewhere.3.9 Labouring children require incentives andbridge courses.Some sort of monetary stipend may have to be paidto labouring children to bring them into schools. Inaddition, synergies must be created with NREGAto look into school education concerns of labouringchildren. Pre-school systems like balwadis andanganwadis must be strengthened, so that a schoolgoing habit can be ingrained, as well as providing aspace for small children to be cared for, while theirelder siblings may go to school. Alternative Centresfor Education must be utilised specifically to providebridge courses aimed at different age groups andclasses for drop outs. However, the use of AlternativeCentres for Education must be no more than in atransition capacity. AIE should not become theonly option for access to poor school children for aschool education.Study Centres must be provided for first generationlearners and seasonal migrants as a space which is moreconducive to learning than what may be available athome. These may also be used as community centres,libraries etc.3.10 The needs of physically disadvantagedchildren, as well as teachers, have tobe factored in more thoroughly inprovisions for school education.The goal in all schools should be inclusive education,which means that all systems must be oriented to allowthe greatest possible access to children with differentneeds and abilities. This requires substantial changes inboth infrastructure and pedagogical methods. Schoolbuildings must have provisions for access and navigationfor the visually impaired, the physically handicappedetc. Teachers must be trained, sensitised and empoweredto deal with children with different abilities in theclassroom situation.While this is the ultimate goal, it must also berecognised that current schooling patterns are notalways conducive to bringing out the full potential ofphysically disadvantaged children, and therefore, thereis still a case for special schools. There is a perceptionthat government mechanisms may not be best suited toprovide sustained and sympathetic support for learnerswith special needs and severely disabled children(such as the blind). In this context, it may be better toidentify appropriate and willing institutions outside thegovernment who may become partners.58 National Knowledge Commission

Vocational Educationand TrainingDecember 1, 2006NKC considers Vocational Education andTraining (VET) to be an important elementof the nation’s education initiative. In orderfor VET to play its part effectively in the changingnational context and for India to enjoy the fruits ofthe demographic dividend, there is an urgent need toredefine the critical elements of imparting vocationaleducation to make them flexible, contemporary, relevant,inclusive and creative. The Government is well awareof the important role of VET and has already taken anumber of important initiatives. Through consultationswith industry groups, academics, civil society andpractitioners, NKC has deliberated on ways and meansto strengthen these initiatives and recommends thefollowing long and short-term strategies.1. Place vocational educationentirely under the Ministry ofHuman Resource Development(MHRD)In view of the role of VET in human resourcedevelopment and importance of its linkages with otherstreams of education, the Government may considerplacing all aspects of VET under MHRD. Currently,VET falls under the purview of MHRD as well asthe Ministry of Labour, which leads to fragmentedmanagement of the VET framework. MHRD mayconsider setting up a National Institute for VocationalEducation Planning and Development to formulatestrategy, advise the Government, and undertake researchand development in areas pertaining to technology andworkforce development.2. Increase the flexibility of VETwithin the mainstream educationsystem through the followingstepsi. Aspects of general education (such as numeracyskills) should be retained in VET as far as possible, toenable students to return to mainstream educationat a later stage.ii. Courses in training institutes and polytechnicsshould have distinct tracks for students of differenteducational attainments.iii. Entry requirements for certain trades should reflectthe requirement of the trade (as appropriate, forinstance the entry requirement of Class X couldbe relaxed to Class VIII in some cases). Studentsshould be permitted multiple entry and exit optionsin the vocational education stream.iv. Links should be established between the vocationaleducation stream and school education as well ashigher education.v. Courses devoted to certain skills training at theprimary and secondary level should be introducedin all schools.vi. Vocational training should be made available invarious literacy and adult education schemes.vii. Schemes for lifelong skill up-gradation, throughshort training programs, should be introduced.viii. There should be a provision for generating a cadreof multi-skilled persons.3. Quantify and monitor the impactof vocational educationData should be collected periodically and analysed inorder to assess the impact of training on employability.Empirical evidence on wage premium or otheradvantages enjoyed by VET graduates, seat utilisationin training institutes, nature of employment posttraining,and the efficacy of various schemes is essentialfor continuous improvement. A detailed exercise ofmanpower analysis is a necessary step to understandingthe nature and quantum of demand for VET andthe mismatch between the skills of VET certificateholders and the requirements of the labour market.This exercise may be undertaken by the proposedNational Institute for Vocational Education Planningand Development.Report to the Nation59

4. Increase resource allocation tovocational educationIn per capita terms, vocational education costs morethan general education, however public expenditureon vocational education has been extremely low, ascompared to general secondary education. Giventhe demand for skilled manpower in manufacturingand services, the Government should aim to spendat least 10-15 per cent of its total public expenditureon education, on vocational education. Some optionsthat may be considered for raising additional funds tofinance a modernised VET scheme are:i. Enhancing fees, coupled with student loan schemes.This would also make VET institutions moreresponsive to market needs.ii. Raising funds through a cess on employers (forinstance two per cent of salaries of all employees, asin Singapore).iii. Making it obligatory for companies to financepublic vocational education and training programs(as in Korea).5. Expand capacity throughinnovative delivery modelsIn order to meet the burgeoning requirements of skilledand unskilled labour, a massive increase in quantity oftraining is needed. The Government could explore newdelivery models to increase capacity such as public privatepartnerships, decentralised delivery, distance learning andcomputerised vocational training. At the same time, theGovernment must introduce certain minimum standardsas a measure of quality, and ensure that all public andprivate VET institutions adhere to these.6. Enhance the training optionsavailable for the unorganised andinformal sectorThe greatest challenge lies in providing trainingfor potential entrants in the unorganised/informalsector, which accounts for the largest proportion ofemployment. Systematic efforts need to be made toimpart the skills required by the unorganised sector.These should be formally introduced in the curriculaand practical training courses. In order to achieve this,the Government should act as a facilitator and providefinancial support. This aspect of VET is critical for thesuccess of the system as a whole.7. Strengthen the currentinstitutional structureThe existing Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) andIndustrial Training Centres (ITCs) are widely recognisedto face problems such as poor quality trainers, lack offlexibility, and outdated infrastructure. Measures toimprove the existing institutions are as follows:i. Extent of functional autonomy must be increased,ITIs should be given more power to strengthen andadapt their training programs to better meet localmarket needs.ii. Indicators of internal and external efficiency shouldbe developed (by the proposed National Institute)to incentivise good performance.iii. Modules on literacy, numeracy, communicationskills, entrepreneurship and other general skillsrelevant to workplace requirements must beintroduced in all courses.iv. Different tracks within courses for different levelsof specialisation should be introduced.v. Students should be offered incentives such as tools,membership of trade associations etc., as part oftheir degree or diploma.vi. Industry and trade involvement should be enhancednot only at the internship stage, but also at the timeof examinations and placements.vii. Curricula should be constantly monitored andupdated.viii. The skills and courses offered should be reviewedperiodically. The number of skills currently offeredneeds to be increased.ix. Teaching should be conducted in English as well aslocal languages.x. Infrastructure should be regularly upgraded.xi. Quality of teaching should be drastically improved.8. Ensure a robust regulatory andaccreditation frameworkIn order to achieve the desired modernisation andexpansion, a critical aspect will be to regulate entry ofnew institutions and accreditation of all institutions.NKC therefore recommends that an independentregulatory agency for VET be established. This bodywould license accreditation agencies and prescribestandards for certification. The procedures andmethodologies adopted by the body would need to besimple and transparent to ensure unhindered growth inthe sector.60 National Knowledge Commission

9. Ensure proper certificationAt present, the process of certification is handled by theNational Council for Vocational Training (NCVT), inassociation with State Councils for Vocational Training(SCVTs). Clear demarcation between the roles of theNCVT, the SCVTs and the Directorate General ofEmployment and Training is essential for the properfunctioning of the certification process. In order toensure recognition of certification by employers, bothin India and abroad, an electronic database of certifiedtraining providers as well as electronic identificationfor certified workers should be introduced. Electronicidentification should contain information regardingskills and qualifications (and eventually other relevantinformation as well) about certified individuals andcan be used to facilitate mobility of workers, encouragebank linkages and entrepreneurial initiatives.10. Undertake a re-branding exerciseIt is widely recognised that a crucial problem withvocational training in India is a negative associationwith manual labour. In order to match the modernrequirement of the skills and competitiveness of theworkforce, a massive re-branding exercise is of the highestpriority. This could be the prime task of the recentlyannounced National Skills Mission. Initiatives such asreplacing the use of terms like ‘vocational education’by ‘skill development’ are a step in the right direction.Training institutes should try to chart out a careerpath for their students and introduce entrepreneurshiptraining modules.It is crucial to significantly increase public and privateinvestment in VET. However, a detailed analysis ofmanpower requirements in terms of numbers, skills andcompetitiveness is essential before formulating a masterplan and deciding the quantum of expenditure in the11th Plan. A robust framework put in place as a visibleand dedicated resource in the MHRD is a pre-requisiteto ensuring quality and facilitating significant privateinvestment and participation. Most importantly, thequality as well as the image of VET needs to be activelypromoted in order for it to be viewed as comparable togeneral secondary education, and as relevant.Report to the Nation61

Higher EducationNovember 29, 2006Higher education has made a significantcontribution to economic development,social progress and political democracy inindependent India. But there is serious cause for concernat this juncture. The proportion of our population, inthe relevant age group, that enters the world of highereducation is about 7 per cent. The opportunities forhigher education in terms of the number of places inuniversities are simply not adequate in relation to ourneeds. Large segments of our population just do nothave access to higher education. What is more, thequality of higher education in most of our universitiesleaves much to be desired.Foundations are critical. NKC believes that anemphasis on expansion and reform of our school systemis necessary to ensure that every child has an equalopportunity to enter the world of higher education.It is engaged in consultations on school educationand will submit recommendations in this crucial areain due course. In this recommendation, it focuseson higher education. NKC has engaged in formaland informal consultations on the issue with a widerange of people in the world of higher education. Inaddition, it consulted concerned people in parliament,government, civil society and industry. Concernsabout the higher education system are widely shared.There is a clear, almost unanimous, view that highereducation needs a systematic overhaul, so that Indiacan educate much larger numbers without dilutingacademic standards. Indeed, this is essential becausethe transformation of economy and society in the21st century would depend, in significant part, on thespread and the quality of education among our people,particularly in the sphere of higher education. It is onlyan inclusive society that can provide the foundationsfor a knowledge society.The objectives of reform and change in our highereducation system must be expansion, excellence andinclusion. NKC recognises that meaningful reformof the system, with a long-term perspective, is bothcomplex and difficult. Yet, it is imperative.I. Expansion1. Create many more universitiesThe higher education system needs a massive expansionof opportunities, to around 1500 universities nationwide,that would enable India to attain a gross enrolmentratio of at least 15 per cent by 2015. The focus wouldhave to be on new universities, but some clusters ofaffiliated colleges could also become universities. Suchexpansion would require major changes in the structureof regulation.2. Change the system of regulation for highereducationThe present regulatory system in higher educationis flawed in some important respects. The barriers toentry are too high. The system of authorising entryis cumbersome. There is a multiplicity of regulatoryagencies where mandates are both confusing andoverlapping. The system, as a whole, is over-regulatedbut under-governed. NKC perceives a clear need toestablish an Independent Regulatory Authority forHigher Education (IRAHE). The IRAHE must be at anarm’s length from the Government and independent ofall stakeholders including the concerned Ministries ofthe Government.• The IRAHE would have to be established by an Actof Parliament, and would be responsible for settingthe criteria and deciding on entry.• It would be the only agency that would be authorisedto accord degree-granting power to higher educationinstitutions.• It would be responsible for monitoring standardsand settling disputes.• It would apply exactly the same norms to public andprivate institutions, just as it would apply the samenorms to domestic and international institutions.• It would be the authority for licensing accreditationagencies.• The role of the University Grants Commission(UGC) would be re-defined to focus on the62 National Knowledge Commission

disbursement of grants to, and maintenance of,public institutions in higher education. The entryregulatory functions of the All India Council forTechnical Education (AICTE), the Medical Councilof India (MCI) and the BCI would be performedby the IRAHE, so that their role would be limitedto that of professional associations.3. Increase public spending and diversifysources of financingThe expansion of our system of higher education is notpossible without enhanced levels of financing. This mustnecessarily come from both public and private sources.• Since government financing will remain thecornerstone, government support for highereducation should increase to at least 1.5 per cent ofGDP, out of a total of at least 6 per cent of GDP foreducation overall.• Even this would not suffice for the massiveexpansion in higher education that is an imperative.It is essential to explore other possibilities that cancomplement the increase in public expenditure.• Most public universities are sitting on a largereservoir of untapped resources in the form ofland. It should be possible to draw up norms andparameters for universities to use their availableland as a source of finance.• It is for universities to decide the level of feesbut, as a norm, fees should meet at least 20 percent of the total expenditure in universities. Thisshould be subject to two conditions: first, needystudents should be provided with a fee waiver plusscholarships to meet their costs; second, universitiesshould not be penalised by the UGC for theresources raised from higher fees through matchingdeductions from their grants-in-aid.• India should nurture the tradition of philanthropiccontributions through changes in incentives foruniversities and for donors. At present, there is animplicit disincentive in both tax laws and trust laws.These laws should be changed so that universitiescan invest in financial instruments of their choiceand use the income from their endowments tobuild up a corpus.• Universities should also seek to tap other sourcessuch as alumni contributions and licensing fees.There is need to create supportive institutionalmechanisms that allow universities to engageprofessional firms for this purpose.• It is essential to stimulate private investment ineducation as a means of extending educationalopportunities. It may be possible to leverage publicresources, especially in the form of land grants, toattract more (not-for-profit) private investment.4. Establish 50 National UniversitiesNKC recommends the creation of 50 NationalUniversities that can provide education of the higheststandard. As exemplars for the rest of the nation,these universities would train students in a varietyof disciplines, including humanities, social sciences,basic sciences, commerce and professional subjects, atboth the undergraduate and post-graduate levels. Thenumber 50 is a long-term objective. In the short run, itis important to begin with at least 10 such universitiesin the next three years. National Universities canbe established in two ways, by the Government, orby a private sponsoring body that sets up a society,charitable trust or Section 25 company.Since public finance is an integral constituent ofuniversities worldwide, most of the new universitiesshall need significant initial financial support fromthe Government. Each university may be endowedwith a substantial allocation of public land, in excessof its spatial requirements. The excess land can be asubsequent source of income generation. Exceptionsneed to be made in existing income tax laws to encouragelarge endowments. There should be no restriction onthe utilisation of income in any given period or inthe use of appropriate financial instruments. Theseuniversities should have the autonomy to set studentfee levels and tap other sources for generating funds.The National Universities, NKC proposes, will admitstudents on an all-India basis. They will adopt theprinciple of needs-blind admissions. This will requirean extensive system of scholarships for needy students.Undergraduate degrees in the National Universities, ina three-year program, should be granted on the basis ofcompleting a requisite number of credits, obtained fromdifferent courses. The academic year will therefore besemester based and students will be internally evaluatedat the end of each course. Transfer of credits from oneNational University to another would also be possible.An appropriate system of appointments and incentives isrequired to maximise the productivity of faculty in theseNational Universities. Strong linkages would be forgedbetween teaching and research, universities and industry,and universities and research laboratories. The NationalUniversities shall be department-based and shall not haveany affiliated colleges.Report to the Nation63

II. Excellence5. Reform existing universitiesThe endeavour to transform higher education mustreform existing institutions. Some essential steps are:• Universities should be required to revise orrestructure curricula at least once in three years.• Annual examinations, which test memory ratherthan understanding, should be supplemented withcontinuous internal assessment which could beginwith a weight of 25 per cent in the total to be raisedto 50 per cent over a stipulated period.• NKC proposes a transition to a course credit systemwhere degrees are granted on the basis of completinga requisite number of credits from different courses,which provides students with choices.• Universities must become the hub of research onceagain to capture synergies between teaching andresearch that enrich each other. This requires notonly policy measures but also changes in resourceallocation, reward systems and mindsets.• There must be a conscious effort to attract and retaintalented faculty members through better workingconditions combined with incentives for performance.• The criteria for resource allocation to universitiesshould seek to strike a much better balance betweenproviding for salaries or pensions and providing formaintenance, development or investment. It shouldalso recognise the importance of a critical minimumto ensure standards and strategic preferences topromote excellence.• The elements of infrastructure that supportthe teaching-learning process, such as libraries,laboratories and connectivity, need to be monitoredand upgraded on a regular basis.• There is an acute need for reform in the structuresof governance of universities that do not preserveautonomy and do not promote accountability. Muchneeds to be done, but two important points deservemention. The appointments of Vice-Chancellorsmust be freed from direct or indirect interventionson the part of governments, for these should bebased on search processes and peer judgment alone.The size and composition of University Courts,Academic Councils and Executive Councils,which slow down decision-making processes andsometimes constitute an impediment to change,need to be reconsidered on a priority basis.• The need is for smaller universities which areresponsive to change and easier to manage, andthese should be created.6. Restructure undergraduate collegesThe system of affiliated colleges for undergraduateeducation, which may have been appropriate 50 yearsago, is no longer adequate or appropriate and needsto be reformed. There is an urgent need to restructurethe system of undergraduate colleges affiliated touniversities.• The most obvious solution is to provide autonomyto colleges either as individual colleges or asclusters of colleges, on the basis of criteria thathave been stipulated. However, this would providea solution for a limited proportion, or number, ofundergraduate colleges.• Some of these affiliated colleges could be remodelledas community colleges, which could provide bothvocational education and formal education.• A Central Board of Undergraduate Educationshould be established, along with State Boards ofUndergraduate Education, which would set curriculaand conduct examinations for undergraduatecolleges that choose to be affiliated with them. TheseBoards would separate the academic functions fromthe administrative functions and, at the same time,provide quality benchmarks.• New undergraduate colleges could be establishedas community colleges and be affiliated with theCentral Board of Undergraduate Education or StateBoards of Undergraduate Education, or with someof the new universities that are established.7. Promote enhanced qualityThe higher education system must provide foraccountability to society and create accountabilitywithin. An expansion of higher education whichprovides students with choices and creates competitionbetween institutions is going to be vital in enhancingaccountability.• There should be stringent information disclosurenorms for all educational institutions such as theirfinancial situation, physical assets, admissionscriteria, faculty positions, academic curricula, asalso their source and level of accreditation.• Evaluation of courses and teachers by students as wellas peer evaluation of teachers by teachers should beencouraged.• There must be a focus on upgrading infrastructure,improving the training of teachers and continuousassessment of syllabi and examination systems.• It is particularly important to enhance the ICTinfrastructure. Websites and web-based services would64 National Knowledge Commission

improve transparency and accountability. A portalon higher education and research would increaseinteraction and accessibility. A knowledge networkwould connect all universities and colleges for onlineopen resources.• It may be necessary to rethink the issue of salarydifferentials within and between universities alongwith other means of attracting and retaining talentedfaculty members. Such salary differentials betweenand within universities could be effective withoutbeing large.• It is necessary to formulate appropriate policiesfor the entry of foreign institutions into India andthe promotion of Indian institutions abroad,while ensuring a level playing field for foreign anddomestic institutions within the country.• The system of higher education must recognise thatthere is bound to be diversity and pluralism in anysystem of higher education, and avoid a uniform‘one-size fits all’ approach. This sense of pluralismmust recognise, rather than ignore or shy awayfrom, such diversity and differentiation.III. Inclusion8. Ensure access for all deserving studentsEducation is the fundamental mechanism for socialinclusion through the creation of more opportunities.It is therefore essential to ensure that no studentis denied the opportunity to participate in highereducation due to financial constraints. NKC proposesthe following measures.• Institutions of higher education should beencouraged to adopt a needs-blind admissionspolicy. This would make it unlawful for educationalinstitutions to take into account any financial factorwhile deciding whether or not to admit a student.• There must be a well-funded and extensive NationalScholarship Scheme targeting economicallyunderprivileged students and students from groupsthat are historically, socially disadvantaged.9. Affirmative actionA major aim of the higher education system must beto ensure that access to education for economically andhistorically socially underprivileged students is enhancedin a substantially more effective manner.• Reservations are essential, but they are only a part,and one form, of affirmative action.• Disparities in educational attainments are relatedto caste and social groups, but are also stronglyrelated to other indicators such as income,gender, region and place of residence. There isneed to develop a meaningful and comprehensiveframework that would address the multidimensionalityof differences that still persist.For example, a deprivation index could be usedto provide weighted scores to students and thecumulative score could be used to supplement astudent’s school examination score.NKC’s recommendations require action at threedifferent levels: reforms within existing systems, changesin policies, and amendments in, or the introduction of,new statutes or legislation. The suggested changes wouldalso be implemented at three different levels: universities,state governments and the Central Government.It is important to recognise that there is a quiet crisis inhigher education in India which runs deep. The time hascome to address this crisis in a systematic and forthrightmanner. NKC’s recommendations constitute an importantbeginning; the changes suggested would make a realdifference. Of course, the process of reform and changeis continuous. There is more to be done, and NKC willcontinue to think about next steps, but it emphasises theurgency of the situation, because India’s future dependson it. It is important to act here and now.Report to the Nation65

Note onHigher Education1. IntroductionThe spread of education in society is at thefoundation of success in countries that arelatecomers to development. In the quest fordevelopment, primary education is absolutely essentialbecause it creates the base. But higher education is justas important, for it provides the cutting edge. Anduniversities are the life-blood of higher education. Islandsof excellence in professional education, such as IndianInstitutes of Technology (IITs) and Indian Institutesof Management (IIMs), are valuable complements butcannot be substitutes for universities which provideeducational opportunities for people at large.There can be no doubt that higher education has madea significant contribution to economic development,social progress and political democracy in independentIndia. It is a source of dynamism for the economy.It has created social opportunities for people. It hasfostered the vibrant democracy in our polity. It hasprovided a beginning for the creation of a knowledgesociety. But it would be a mistake to focus on itsstrengths alone. It has weaknesses that are a cause forserious concern.There is, in fact, a quiet crisis in higher education in Indiathat runs deep. It is not yet discernible simply becausethere are pockets of excellence, an enormous reservoirof talented young people and an intense competition inthe admissions process. And, in some important spheres,we continue to reap the benefits of what was sown inhigher education 50 years ago by the founding fathersof the Republic. The reality is that we have miles to go.The proportion of our population, in the age group 18-24, that enters the world of higher education is around7 per cent, which is only one-half the average for Asia.The opportunities for higher education, in terms of thenumber of places in universities, are simply not enoughin relation to our needs. What is more, the quality ofhigher education in most of our universities requiressubstantial improvement.It is clear that the system of higher education in Indiafaces serious challenges. It needs a systematic overhaul,so that we can educate much larger numbers withoutdiluting academic standards. This is imperative becausethe transformation of economy and society in the21st century would depend, in significant part, on thespread and the quality of education among our people,particularly in the sphere of higher education. It is onlyan inclusive society that can provide the foundations fora knowledge society.The challenges that confront higher education in Indiaare clear. It needs a massive expansion of opportunities forhigher education, to 1500 universities nationwide, thatwould enable India to attain a gross enrolment ratio of atleast 15 per cent by 2015. It is just as important to raisethe average quality of higher education in every sphere. Atthe same time, it is essential to create institutions that areexemplars of excellence at par with the best in the world.In the pursuit of these objectives, providing people withaccess to higher education in a socially inclusive manner isimperative. The realisation of these objectives, combinedwith access, would not only develop the skills andcapabilities we need for the economy but would also helptransform India into a knowledge economy and society.We recognise that a meaningful reform of the highereducation system, with a long-term perspective is bothcomplex and difficult. Yet, it is imperative. And we wouldsuggest the following building blocks in this endeavour.First, it is essential to reform existing public universitiesand undergraduate colleges. Second, it is necessary tooverhaul the entire regulatory structure governing highereducation. Third, every possible source of financinginvestment in higher education needs to be explored.Fourth, it is important to think about pro-active strategiesfor enhancement of quality in higher education. Fifth,the time has come to create new institutions in the formof National Universities that would become role modelsas centres of academic excellence. Sixth, the highereducation system must be so designed that it providesaccess to marginalised and excluded groups.66 National Knowledge Commission

2. UniversitiesUniversities perform a critical role in an economy andsociety. They create knowledge. They impart knowledge.And they disseminate knowledge. Universities must beflexible, innovative and creative. They must be able toattract the best talent whether teachers or students. Theymust have the ability to compete and the motivationto excel. We cannot even contemplate a transformationof our higher education system without reform in ourexisting universities.There is, however, a serious cause for concern aboutuniversities in India. The number of places for students atuniversities is simply inadequate. The quality of educationat most universities leaves much to be desired. The gapbetween our universities and those in the outside worldhas widened. And none of our universities rank amongthe best, say the top 50, in the world. The symptoms areclearly visible, even if we do not wish to diagnose what ailsour universities. Of course, every problem does not existeverywhere. And there are exceptions. But the followingproblems are common enough to be a cause for concern.First, curricula, which have remained almost unchangedfor decades, have not kept pace with the times, let alonewith the extending frontiers of knowledge. Second,learning and creativity are at a discount in a system ofassessment that places a premium on memory ratherthan understanding. Third, the milieu is not conduciveto anything beyond the class room, for it is caught in a9.30 to 1.30 syndrome. Fourth, the academic calendaris no longer sacrosanct for classes or for examinations,as there are slip pages in schedules so much so that, atseveral places, classes in the timetable are not held andresults are often declared with a time-lag of 6 to 12months. Fifth, the infrastructure is not only inadequatebut also on the verge of collapse. Sixth, the boundariesbetween disciplines have become dividing walls thatconstitute barriers to entry for new disciplines or newcourses, while knowledge is developing most rapidly atthe intersection of disciplines. Seventh, the importanceattached to research has eroded steadily over time.Eighth, the volume of research in terms of frequencyof publication and the quality of research reflected inthe frequency of citation or the place of publication, onbalance, is simply not what it used to be. Ninth, as inmost public institutions, there is little accountability,because there are no rewards for performance and nopenalties for non-performance. Tenth, structures ofgovernance put in place 50 years ago are not responsiveto changing times and circumstances but the system isreadily subverted by vested interests.It is difficult enough to provide a complete diagnosisof what ails our universities. It is even more difficult,if not impossible, to outline a set of prescriptions forour universities. Nevertheless, it is clear that a reformof existing institutions must be an integral part of ourendeavour to transform higher education. We recognisethat this is easier said than done. Even so, we believethat reforms in the following spheres, along the linessuggested by us, are not only possible but would alsomake a difference.Number and size: India has about 350 universities.This number is simply not enough with reference toour needs in higher education, or in comparison withChina which has authorised the creation of 1250 newuniversities in the last three years. Yet, some of ouruniversities are much too large, for ensuring academicstandards and providing good governance. We needto create more appropriately scaled and more nimbleuniversities. The moral of the story is not only that weneed a much larger number of universities, say 1500nationwide by 2015, but also that we need smalleruniversities which are responsive to change and easierto manage.Curriculum: The syllabi of courses in universities,which remain unchanged for decades, need to beupgraded constantly and revised frequently. The lawsof inertia reinforced by resistance to change must beovercome. Universities should be required to revise orrestructure curricula at least once in three years. Theserevisions must be subjected to outside peer reviewbefore implementation. The process for such revisionsshould be streamlined and decentralised, with moreautonomy for teachers, through a change in statuteswherever necessary. For existing systems often act asmajor impediments to a timely or speedy revision ofcurricula. There should be some mode of censure fordepartments or universities that do not upgrade theircourses regularly. It needs to be recognised that it isvery difficult to introduce new courses or innovativecourses in universities because of departmental divides.Appropriate institutional mechanisms should be put inplace to resolve this problem.Assessment: The nature of annual examinations atuniversities in India often stifles the teaching-learningprocess because they reward selective and uncriticallearning. There is an acute need to reform thisexamination system so that it tests understanding ratherthan memory. Analytical abilities and creative thinkingshould be at a premium. Learning by rote shouldReport to the Nation67

e at a discount. Such reform would become morefeasible with decentralised examination and smalleruniversities. But assessment cannot and should not bebased on examinations alone. There is a clear need forcontinuous internal assessment which empowers teachersand students alike, just as it breathes life back into theteaching-learning process. Such internal assessment wouldalso foster the analytical and creative abilities of studentswhich are often a casualty in university-administeredannual examinations. To begin with, internal assessmentcould have a weight of 25 per cent in the total but thisshould be raised to 50 per cent over time.Course credits: The present system is characterised bytoo many rigidities and too few choices for students.Universities that are smaller, or run semester-basedsystems, are obviously more flexible. Even in largeuniversities, however, it is necessary to introduce greaterdiversity and more flexibility in course structures. Thiswould be the beginning of a transition to a coursecredit system, where degrees are granted on the basis ofcompleting a requisite number of credits from differentcourses. Every student should be required to earn aminimum number of credits in his/her chosen disciplinebut should have the freedom to earn the rest from coursesin other disciplines. It is essential to provide students withchoices instead of keeping them captive.Research: We attempted to create stand-alone researchinstitutions, pampered with resources, in the beliefthat research should be moved out of universities. Inthe process, we forgot an essential principle. There aresynergies between teaching and research that enrich eachother. And it is universities which are the natural homefor research. What is more, for universities, research isessential in the pursuit of academic excellence. It is time toreverse what happened in the past and make universitiesthe hub of research once again. This would need changesin resource-allocation, reward-systems and mindsets.Substantial grants should be allocated for research. Theprovisions of these grants should be competitive and thecriteria for these grants should be different from the usualcriteria for non-plan and plan grants.Faculty: There must be a conscious effort to attractand retain talented faculty members. This is necessarybecause talented students who are potential facultymembers have choices that are far more attractive in otherprofessions in India or in the academic profession outsideIndia. It is necessary to provide working conditions inthe form of office space and research support combinedwith housing. But it may not be sufficient. This mustbe combined with some incentives and rewards forperformance. There is, however, another dimensionto the problem. Universities do not always choose thebest in part because of native son/daughter policieswhich leave them to select their own former students.This tends to lower quality and foster parochialisationin universities. Therefore, cross pollination betweenuniversities should be encouraged. It may be worthintroducing a ceiling, say one-half or even one-third, onthe proportion of faculty members than can be hiredfrom within the university. This would almost certainlyengender greater competition and more transparency infaculty appointments.Finances: There is a serious resource crunch in universitieswhich leaves them with little financial flexibility. Ingeneral, about 75 per cent of maintenance expenditure ison salaries and pensions. Of the remaining 25 per cent,at least 15 per cent is absorbed by preemptive claimssuch as rents, electricity, telephones and examinations.The balance, less than 10 per cent, is not even enoughfor maintenance let alone development. Laboratories andlibraries languish while buildings crumble. But that is notall. In most universities, plan (investment) expenditureis less than 5 per cent of non-plan (maintenance)expenditure. Such a small proportion of investment intotal expenditure can only mortgage the future. It isdoing so. The time has come for some strategic thinkingon the re-allocation of budgets for universities with someallocation for development grants and on needs otherthan salaries. The criteria for resource allocation shouldseek to strike a much better balance between providingfor salaries/pensions and providing for maintenance/development/investment. These criteria should recognisethe importance of a critical minimum to ensure standardsand strategic preferences to promote excellence.Infrastructure: The elements of infrastructure that supportthe teaching-learning process, most directly, need to bemonitored and upgraded on a regular basis. This meansattention, particular attention to libraries and laboratories,in addition to class rooms, sports facilities and auditoriums.It is imperative that universities provide broadbandconnectivity to all students and teachers in campuses. Inparallel, information technology systems should be used foradmissions, administration and examinations along withother relevant web services for campus communities. And,as soon as possible, a digital infrastructure for networkinguniversities should be put in place.Governance: There is an acute need for reform inthe structures of governance of universities. The68 National Knowledge Commission

present system is flawed. On the one hand, it does notpreserve autonomy. On the other, it does not promoteaccountability. The autonomy of universities is erodedby interventions from governments and intrusionsfrom political processes. This must be stopped. Atthe same time, there is not enough transparency andaccountability in universities. This must be fostered. It isexceedingly difficult to provide generalised prescriptions.Some steps, which would constitute an importantbeginning, are clear. First, the appointments of Vice-Chancellors should be based on search processes andpeer judgment alone. These must be freed from director indirect intervention on the part of governments.Once appointed, Vice Chancellors should have a tenureof six years, because the existing tenure of three years inmost universities and five years in central universities isnot long enough. Second, the size and composition ofUniversity Courts, Academic Councils, and ExecutiveCouncils slows down decision-making processes andsometimes constitutes an impediment to change.University Courts, with a size of 500 plus, which aremore a ritual than substance, could be dispensed with.Large Academic Councils do not meet often. Evenwhen they meet, decisions are slow to come. Thus,Standing Committees of Academic Councils, which arerepresentative, should be created for frequent meetingsand expeditious decisions. The Vice-Chancellor should,then, function as a Chief Executive Officer who has theauthority and the flexibility to govern with the adviceand consent of the Executive Council which wouldprovide checks and balances to create accountability.Third, experience suggests that implicit politicisationhas made governance of universities exceedingly difficultand much more susceptible to entirely non-academicinterventions from outside. This problem needs to berecognised and addressed in a systematic manner notonly within universities but also outside, particularly ingovernments, legislatures and political parties.3. Undergraduate CollegesUndergraduate education, which accounts for about 85per cent of the enrolled students, is the largest componentof our higher education system. It is imparted throughcolleges where students enrol for first degrees in Arts,Science or Commerce. There are a total of about 17,700undergraduate colleges. Of these, a mere 200 collegesare autonomous. The rest, as many as 17,500 colleges,are affiliated to, or constituent in, 131 universities. Onaverage, each university has more than 100 affiliatedcolleges, but there are some universities each of whichhas more than 400 affiliated colleges.This system of affiliated colleges for undergraduateeducation, which may have been appropriate fiftyyears ago, is neither adequate nor appropriate at thisjuncture, let alone for the future. It is cumbersome tomanage. And it is difficult to ensure minimal academicstandards across the board. The problem has at leastthree dimensions. First, it imposes an onerous burdenon universities which have to regulate admissions, setcurricula and conduct examinations for such a largenumber of undergraduate colleges. The problem iscompounded by uneven standards and geographicaldispersion. Second, the undergraduate colleges areconstrained by their affiliated status, in terms ofautonomy and space, which makes it difficult for themto adapt, to innovate and to evolve. The problem isparticularly acute for undergraduate colleges that aregood, for both teachers and students are subjected tothe ‘convoy problem’ insofar as they are forced to moveat the speed of the slowest. There is also a problem forundergraduate colleges that are not so good, or are poor,because universities cannot address their special needs orunique problems. Third, it is difficult to set curricula andassess performance for such a large number of studentswhere there is such a large dispersion in performanceat school before entering college. This reality tends tomake courses less demanding and examinations lessstringent across the board. In fact the design of coursesand examinations needs to be flexible rather than exactlythe same for large student communities.There is an urgent need to restructure the systemof undergraduate colleges affiliated to universities.In doing so, it is important to make a distinctionbetween undergraduate colleges that already existand undergraduate colleges that will be establishedin the future. It is also important to remember thatundergraduate colleges are afflicted by problems whichare very similar to those that afflict universities.The most obvious solution is to provide autonomy tocolleges, either as individual colleges or as clusters ofcolleges.Individual colleges: Colleges with a proven recordof academic excellence and efficient administrativefunctioning can be granted autonomy in termsof academic self-governance. Existing affiliated orconstituent colleges should be granted autonomy inphases after due assessment by professional accreditationbodies. A review of performance of these colleges shouldbe institutionalised and they may be granted universitystatus on the fulfilment of stated criteria of academicReport to the Nation69

and administrative performance. The college authoritiesshould be given financial autonomy with regard tointernal allocation of resources. However existingmethods of financing should be retained. In operationalterms, then, the autonomy would be accorded in settingof curriculum and evaluation of students.College clusters: Autonomy can be provided to clustersof colleges, selected on the basis of criteria such as similarstandards or geographical proximity. These collegescould then form a group, complementing each other,offering different courses between them. In time, theseclusters could be upgraded to universities. The coursecreditsystem can be implemented in these autonomousclusters, whereby different colleges offer semester-basedcourses on a credit system and credits can be transferredacross colleges. A mechanism for the administrationof courses across colleges and for the resolution ofproblems should be institutionalised with provision forrepresentation in committees.Such autonomous colleges, or clusters of colleges, wouldconstitute a part of the 1500 universities we proposenationwide by 2015. It must be recognised, however,that this is, at best, a limited solution. There are twodiscernible problems.The first problem with the model of autonomous collegesis the principal-agent problem of providing autonomyas an option. It becomes necessary to distinguishbetween the motivations and the capabilities of colleges.We need to make a distinction between colleges thatwish to become autonomous but do not deserve to, andcolleges that have the capabilities to be autonomousbut do not wish to opt for autonomy. For colleges thatwish to become autonomous but may not be suitable,clear cut criteria should be put in place as a filteringmechanism for colleges wishing to attain autonomousstatus: critical number of faculty and disciplines,governance, track record in terms of students, facultyand research, administrative competence measuredby utilisation of grants, regularity of audits, officeresources and account maintenance, contributionto university processes, infrastructural facilities andratings, if available, by accreditation agencies. Forcolleges that can be autonomous but do not wish to be,appropriate incentives have to be designed, especiallyfor the teaching staff to encourage a move towardsautonomy. Institutional incentives relating to fundingand resource generation and professional incentives forstaff including positions of professors, research grantsand greater mobility should be provided.The second problem with the model of autonomouscolleges is that it would be able to provide a solutionfor a limited proportion, or number, of undergraduatecolleges. There would be a significant number ofundergraduate colleges that would remain because theymay not have the capabilities to become autonomous orjoin an autonomous cluster. The obvious solution wouldbe for this latter group to continue as affiliated collegeswith their present universities. In that event, problemswill persist not only for these undergraduate collegesbut also for their affiliating universities. Nevertheless, aproportion of these undergraduate colleges will continueto be affiliated to their present universities on the basisof stipulated criteria. There are two other possibilitiesthat could be explored.The first possibility is that some of these affiliatedcolleges could be remodelled as community colleges.These colleges could provide both vocational educationthrough two-year courses and formal education throughthree-year courses. This would serve the needs of aparticular segment of the student population better. Theycould focus on promoting job-oriented, work-related,skill-based and life-coping education. These communitycolleges could provide a unique opportunity to provideholistic education and eligibility for employment to thedisadvantaged.The second possibility is that we establish a CentralBoard of Undergraduate Education along with StateBoards of Undergraduate Education which would setcurricula and conduct examinations for undergraduatecolleges that choose to be affiliated with them. TheseBoards would separate the academic functions from theadministrative functions and at the same time providequality benchmarks. Governance would becomemuch simpler. It is possible that some of the existingundergraduate colleges, particularly those that are atsome geographical distance from their parent university,may wish to affiliate themselves to these Boards.New undergraduate colleges are bound to be an integralpart of the expansion of opportunities in highereducation. Where would these be located? It wouldbe difficult for them to become autonomous collegeswithout a track record. It may be possible for some tojoin a cluster of autonomous colleges but this wouldbe more the exception than the rule. It would not bepossible for them to affiliate with existing universitieswhich are already overloaded. Hence, there are threepossible options for new undergraduate colleges tocome. First, they could be established as community70 National Knowledge Commission

colleges. Second, they could be affiliated with theCentral Board of Undergraduate Education or StateBoards of Undergraduate Education. Third, they couldbe affiliated with new universities that are established.There are, of course, issues related to governance,curricula, examinations, course credits and access whicharise in the context of undergraduate colleges. Thesehave been discussed in the context of universities in thepreceding section of this note.4. RegulationThere is a clear need to establish an IndependentRegulatory Authority for Higher Education (IRAHE).Such a regulatory authority is both necessary anddesirable.It is necessary for two important reasons. First, inIndia, it requires an Act of Legislature of Parliamentto set up a University. The deemed university route ismuch too difficult for new institutions. Entry throughlegislation alone, as at present, is a formidable barrier.The consequence is a steady increase in the averagesize of existing universities with a steady deteriorationin their quality. The absence of competition onlycompounds problems. Second, as we seek to expand thehigher education system, entry norms will be neededfor private institutions and public-private partnerships.The institutional framework for this purpose must beput in place here and now.It is desirable for four important reasons. First, it wouldminimise conflicts of interest as it would create an arm’slengthdistance from stakeholders. Second, it wouldreplace the present system which is over-regulatedbut under-governed, through more appropriateforms of intervention. Third, it would rationalise theexisting system where mandates are both confusingand overlapping. Fourth, it would dispense with themultiplicity of regulatory agencies to provide a singlewindowclearance.The present regulatory system in higher education isflawed in many respects. The barriers to entry are toohigh. The system of authorising entry is cumbersome.And there are extensive rules after entry, as the UGCseeks to regulate almost every aspect of an institutionfrom fees to curriculum. The system is also based onpatently irrational principles. The UGC Act section3.1.2(a) suggests that permission for receiving grants willbe accorded only if the Commission is satisfied that theexisting institutions in the state are not adequate to servethe needs of the state. The other regulators, say in thesphere of professional education, are often inconsistent intheir adherence to principles. There are several instanceswhere an engineering college or a business school isapproved, promptly, in a small house of a metropolitansuburb without the requisite teachers, infrastructureor facilities, but established universities experiencedifficulties in obtaining similar approvals. Such examplescan be multiplied. These would only confirm that thecomplexity, the multiplicity and the rigidity of the existingregulatory structure is not conducive to the expansion ofhigher education opportunities in India.In sum, the existing regulatory framework constrains thesupply of good institutions, excessively regulates existinginstitutions in the wrong places, and is not conduciveto innovation or creativity in higher education. Thechallenge is therefore to design a regulatory system thatincreases the supply of good institutions and fostersaccountability in those institutions. An independentregulator has to be the cornerstone of such a system.The proposed IRAHE will rationalise the principles onwhich entry is regulated. There are two aspects to thisrationalisation: what is to be regulated and what are theprinciples used for regulation.In higher education, regulators perform five functions:(1) Entry: licence to grant degrees. (2) Accreditation:quality benchmarking. (3) Disbursement of publicfunds. (4) Access: fees or affirmative action. (5) Licence:to practice profession.India is perhaps the only country in the world whereregulation in four of the five functions is carried out byone entity, that is, the UGC. The purpose of creatingan IRAHE is to separate these functions. The proposedIRAHE shall be responsible for setting the criteria anddeciding on entry. It would, in addition, license agenciesto take care of accreditation. The role of the UGC willbe limited to disbursing public funds. Issues of accesswill be governed by state legislation on reservations andother forms of affirmative action. And, professionalassociations may, in some institutions, set requirementsto determine eligibility for conducting a profession. Allother regulatory agencies such as the AICTE will needto be abolished while the MCI and the BCI will belimited to their role as professional associations. Theseprofessional associations could conduct nationwideexaminations to provide licences for those wishing toenter the profession.Report to the Nation71

The second aspect of regulation is the principle usedto regulate. The IRAHE will determine eligibility forsetting up a new institution based on transparent criteriarather than discretionary controls. Its main role wouldbe to exercise due diligence at the point it approves alicence to grant degrees. In doing so, it would assessthe academic credibility and the financial viability ofthe proposed institution on the basis of informationsubmitted in accordance with the stipulated criteria. Itwill apply exactly the same norms to public and privateinstitutions, just as it will apply the same norms todomestic and international institutions.The IRAHE would be constituted as follows. It wouldhave a Chairperson and six Members. The tenure ofthe Chairperson would be six years. The tenure of theMembers would also be six years. One-third of theMembers of the Authority will retire every two years.The Chairperson would be a distinguished academicfrom any discipline with experience of governance inhigher education. The Members would be distinguishedacademics drawn from the following sets of disciplines:physical sciences, life sciences, social sciences, humanitiesand professional subjects such as engineering, medicine,law or management. The IRAHE could have somepart-time members or standing committees drawnfrom academia to advise the Authority in each of theaforesaid sets of disciplines. The Chairperson and theMembers of the IRAHE would be appointed by thePrime Minister based on the recommendations of aSearch Committee.The IRAHE would have to be established by an Act ofParliament. It would be the only agency that would beauthorised to accord degree granting power to highereducation institutions. It would also be responsible formonitoring standards and settling disputes. It should alsobe thought of as the authority for licensing accreditationagencies. The IRAHE must be at an arm’s-length fromthe government and independent of all stakeholdersincluding the concerned Ministries of the Government.The Acts of the UGC, AICTE, MCI and BCI wouldhave to be amended. The role of the UGC would be redefinedto focus on the disbursement of grants to, andmaintenance of, public institutions in higher education.The entry regulatory functions of the AICTE, the MCIand the BCI would be performed by the IRAHE, sothat their role would be limited to that of professionalassociations. These professional associations couldconduct nationwide examinations to provide licensesfor those wishing to enter the profession.5. FinancingThe expansion of our system of higher education, whichis both necessary and desirable, is not possible withoutfinancing. For an increase in supply of quality educationdepends upon an increase in investment which, in turn,requires financial resources. There are several sources ofsuch financing.Government support: There is no system of highereducation in the world that is not based upon significantpublic outlays. And government financing will remainthe cornerstone of any strategy to improve our systemof higher education. The present support for highereducation, at 0.7 per cent of GDP, is simply notadequate. In fact, over the past decade, in real terms,there has been a significant decline in the resourcesallocated for higher education, in the aggregate as alsoper student. In an ideal world, government support forhigher education should be at least 1.5 per cent, if not2 per cent of GDP, from a total of 6 per cent of GDPfor education. This is easier said than done. But thegovernment should endeavour to reach these levels by2012. Even this magnitude of state financing, however,would not suffice for the massive expansion in highereducation that is an imperative. Therefore, it is essentialto explore a wide range of possibilities which can becomplements to the increase in public expenditure.Better asset management: Most public universities aresitting on a large reservoir of untapped resources in theform of land. In effect, with some imagination, many ofour universities can be converted into institutions thatare similar to land grant universities. Each universityshould thus have an innovative asset management plan.Such plans should be in consonance with objectives ofuniversities. At the moment, however, universities haveno strategy in this sphere. And there is considerable roomto think in strategic terms about the use of physical assetsin the possession of universities. It should be possible todraw up norms and parameters for universities to usetheir land as a source of finance.Rationalisation of fees: On an average, fees constituteless than 10 per cent of total expenditure in ouruniversities. And, in most universities, fees haveremained unchanged for decades. In theory, universitieshave the freedom to decide on fees. In practice, however,universities have not exercised this freedom in partbecause of some genuine concerns about access but inlarger part because of the rhetoric and populism in the72 National Knowledge Commission

political process. The problem has been compoundedby the UGC method of providing grants-in-aid tobridge the difference between income and expenditure.Consequently, there is no incentive for universities orcolleges to raise income through higher fees as thatsum would be deducted from their UGC (or Stategovernment) grants. The low fees in public universities,without any means test, have meant unquantifiablebenefits for unintended beneficiaries. But privateplayers and foreign institutions have not been restrainedin charging fees that the market can bear. The time hascome to rethink, as we have no choice but to rationalisefees. It is for universities to decide the level of fees but, asa norm, fees should meet at least 20 per cent of the totalexpenditure in universities. In addition, fees need to beadjusted every two years through price indexation. Suchsmall, continuous, adjustments would be absorbed andaccepted far more easily than large, discrete changes aftera period of time. This rationalisation of fees should besubject to two conditions: first, needy students shouldbe provided with a fee waiver plus scholarships to meettheir costs; second, universities should not be penalisedby the UGC for the resources raised from higher feesthrough matching deductions from their grants-in-aid.Philanthropic contributions: It is clear that we have notexploited this potential. In fact, the proportion of suchcontributions in total expenditure on higher educationhas declined from more than 12 per cent in the 1950s toless than 3 per cent in the 1990s. It should be possibleto nurture this tradition of philanthropy throughchanges in incentives for universities and for donors.In the present system, there is an explicit disincentive.If universities mobilise resources from elsewhere, theyare in effect penalised through a matching deductionin their grant-in-aid. What we need to do is exactly theopposite. Universities which mobilise resources throughcontributions should be rewarded with matching grantsin-aid.At present, there is also an implicit disincentive inboth lax laws and trust laws. Endowments of universitiescan only be placed in specified securities where rates ofreturn are low and barely keep up with rates of inflation.What is more, trusts must spend 85 per cent of theincome stream from the endowment in the same year,so that only 15 per cent of the income stream can beused to build up the corpus in the endowment. Theselaws should be changed so that universities can invest infinancial instruments of their choice and use the incomefrom their endowments to build up a corpus.Other sources: Obviously, universities must not bedriven by commercial considerations. But it would beboth prudent and wise to tap other sources such asalumni contributions, licensing fees, or user charges (forfacilities in universities used by people from outside).We need to create supportive institutional mechanismsthat allow universities to engage professional firms forthis purpose. Mobilising resources, even from formerstudents, is a task that cannot be performed by academicsbecause it needs specialised talents and experience.Current UGC practice also penalises universities for anyresources mobilised with a matching deduction from thegrants-in-aid provided to the institution. Rather thanpenalising universities for raising resources, the UGCshould incentivise them. In addition, universities musthave the autonomy and flexibility to mobilise resourcesfrom elsewhere by creating or using appropriateinstitutional mechanisms.Private investment: In three professions – engineering,medicine and management – there has been a defacto privatisation of education so that two-thirds tothree-fourths of the seats are in private institutions.But private investment in university education, wheremore than 70 per cent of our students study, is almostnegligible. It is essential to stimulate private investmentin higher education as a means of extending educationalopportunities. We must recognise that, even with thebest will in the world, government financing cannot beenough to support the massive expansion in opportunitiesfor higher education on a scale that is now essential.Public-private partnerships: It might be possible toleverage public funding, especially in the form of landgrants, to attract more (not-for-profit) private investment.The present system of allotment of land, where politicalpatronage is implicit, discourages genuine educationalentrepreneurs and encourages real estate developers indisguise. In principle, it should be possible to set upnew institutions in higher education, not just more IITsand IIMs but also more universities, as public-privatepartnerships where the government provides the landand the private sector provides the finances. Such publicprivatepartnerships which promote university-industryinterface would also strengthen teaching and research.International students: India is not an attractivedestination for international students, not evenas much as it used to be 30 years ago. It is time forus to make a conscious attempt to attract foreignstudents to India for higher education. This wouldenrich our academic milieu. This would enhancequality. This would be a significant source of finance.Even 50,000 foreign students charged fees at anReport to the Nation73

average rate of US$ 10,000 per annum would yieldUS$ 0.5 billion: the equivalent of Rs 2,300 crore perannum in current prices at current exchange rates. Theother side of the coin is perhaps even more important.Estimates suggest that there are about 160,000 studentsfrom India studying abroad. If their average expenditureon fees and maintenance is US$ 25,000 per student peryear, Indian students overseas are spending US$ 4 billion:the equivalent of Rs 18,400 crore per annum in currentprices at current exchange rates. This has an enormouspotential as a source of finance for higher education inIndia, if only we could crate more opportunities forstudents with increased places and enhanced quality inour system.6. QualityThe introduction of an independent regulator in highereducation, the reform of existing public universities andthe creation of national universities, taken together,would contribute to enhancement of quality in highereducation. But this needs to be supported with somepro-active steps that would foster quality in highereducation.Accountability: The quality of higher education dependson a wide range of factors. But accountability, at everylevel, is a critical determinant. The higher educationsystem must, therefore, provide for accountabilityvis-à-vis the outside world and create accountabilitywithin the system. Accountability of universities mustnot be confused with control of the state. Institutionalmechanisms, based on checks and balances, constitutethe most effective system for this purpose. The essentialobjective of accountability to society must be toempower students to take decisions rather than simplyincrease the power of the state. Stipulated performancecriteria or inspections are forms of control. We need tocreate systems that enable students, or their parents, tochoose between and assess universities.Competition: The supply constraint on higher educationis an impediment to accountability. When students haverelatively few choices, institutions have greater powerover them. An expansion of higher education whichprovides students with choices and creates competitionbetween institutions is going to be vital in enhancingaccountability. Such competition between institutionswithin India is, of course, essential. But the significanceof competition from outside India, more qualitativethan quantitative, must not be underestimated. Forthis purpose, we must formulate appropriate policiesfor the entry of foreign institutions into India andthe promotion of Indian institutions abroad. Suchpolicies must ensure that there is an incentive forgood institutions and a disincentive for sub-standardinstitutions to come to India. The present regime doesthe opposite: sub-standard players rush in while premieruniversities stay away as they care more about theirautonomy and wish to set benchmarks for themselves.However, a level playing field should be ensured andall rules that apply to domestic institutions should alsobe applicable to foreign institutions. At the same time,policies must encourage rather than discourage Indianinstitutions to create campuses abroad not as businessopportunities but as competition opportunities in theirquest for academic excellence. Of course, expansionabroad should not be at the cost of domestic provision,either at present or in the future.Accreditation: So far, we have sought to createaccountability by increasing the powers of governmentregulators. Yet, it has done little to improve the qualityof higher education. Consider, for example, the NationalAccreditation and Assessment Council (NAAC). Thissystem has three characteristics which significantly erodeits credibility. First, it grants one institution, the NAAC,monopoly power over accreditation. Second, NAACitself does not have the capacity to rate all the institutions.It has rated just about 10 per cent of the total numberso far. Third, the methodology of NAAC is much toodiscretionary. Instead of vesting one institution createdby the state with monopoly power, the IRAHE may beempowered to license a number of accreditation agencies,public and private, to do the ratings. In doing so, theregulator would set standards for them. This will needto be accompanied by stringent information disclosurenorms for all educational institutions, including thesource and level of their accreditation. The rapid growthin higher education, particularly in the private sector,has created a strong need for empowering studentsand parents with reliable information from a credibleaccreditation process. This system can be supplementedwith the creation of self-regulatory bodies in the highereducation system and the freedom to seek recognitionfrom global accreditation systems.Internal systems: In most universities, the mainstakeholders, students, are minimally part of anymechanism for accountability. Obviously, studentevaluations need to be used with care. Even so, theycan be part of a baseline set of accountability measureswhich could at least establish whether classes scheduledin the timetable are held. But that is not all. Evaluation74 National Knowledge Commission

of courses and teachers by students is also needed, just asmuch as we need peer evaluation of teachers by teachers.Such internal systems of evaluation would strengthenaccountability in the teaching-learning process. Thesemust be combined with institutional mechanisms foraccountability in other dimensions of university systems.Information: Almost everywhere, information in thepublic domain is an important source of accountability.Higher education should be no exception. There shouldbe disclosure norms for universities and institutionsimparting higher education. They should be requiredto place basic information relating to their financialsituation, physical assets, accreditation ratings,admissions criteria, faculty positions, academic curricula,and so on, in the public domain. This would empowerstudents and parents and enable them to make informedchoices. Information, along with competition, fosteredby increased supply, will close the accountability loop.Incentives: Even if we cannot introduce penalties fornon-performance, it is necessary to introduce rewardsfor performance. We must, of course, recognise thatuniversities are different from the hierarchical worldsin governments and corporate structures. The webof incentives is far more subtle. Even so, the time hascome to think of salary differentials within and betweenuniversities as a means of attracting and retaining talentedfaculty members. The salary differentiation amongteachers within the same university needs to reflect theopportunity costs for teachers in some departments.This will help retain talent in some disciplines whereremuneration in the market is much higher than inother subjects. Salary differentiation may enable someuniversities to develop centres of excellence in somedisciplines. At the same time, it is important to ensurethat disciplines which are essential for a good liberaleducation such as social sciences and humanities, as wellas basic sciences which are not necessarily rewarded bythe market, are given appropriate incentives to attractboth teachers and students. Such salary differentialsbetween and within universities could be effectivewithout being large. Indeed, there is a good reason tostipulate a maximum ratio for differences in salariesbetween faculty members so as not to threaten theidentity of the professoriate. Obviously, universitiescannot compete with salaries elsewhere, but they shouldendeavour to provide a comfortable minimum for all,with some premium for those who perform. It is alsoimportant to think of other incentives, such as housing,good facilities for teaching and research and someflexibility for non-teaching professional activities so longas these do not impinge on the primary responsibilitiesto the institution.Differentiation: We have to recognise that there isbound to be diversity and pluralism in any system ofhigher education. Therefore, in a country as large asIndia, we cannot afford to adopt the principle that onesize-fits-all.We must allow diversity to blossom. Thiscould have many dimensions: curriculum, specialisation,institutional architecture, students’ composition, andso on. Similarly, differentiation is inevitable if notnatural. Even if we do not wish to recognise it, suchdifferentiation is a reality. Students and parents have clearpreferences, possibly implicit rankings, based on theirperceptions derived from available information. Oursense of pluralism must recognise, rather than ignoreor shy away from, such diversity and differentiation.It is characteristic of every higher education system inthe world. For higher education is about a quest forexcellence. It is, at least in part, about distinction andnot always about levelling. The institutions which excelare the important peaks that raise the average. They arealso role models others seek to emulate. And institutionsthat become such role models could mentor and guideother selected institutions.7. National UniversitiesWe need to create substantial additional capacity inhigher education for achieving a quantum jump inthe gross enrolment ratio for a rapidly expandingpopulation of young people. It would be expeditious todo so by simply expanding on our existing educationalinfrastructure. A fundamental paradigm shift in ourunderstanding of quality and standards in highereducation, however, requires creating completely newinstitutions that operate unconstrained by the currentinstitutional and regulatory framework. We recommendthe creation of up to 50 National Universities thatcan provide education of the highest standard. Asexemplars for the rest of the nation, these universitiesshall train students in a variety of disciplines, includinghumanities, social sciences, basic sciences, commerceand professional subjects, at both the undergraduateand post-graduate levels. The number 50 is a long termobjective. In the short run, it is important to begin withat least 10 such universities in the next three years. It isworth noting that the National Universities need notall be new universities. Some of the existing universitiescould also be converted into National Universities,on the basis of rigorous selection criteria, to act asexemplars. We recognise that there could be a humanReport to the Nation75

esource constraint if faculty members are not availablein adequate numbers to establish these universities. But,for such centres of academic excellence, it should bepossible to attract talent from among those who chooseother professions in India or the academic professionoutside India.National Universities can be established in two ways,by the government, or by a private sponsoring bodythat sets up a Society, Charitable Trust or Section 25Company. Since public finance is an integral constituentof universities worldwide, most of the new universitiesshall need significant initial financial support fromthe government. This could be in several forms. Eachuniversity may be endowed with a substantial allocationof public land, in excess of its spatial requirements.The excess land can be a subsequent source of incomegeneration, its value rising over time due to the growingstature of the university. In the case of privately executedCharitable Trusts, exceptions need to be made in existingIncome Tax laws to encourage large endowments. Inparticular, there should be no restriction on the utilisationof income in any given time period, the Trusts shouldbe allowed to invest their funds in financial instrumentsof their choice, and all proceeds from the sale of capitalassets should be exempt from capital gains tax. Theseuniversities shall have the autonomy to invest in financialinstruments of their choice, by employing private fundmanagers if required. Appropriate mechanisms alsoneed to be put in place for the optimal management ofphysical assets, like laboratories, libraries, classrooms andother facilities. Finally, these universities shall have theautonomy to set student fee levels and tap other sourcesfor generating funds such as industry collaborations,overseas operations, as also commercial use of universityfacilities and alumni networks.The National Universities we propose shall admitstudents on an all-India basis. They shall adopt theprinciple of needs-blind admissions, thereby ensuringthat an applicant’s ability or inability to pay shall notinfluence the admission decision made by a university.Further, once admitted, the university should ensure thatno student has to forego his/her place due to financialconstraints. This will require a host of scholarships,freeships, bursaries and awards for economicallydisadvantaged students. At the undergraduate level, anationwide test that objectively measures the verbal,quantitative and analytical abilities of applicants shall beadministered by an independent testing body. Admissionsshall be based on a combination of Class XII results,scores from the nationwide test, application materialsincluding written work and personal statements, as alsointerviews. At the postgraduate level, admissions shallbe based on a combination of the applicant’s academicrecord, application materials, interviews and academicor professional references that indicate his/ her aptitudefor further studies in the relevant discipline.Undergraduate degrees in the National Universitiesshall have a duration of three years so that these are inconformity with the duration of undergraduate courseselsewhere in India. In the first year, students shall havethe opportunity to study foundation, analytical andtools courses before choosing a specific discipline in thesecond year. They shall also have the option, at the endof the second year, of completing an integrated five-yearmaster’s degree. Degrees should be granted on the basisof completing a requisite number of credits, obtainedfrom different courses. Each student shall be requiredto earn a minimum number of credits in his/her chosendiscipline, and shall have the freedom to earn the restfrom courses in other disciplines. The academic yearshall therefore be semester-based and students shall beinternally evaluated at the end of each course. Transfer ofcredits from one National University to another shall alsobe possible. A wide variety of courses shall be offered, intraditional academic disciplines, employment-orientedspecific areas and cross-cutting competencies. Syllabishall be revised every year to keep up with changesand current developments in various disciplines.Departments that do not update their syllabus for twoconsecutive years shall be asked to provide justification.Students shall have the option of taking up internshipsin private companies or research institutions in lieu of acertain number of credits.An appropriate system of appointments and incentivesis required to maximise the productivity of faculty inthe National Universities. There shall be scope for salarydifferentials between National Universities and alsobetween disciplines. Faculty training will be contingenton periodical reviews of research output and studentevaluation. The most accomplished faculty membersshall be encouraged to teach undergraduate courses.There shall be no career advancement schemes andappointments at every level shall be through opencompetition. The total number of faculty positions maybe specified, but there should be complete flexibility inchoosing the level at which faculty appointments aremade, so that, for talented faculty members, career pathsare not constrained by the number of vacancies. In orderto maintain the quality of the National Universities,mechanisms should be in place to monitor and evaluate76 National Knowledge Commission

the performance and progress of teachers including peerreviews. The procedures and results of these evaluationswill be open and transparent.The research outputs of these universities shall be vitalcontributors to India’s socioeconomic development andprogress in science and technology. Strong linkages shallbe forged between teaching and research, universitiesand industry, and universities and research laboratories.The National Universities shall be departmentbasedand shall not have any affiliated colleges. Eachdepartment will administer undergraduate and postgraduatecourses. Nonteaching functions should beoutsourced wherever possible, and a maximum ratioof 2:1 should be maintained between non-teachingand teaching staff. Each university should appoint aninternal ombudsman for the redressal of faculty, staff,student and public grievances. Administrative processes,wherever possible, should be streamlined and madetransparent and accountable by the use of informationand communications technology.8. AccessEducation is an essential mechanism for inclusion throughthe creation of social opportunities. It is, therefore, essentialthat in addition to ensuring that no student is denied theopportunity to participate in higher education due tofinancial constraints, access to education for economicallyand historically socially underprivileged students isenhanced in a substantially more effective manner.Economic barriers to higher education can be addressedby ensuring financial viability for all students wantingto enter the world of higher education. This can bedone through two strategies. One is to adopt a needsblind admissions policy. This would make it unlawfulfor educational institutions to take into account anyfinancial factor while deciding whether or not to admita student. Every institution will be free to use a varietyof instruments to achieve this aim: scholarships or crosssubsidies.In addition, academic institutions wouldbe able to set a fee of their own choice subject to theprovision that there are at least two banks that are willingto finance the entire cost of education at that institution,without any collateral other than the fact of admission.The cost of education includes not just fees but alsoreasonable living expenses including costs such as hosteland mess fees and any other expenses associated with thecourse of study. Since commercial banks may be waryof funding economically deprived students, especiallyin non-professional courses, we need a well-fundedand extensive National Scholarship Scheme targetingeconomically underprivileged students and students fromhistorically socially disadvantaged groups, particularlystudents from rural and backward areas. The success ofthis proposal depends on generous government support.For instance, the government should endeavour to makeavailable about 100,000 scholarships for such students.These scholarships should be set at a level where studentsare empowered to go to any institution of their choice.We also need to undertake more proactive forms ofaffirmative action to ensure inclusion of marginal andexcluded groups. Reservations are essential but they area part, and one form of, affirmative action. Disparitiesin educational attainments are related to caste and socialgroups, but are also strongly related to other indicatorssuch as income, gender, region and place of residence.Access to quality higher education is further limitedfor students from certain types of schools. Thereforedeprivation of educational opportunities is a multidimensionalproblem and attention needs to be paid todifferent salient levels of deprivation faced by students.A meaningful and comprehensive framework wouldaccount for the multidimensionality of differences that stillpersist. Such a deprivation index could provide weightedscores to students and the cumulative score could be usedto supplement a student’s school examination score. Afteradding the score from the deprivation index, all studentscould compete for admissions.The indicators need to be easily identifiable and verifiablefor the system to work effectively. They should cover thedifferent types of disadvantages that a student could faceat the school level, and while applying for admissions tohigher education. This system serves the dual purposeof considering various disadvantages and ensuring thata reserved category student who has otherwise enjoyedother benefits does not get great preference at the timeof admissions.Illustrative indicators of backwardness that need tobe measured by such an index could include socialbackground covering caste (keeping in view regionalvariations), religion and gender, family education history,family income, type of school distinguishing betweengovernment and private schools and between schoolsfrom different locations, the medium of instruction,place of residence distinguishing between urban and ruralareas and accounting for regional deprivation by sortingdistricts along an index of infrastructure or access tosocial benefits and physical disability.Report to the Nation77

Appointment of Heads ofInstitutions April 17, 2008The recent measures introduced by thegovernment leading to a major expansionof the higher education sector are probablyamong the most important steps in making Indiaglobally competitive in the long run. Expansion andinclusiveness, drawing larger sections of Indians into thearena of knowledge creation and utilisation will be thekey drivers to a better future.The National Knowledge Commission would liketo draw attention to the central role of governancestructures in allowing these new institutions to growrapidly, efficiently and productively and also, to reviewprocedures in some of our best existing institutions likeIITs, IIMs, Central Universities and AIIMS.It is imperative to separate governance mechanismsfrom the day-to-day operations of Ministries, in order toprotect functional autonomy, in its fullest sense. NKCwould like to draw attention to the following ideas.1. The appointment of Directors/Vice Chancellors ofthe new IITs, IIMs, IISERs, Central Universities,AIIMS must be made by a Search Committee thathas an independent Chair, capable of exercisingthe highest quality of judgment. The directinvolvement of administrative ministries can resultin unfortunate situations.2. The procedure for appointment of the Chairpersonand members of governing Councils/Boards needsto be carefully crafted in order to ensure thatinstitutions have the benefit of the widest inputsfrom academia and society.3. The involvement of the Chair of the GoverningBoard and at least two independent members in theselection of the Director/Vice Chancellor will ensuresmooth functioning at later stages of an institution’sdevelopment.4. Appointments of heads of institutions must be madewell in advance of a vacancy arising, so that a smoothtransition is effected. In view of fixed tenures, there isno reason that this cannot be done in all institutions.5. The proposal for an independent regulatory bodyfor higher education was also advanced by theCommission as an expression of its concern at thedeteriorating ambience of institutions of learning inmany parts of the country.In summary, NKC believes, that governance issues maybe central to any debate on improving the status ofhigher education in India.78 National Knowledge Commission

Legal EducationOctober 15, 2007The National Knowledge Commission, whiledeliberating on issues related to knowledgeconcepts, recognises legal education as animportant constituent of professional education. Thevision of legal education is to provide justice-orientededucation essential to the realisation of values enshrinedin the Constitution of India. In keeping with this vision,legal education must aim at preparing legal professionalswho will play decisive leadership roles, not only asadvocates practising in courts, but also as academics,legislators, judges, policy makers, public officials, civilsociety activists as well as legal counsels in the privatesector, maintaining the highest standards of professionalethics and a spirit of public service. Legal educationshould also prepare professionals equipped to meet thenew challenges and dimensions of internationalisation,where the nature and organisation of law and legalpractice are undergoing a paradigm shift. Further, thereis need for original and path breaking legal research tocreate new legal knowledge and ideas that will help meetthese challenges in a manner responsive to the needs ofthe country and the ideals and goals of our Constitution.As part of a consultative process, NKC constituted aWorking Group of experts, including distinguishedmembers of the Bar, the bench and academia under thechairmanship of Justice M. Jagannadha Rao to suggestnecessary measures to improve the quality of legaleducation in India. Based on further consultations withstakeholders, NKC has proposed the following:1. Regulatory Reform: A NewStanding Committee for LegalEducationA new regulatory mechanism under the IndependentRegulatory Authority for Higher Education (IRAHE),vested with powers to deal with all aspects of legaleducation and whose decisions are binding on theinstitutions teaching law and on the union and stategovernments, should be established. The StandingCommittee for Legal Education may consist of 25persons (including eminent lawyers, members ofthe Bar Council of India/ BCI, judges, academics,representatives from trade, commerce and industry,economists, social workers, students and others) andit must aim at revamping legal education to meet theneeds and challenges of all sections of society.At the time of enactment of the Advocates Act, 1961, itwas envisaged that legal education would only producelawyers for the courts and accordingly the BCI hadbeen entrusted with the limited role of ‘promoting legaleducation and laying down minimum standards oflegal education’ required for students who ‘are entitledto practice’. In the last 50 years, and particularly afterliberalisation in 1991, the entire concept of legaleducation has changed considerably. Today, legaleducation has to meet not only the requirements ofthe Bar but also the new needs of trade, commerce andindustry, in the context of growing internationalisationof the profession. The need for improvement in overallquality to match global standards has become evenmore salient when viewed from such a perspective. Inlight of the changed scenario in the last 50 years andthe existing gaps and deficiencies in overall quality,it is clear that the BCI has neither the power underthe Advocates Act, 1961 nor the expertise to meet thenew challenges both domestically and internationally.It is, therefore, necessary to constitute a new regulatorymechanism with a vision both of social and internationalgoals, to deal with all aspects of legal education and tocater to the needs of the present and the future. TheBCI would however continue to exercise its powers torecommend minimum standards required for practicein the courts. Further, the BCI would continue to enjoyits powers of discipline so far as the members of the Barare concerned.2. Prioritise Quality and Develop ARating SystemThere is a need to develop an independent Rating Systembased on a set of agreed criteria to assess the standard ofall institutions teaching law as a mechanism to ensureconsistent academic quality throughout the country.The criteria for rating would be evolved by the StandingReport to the Nation79

Committee for Legal Education while the rating wouldbe done by independent agencies licensed by IRAHEfor the purpose. Recognition could be either grantedor withdrawn on the basis of such ratings. The ratingresults should be reviewed annually, regularly updated,monitored and made available in the public domain.3. Curriculum DevelopmentCurriculum should be made contemporary, integratedwith other disciplines ensuring regular feedback fromstakeholders. Autonomy may be granted to universities,National Law Schools (NLSUs) and other law schoolsto decide the core and optional courses to be offered.This is a departure from current practice where the BCIlargely determines curricula and syllabi. A committeeshould be formed that includes faculty and practitionersand seeks student feedback to discuss curricula, syllabiand reading material of all core and optional courses,and devise a ‘model’ syllabus for all core and optionalcourses. Law schools and universities would be free touse and depart from the ‘model’ syllabus.Law teaching must be interwoven with relatedcontemporary issues, including international andcomparative law perspectives. The curricula and syllabimust be based in a multidisciplinary body of social scienceand scientific knowledge. Curriculum developmentshould include expanding the domain of optionalcourses, providing deeper understanding of professionalethics, modernising clinic courses, mainstreaming legalaid programs and developing innovative pedagogicmethods. Legal education must also be socially engagedand sensitise students on issues of social justice.4. Examination SystemThe prevailing examination systems may be revisedand evaluation methods be developed that test criticalreasoning by encouraging essential analytical, writing andcommunication skills. The end-semester examinationshould be problem-oriented, combining theoretical andproblem oriented approaches rather than merely testmemory. Project papers, project and subject viva, alongwith an end-semester examination to be considered aspedagogic methods imperative for improving quality.5. Measures to Attract and RetainTalented FacultyTo attract and retain talented faculty, better incentives,including improving remuneration and service conditionsmay be introduced. It may be necessary to think ofsalary differentials within and between universitiesand law schools along with other means of attractingand retaining talented faculty members. Such salarydifferentials between and within universities and lawschools could be effective without being large. This willhelp retain talent in legal academia where the problem ofinadequate remuneration is far more acute than in otherdisciplines. Salary differentials could be considered as ameans to retain quality talent and also promote a cultureof excellence.To foster quality and create better incentives, there isalso need to remove fetters on faculty that pertain toopportunities in legal practice (such as consultancyassignments and legal practice in courts). These reformsneed to be introduced in a balanced, reasonable andregulated manner to ensure adequate incentivisationfor faculty without compromising on the maintenanceof consistent academic quality. As a further incentive,it is necessary to create better opportunities for activeinvolvement of academia in the shaping of nationallegal education policy.There is also need to reconsider existing promotionalschemes and avenues to promote meritorious facultymembers. Other incentives for faculty include fullypaid sabbaticals; adequate House Rent Allowance(HRA); instituting awards to honour reputed teachersand researchers at national and institutional levels;flexibility to appoint law teachers without having anLL.M degree if the individual has proven academicor professional credentials; faculty exchange programswith leading universities abroad and upgrading existinginfrastructure.6. Developing A Research Traditionin Law Schools and UniversitiesCreating a tradition of research in law schools anduniversities is imperative if India has to transformitself from being only a consumer of available legalknowledge to being a leading producer in the worldof new legal knowledge and ideas. The followingmeasures are required to develop such a serious cultureof research: emphasising analytical writing skills andresearch methodology as integral aspects of the LL.Bprogram; creating excellent infrastructure (includingresearch friendly library facilities, availability ofcomputers and Internet; digitisation of case law;access to latest journals and legal databases availableworldwide); rationalising the teaching load to leave80 National Knowledge Commission

faculty members sufficient time for research; grantingsabbatical leave to faculty to undertake research;creating incentives if research results in peer reviewedpublications, either through additional increments(beyond the UGC scheme) or in any other appropriatemanner; institutionalising periodic faculty seminars;establishing quality peer-reviewed journals; prescribingresearch output as one of the criteria for promotion;creating a database of citations to identify the mostcited and influential writings as well as consideringsuch data for promotion purposes; establishingprerequisites such as a mandatory dissertation in theLL.M program, a pre-registration presentation and acourse in methodology for M.Phil and Ph.D programsrespectively; and establishing four new centres foradvanced legal research.7. Centres for Advanced LegalStudies and Research (CALSAR)There is need to set up four autonomous, well networkedCentres for Advanced Legal Studies and Research(CALSAR), one in each region, to carry out cuttingedge research on various aspects of law and also serveas a think-tank for advising the government in nationaland international fora. The CALSARs would maintainadequate linkages and institutionalised interactionopportunities with law schools and universities,including continuing legal education for faculty. Someother specific functions and objectives of these centreswould include: publishing a peer reviewed journal ofinternational quality; facilitating multi disciplinaryapproaches to law; institutionalising arrangementsfor scholars in residence; organising workshops andundertaking in-depth research on new and developingareas of law.Each CALSAR would require an initial investment ofaround Rs. 50 crore to build an academic complex,conference facilities, a world-class library and otherinfrastructure. These institutes would also need to beprovided with an annual budget to the tune of Rs. 5crore for salaries, fellowships, administrative expensesand related expenses. The initial investment and theannual budgets should be borne by the central andrespective state governments (that would host theCALSAR) respectively, but the CALSARs shouldgradually aim at financial self-sustenance, throughinnovative financial methods.8. Financing of Legal EducationIt is for law schools and universities to decide the level offees but as a norm, fees should meet at least 20 per centof the total expenditure in universities. This should besubject to two conditions: first, needy students shouldbe provided with a fee waiver plus scholarships to meettheir costs; second, universities should not be penalisedby the UGC for the resources raised from higher feesthrough matching deductions from their grants-inaid. The central and state ministries may also be urgedto endow chairs on specialised branches of law. Statefinancing can be complemented with endowments fromthe private sector, including synergistic arrangementssuch as appropriate public private partnerships.Incentives such as tax holidays for donations above ahigh minimum threshold by the corporate sector may beconsidered. Institutions should be given the autonomyto evolve their own innovative methods of financing tomaximise infrastructure and resource utilisation.9. Dimensions of InternationalisationBuilding world class law schools today will requirecreatively responding to the growing internationaldimensions of legal education and of the legal profession,where it is becoming increasingly necessary to incorporateinternational and comparative perspectives, along withnecessary understanding of domestic law. Suggestedinitiatives to promote such international perspectivesinclude building collaborations and partnerships withnoted foreign universities for award of joint/dualdegrees; finding ways of evolving transnational curriculato be taught jointly by a global faculty through videoconferencing and Internet modes; as well as creatinginternational faculty, international courses andinternational exchange opportunities among students.10. Technology for Dissemination ofLegal KnowledgeFor maximum dissemination of legal knowledge, allinformation available in the Indian Law Institute (ILI),Supreme Court Library, Indian Society for InternationalLaw (ISIL) as well as those of all law schools, universitiesand public institutions in the country, be networked anddigitised. Such networking is in addition to the need foradequate infrastructure such as computers, law journals,legal databases and excellent libraries in the institutionsteaching law.Report to the Nation81

Medical EducationOctober 16, 2007The quality, the quantity, distribution andavailability of human resources for the healthsector in India at present, need to be improvedsubstantially to deliver care-driven, rural orientedand equitable health services. Over the years, healthrelated education and training has become more urbanoriented, doctor-centric and technology-driven. Theenvironment of medical education needs to be bothnationally sensitive and globally competitive. To realisethese objectives, our medical education system needsradical reforms.The National Knowledge Commission thereforeconsidered it imperative to carry out a comprehensiveappraisal of the system. For this purpose, a WorkingGroup was constituted which included some of the mostdistinguished members of the medical profession inIndia, chaired by Dr. Sneha Bhargava, former Director,AIIMS. Based on the inputs provided by the WorkingGroup and further consultations with concernedstakeholders, NKC recommended the following:1. Regulation and AccreditationRegulationAt present, medical education in India is regulated bythe Medical Council of India (MCI). This system ofregulation is neither adequate nor appropriate to meetthe needs of the profession. Therefore, in conformitywith NKC recommendations on Higher Education,a Standing Committee within the structure of theIndependent Regulatory Authority for Higher Education(IRAHE) may be constituted. The primary function ofthe Standing Committee will be to ensure that medicalpractice and teaching are updated and revised regularlyand minimum quality standards are maintained.The members of the Standing Committee wouldinclude faculty from recognised universities, practisingphysicians, members of civil society, students and adirector from autonomous institutions representingeducators. The Chairman and the members of theStanding Committee would be accountable to IRAHE.The Standing Committee would look into manpowerplanning and development based on disease-profile,doctor-population ratio and skill-mix ratio.Professional CouncilsThe Indian Medical Council Act should be amended suchthat MCI functions only as a professional association,with powers to conduct nationwide examinations,and to provide licenses for those who wish to join theprofession. Similar changes are needed for all the otherCouncils viz. Nursing Council, Pharmacy Council,Dental Council and Rehabilitation Council.AccreditationIRAHE should be empowered to license suitableagencies for accreditation. Accreditation agenciescould award different degrees of accreditation, suchas “Full”, “Provisional” or “On Probation” and havethe power to de-recognise. Institutions would have toensure transparency in their admission processes, ableand responsible faculties, a multidisciplinary academiclearning environment, transparency in assessment ofstudents and close linkages with regional health careand delivery systems, in order to be accredited.AdmissionPolicies of admission and fee structure of private collegeshave to be regulated, not only to stop them frombecoming sources of political and financial power butalso to arrest falling standards. There should be only oneAll India Common Entrance Test for all students whowould like to get admission to Self Financing MedicalColleges. Since the CBSE conducted examinationfor the 15 per cent All India quota in GovernmentMedical Colleges is taken by a very large number ofstudents, this would appear to be the ideal examinationwhose ambit can be expanded. All self-financingMedical Colleges should announce their fees in theirprospectus so that students can make their choice foradmission. Information Technology should be used to82 National Knowledge Commission

increase transparency and efficiency in the admission,examination, administration, teaching, content deliveryand other related processes.2. QualityCurriculumAll institutions must constitute Curriculum Committeesthat plan curricula and instructional methods, whichare regularly updated. The structure and compositionof the curriculum must describe the content, scope andsequencing of the courses, including the balance betweencore and optional courses. Integration of ICT in thelearning process is essential. Incorporating new skillslike management, disciplines like health economics andfrontier areas like bioinformatics should be considered.StandardsTestAn independent and standardised National ExitExamination at the end of 4½ years of study, isessential to conduct a national level assessment ofskills and knowledge. The National Exit Examinationcould be conducted immediately after the Universityexamination, and would also serve as a postgraduateentrance exam.Internship AssessmentThe internship year must be assessed to ensure skilldevelopment. The current practice of studentscontinuing to study in the internship year withoutgoing to clinics needs to be addressed. There mustbe compulsory rotation from the teaching hospitalto the community and district hospital during theinternship period. Duration of the term in the districthospital should be six months, in the CommunityHealth Centre three months and in the tertiary carehospital the remaining three months. Each internshould be assigned a “mentor” at the district hospitaland the credits should be based on the assessment bythe mentor. The entrance to postgraduate programsshould be based on a summation of the pre- & postinternshipexaminations.Continuing EducationThere is a need to revamp Continuing Medical Education(CME) based on distance learning. All professionalsshould be required to undergo a re-certification processevery five years, which can be evaluated by credits earnedthrough CME. ICT can be used extensively to provideCME at the convenience of the learner.3. Faculty DevelopmentTeachingAttracting and retaining quality faculty should beaccorded top priority. Measures such as opportunitiesto attend international conferences regularly,sabbaticals, dual appointments, rewarding research,fast-track promotions, and dissociating remunerationfrom government pay scales should be explored. Allinstitutions must clearly lay down exact definitions ofwhat constitutes conflict of interest for faculty membersin public medical colleges, who have a private practicein addition to their official duties, and receive a fulltime teacher’s salary. Those who flout these regulationsshould be penalised.ResearchWith a view to encouraging research in medicine, aMentored Medical Student Research Program shouldbe set up as a catalyst to introduce medical students to apotential career in patient-oriented/community-orientedresearch including interdisciplinary research. Two points ofentry into Ph.D programs should be considered: one afterMBBS and another after MD depending on the student’sinterest. The government should facilitate setting up ofresearch centres in medical colleges. Validating IndianSystems of Medicine using bio-sciences tools should forman integral component of the research effort.TrainingFive Regional Centres for teacher training/facultydevelopment should be set up so that teachers from theoutlying regions can be sent to these centres periodicallyfor up-gradation of their teaching skills.4. Post-graduate EducationGeneral PhysiciansThe medical profession needs to be structured like apyramid with the base made up of general physicians.At present there is little if any space for such doctorsin post-graduate courses. Therefore, we suggest thatadequate representation should be given to generalphysicians while carrying out expansion of post-graduateseats such that 50 per cent seats are reserved for generalReport to the Nation83

physicians. New streams for post graduation should belooked at based on needs.AdmissionsAdmission to post-graduate courses should be doneon the basis of credits received in the National ExitExamination and pre- and post-internship clinicallyoriented exams after internship. There is a need toreserve post-graduate seats (up to 20 per cent of totalavailable seats) for graduates who have worked in ruralareas for at least three years.5. Regional BalanceLocation PrioritiesThe number of medical colleges in relation to populationin some states is much higher than in other states. TheCentral Government should aid new colleges in thesestates to address this regional disparity. For instance,north eastern states require urgent attention in thiscontext. The Central Government can develop a listof priority sites for establishing new colleges wherethe impact of new clinical facilities would benefit thesurrounding rural population.Role ModelsFurther at least one institution should be identified ineach state that can serve as a centre of excellence androle model for the other institutions of the state. Theseinstitutions should have state-of-the-art infrastructuralequipment such as research laboratories, teacher trainingfacilities, and libraries, as well as talented faculty ofadequate strength to act as a common resource and alsoto serve as a benchmark of excellence.Medical education cannot be stand-alone. It requiressupport in the form of trained nurses, pharmacists,paramedic workers. It must all also serve the essentialpurpose of delivering health care to the people.Therefore, NKC also set out some recommendationson education for supporting services and public health.6. Education for Support ServicesNursingThere is a need to create additional capacity for trainingnursing staff. In addition, every district hospital shouldhave attached to it a nursing school, which offersdiploma in nursing specifically to operate primaryhealth centres as nurse practitioners. A career growthpathway should be ensured for nurses after a specificperiod of primary health care service. For graduatenurses in city hospitals, specialised courses for familynurse practitioners, nurse anesthetists and in areas oftertiary care are recommended.PharmacyPharmacy education should be popularised and thenumber of seats for pharmacy education should beincreased substantially. Gradual phasing out of untrainedpharmacists should be considered.ParamedicsThe role of Paramedic workers should be expanded.A Paramedical Council needs to be immediatelyestablished, which would prepare training programs formulti skill and speciality technicians and oversee theirdelivery and quality. Paramedics, such as compounders,dressers, and laboratory technicians can also performpublic health functions, such as health education,providing immunisation, and first aid. Such a healthworker could be trained through vocational trainingat the higher secondary level followed by a one yeardiploma. Career paths should be built into their servicein order to retain them because international demandis high.7. Public HealthEducationA three tiered structure consisting of a one year diplomacourse, a three year B.Sc course and a three year Master’scourse may be introduced. These programs can beattached to departments of Community Medicine inall medical colleges for providing hands on training. Alluniversities, all district hospitals and the Public HealthFoundation of India can run them.ASHAThe role of Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA)needs to be re-conceptualised within this framework,and ASHA must be viewed as an accessible and effectivehealth worker. The training period of the ASHA needsto be lengthened from its current duration. Steps shouldbe taken to review the system of remuneration andimprove the working conditions of the ASHA workers.84 National Knowledge Commission

Management EducationOctober 15, 2007Management education has seen phenomenalgrowth in the past six years with the numberof institutions providing undergraduateand post-graduate level courses rising to over 1700. Ofthese, more than 1000 were added after the year 2000.This has been possible largely due to the entrepreneurialinitiative of promoters, taking advantage of the everincreasing demand for management graduates, hencemanagement education. Unfortunately, this has also ledto an exploitative and commercial environment withquality being compromised. Regulatory focus only onphysical infrastructure rather than research, qualifiedfaculty and relevance of courses has created a mismatchbetween supply and demand.As a part of its consultative process, NKC constituted aWorking Group of experts from academia and industryunder the chairmanship of Mr. P.M. Sinha. Based onthe Working Group’s inputs and consultations withconcerned stakeholders, NKC proposed the following setof initiatives:1. New Regulatory FrameworkNKC advocates good governance rather than theprevalent system of a prior control being exercised byAICTE in this sphere. The current regulatory regimefocuses on punitive actions rather than on nurturinginstitutions. NKC proposes that an autonomousStanding Committee for Management Education beset up under the Independent Regulatory Authority forHigher Education. Its main role would be to exercisedue diligence at the point it approves a license togrant degrees/diplomas. In doing so, it would assessthe academic credibility and the financial viability ofthe proposed institution on the basis of informationsubmitted in accordance with the stipulated criteria. Itwill apply exactly the same norms to public and privateinstitutions, just as it will apply the same norms todomestic and international institutions. It would, inaddition, license agencies to take care of accreditation.Other responsibilities of the Standing Committee willbe to collate as well as communicate information onManagement Educational Entities (MEEs) 1 ; set up aninformation exchange; conduct demand forecasting ofmanagerial manpower and develop and maintain a lowcost e-monitoring system.2. Grading InstitutionsThe Standing Committee will stipulate grading normsand nominate independent rating agencies to assessand categorise MEEs. Mushrooming private MEEsnecessitate a reliable rating system to help the marketfunction better, enabling students and employers tocompare different MEEs. Hence, a two stage ratingprocess is recommended. In the first stage, ratingcovering infrastructure may be mandated before an MEEcan admit students. The second stage would consist ofrating of quality (admission process, teaching, researchand publications) which shall be conducted every threeyears to ensure accountability. Grading norms for eachof these steps should be established in consultationwith experts. CRISIL and ICRA were consulted inthe process and they have agreed to undertake ratingof MEEs. The Standing Committee shall decide on afair and transparent mechanism to deal with conflictingpoints of view between a rating agency and an MEE.3. AccreditationFor MEEs which wish to go beyond rating, the StandingCommittee shall determine the criteria and theprocesses of accreditation in consultation with expertsfrom academia and industry. Mentoring to help MEEssustain quality standards should be an integral part ofthe process. Select international accreditations mayalso be recognised. Branding of accreditation, similarto international standards such as ISO 9001, may beconsidered to encourage MEEs to pursue excellence.1In view of the variety of institutions delivering management education, MEE is used to cover all educational institutions; Institutes,Departments, Affiliated and Autonomous colleges, Departments in Deemed Universities, Private Business Schools etc.Report to the Nation85

4. Improve AccessIn addition to the framework of affirmative actionalready in place, we suggest improving access based onwork experience and educational loans. NKC believesthat management education can be made available toa much wider student community by adopting a twopronged approach. First, we suggest that more weightagebe assigned to work experience in admissions. This wouldhelp in overcoming disadvantages faced by prospectivestudents due to lack of proficiency in English. Secondly,steps may be taken to ensure easier access to educationalloans through banks. Default concerns can be addressedif the respective MEE and the first employer cooperatewith the banks. MEEs must also offer scholarships tosocially disadvantaged students.5. Social ContextIt is essential to widen the scope of management studiesand enhance its relevance.• Sensitise management education to our uniquesocio-cultural situation by including India specificcase studies in the curriculum, reflecting ourdiversity and incorporating traditional wisdom.• Integrate management with other knowledge sourcesand increase research funding for management andsupporting disciplines. With globalisation, the needfor management education to pursue a wider scopeand realise a more wholesome impact on society hasincreased. Management departments in universitiesshould therefore draw upon knowledge sources inother departments.• Encourage MEEs to design and offer executiveprograms for government officials, NGOsand defence personnel. Short term courses forgovernment officials will help them in their role aseconomic managers.• Revamp the existing Bachelor’s degree in management,the Bachelor’s in Business Administration, to caterto the burgeoning need of management graduates.Compulsory apprenticeship in organisations andstudy of under managed sector areas should beincluded as part of the program. The currentbookish nature of the curriculum is not sufficientto prepare students for junior management levels.• Distance learning has considerable potential inthis domain. We therefore need to fully realisethe potential of Online Management Programs tobridge the demand-supply gap.6. Faculty DevelopmentNon availability of adequate proficient faculty is amajor constraint for sustainable growth of qualitymanagement education in India. An autonomous,financially sound and academically credible institutewith active support from the leading managementinstitutes, industry and Government should be setup for faculty development. Standards for curriculumcovering the entire spectrum need to be set. Activeinvolvement of MEE faculty in training, conferences,industry engagement and curriculum revision shouldbe encouraged. Given the current demand-supplygap, additional faculty would need to be attracted byappropriate incentives.7. MentoringTo achieve excellence in the field of management,NKC recommends that all the leading ManagementInstitutions adopt 3-4 MEEs for mentoring andupgradation of quality. Funding and other modalitiescan be mutually worked out between the institutions.8. New InstitutionsThere is a need for a new wave of managementinstitutions which will focus on entrepreneurship,leadership and innovation. These institutions will enableto launch India into the global arena, without the legacyassociated with operating in a protected environment.These institutions should set new standards and becomerole models for MEEs that have the desire to becomeleaders in the global market place. Incentives need tobe provided to Indian entrepreneurs/corporates toset up institutions of excellence on their own or incollaboration with foreign universities. We could alsoconsider allowing reputed foreign universities to enterthis field, regulations for them being at par with privateinstitutions.9. AutonomyAll existing management institutes excludingmanagement departments in universities shouldregister with the Standing Committee of IRAHE andbe accorded independent status. In the case of MEEsset up by Central and State governments, governmentshould be treated as a promoter. Registered instituteswill benefit from the Standing Committee’s mentoring86 National Knowledge Commission

and better funding opportunities apart from otheradvantages associated with autonomy.10. GovernanceNKC recommends a board of governors for all MEEs,consisting of 50 per cent independent members asthere are independent directors under CompanyLaw. The key focus of the governing board shouldbe to continuously improve quality of educationand research. For this purpose, they would have tomaximise the resource/fund inflows and allocate/spendthem purposively and efficiently. The Board shouldencourage faculty to publish reputed journals andpublications, obtain regular feedback from students onteaching-learning process, obtain recruiter feedback forimproving quality, institutionalise faculty evaluationand management system and encourage faculty towrite India based case studies. The appointment ofDirectors of public MEEs should be freed from director indirect interventions on part of the governments,for these should be based on search processes andpeer judgement alone. Likewise, the appointmentof directors of private MEEs should be based on atransparent selection process. This would of coursebe accompanied by enhanced accountability basedon performance indicators and independent externalevaluation.11. Non-traditional ManagementEducationThe need for better management in education, health,local government, co-operatives, and civil societyorganisations and so on has often been felt. However, theexperience of graduates of Institute of Rural Managementand Institute of Forestry Management shows that a lackof advancement opportunities in the Government acts asa barrier to the success of such programs. There is a needto establish career opportunities in public management,and systematise recruitment and retention policies.Structure of fees for these courses should be formulatedin accordance with earning opportunities. We also needto encourage reputed MEEs to develop specialisedcourses for agri-business, rural banking, public utilities,regulatory agencies and services sector in the comingyears as private players entering this space wouldcreate demand for the same. The Standing Committeeshould undertake a study in this field to institutionalisethese programs.Report to the Nation87

Engineering EducationMay 6, 2008Engineering education is among the key enablersof growth for transforming India’s economy. Thequality of teaching and research in this spherewill play a critical role in the emergence of our countryas a global knowledge leader. It will also provide vitalinputs for enhancing productivity across sectors. In thepast two decades, we have seen an eight-fold increasein the number of institutions imparting engineeringeducation at the undergraduate level. Yet, there are somefundamental issues that need to be addressed.A glaring regional imbalance has emerged in theavailability of engineering education. Two-thirds of theengineering institutions are located in four southernstates, plus Maharashtra, even though they account forless than one-third of the population. There is much lessaccess for the youth in under-provided states, particularlybecause only 15 per cent of the total seats are availablefor those who come from outside the state. It wouldbe worthwhile to study whether there are any culturalor region-specific factors that influence the choice ofengineering as a career in some states and not elsewhere.This could help make the spread of such colleges moreeven nationwide.Several recent studies have flagged the problem ofunemployability of engineering graduates, largelybecause curriculum and syllabi are not quite compatiblewith industry requirements. Further, the standards of avery large proportion of institutions at the bottom of thepyramid have also been found to be abysmal. Even goodinstitutions are plagued by deficiency of quality studentsat post-graduate and research level. The problems arecomplex and deep rooted. The situation calls for a newparadigm in regulation, accreditation, governance andfaculty development.As part of its consultative process, NKC constituted aWorking Group of experts from academia and industryunder the chairmanship of Prof. M.S. Ananth, DirectorIIT Chennai. The Group has also considered the inputsprovided by the earlier committees on this subjectchaired by R.A. Mashelkar (1998), U.R. Rao (2003) andP. Rama Rao (2004). The study conducted by ProfessorsBanerjee and Muley of IIT Bombay (2007) has also beentaken into account. Based on inputs from the WorkingGroup and consultations with other stakeholders, NKCproposes the following set of initiatives:1. Reforming the RegulatoryFrameworkAs stated in our earlier recommendations relatingto Higher Education, there is a need to establish anIndependent Regulatory Authority for Higher Education(IRAHE) to cover all streams. The role of the StandingCommittee on Engineering Education under IRAHEwould be to exercise due diligence at the point it approvesentry for an institution to grant degrees/diplomas.The members of the Committee should compriseeminent educationists, education administrators andmanagement specialists drawn from industry. TheCommittee would follow transparent and uniformprocesses, under the overall supervision of IRAHE. TheCommittee shall also determine the criteria and theprocesses of accreditation and license multiple agenciesfor the same. A mechanism for ranking of institutionsto enable students to take informed decisions at thetime of admissions by stipulating grading norms andnominating independent rating agencies also needs tobe established. These initiatives will enable the All IndiaCouncil for Technical Education (AICTE) to focuson important issues such as curriculum development,pedagogy, faculty development etc.2. Improving Governance ofInstitutionsIn order to encourage greater flexibility and autonomy,there is a need to progressively do away with the systemof affiliation of engineering institutions/colleges touniversities. Where feasible, they should be givenfull autonomy. To attain greater transparency andaccountability, it should be made compulsory forall engineering institutions to display informationabout their buildings, labs, faculty, intake of students,88 National Knowledge Commission

performance of students, recognition status andplacements, on their websites. As emphasised by NKCrepeatedly, appointments of Heads of Institutions mustbe made through the process of a Search Committeethat has an independent Chair and is at an arm’slength from the government. The direct involvementof administrative ministries in the process can result inunfortunate situations.3. Attracting and Retaining FacultyThe most serious challenge in engineering educationis the dearth of well-qualified faculty. Several measuresmust be undertaken in this direction:• Institutions should be encouraged to create adjunctpositions and invite professionals from industry andresearch institutions to participate in the teachingprocess.• The criterion of holding a Ph.D for teachingundergraduate students may be relaxed to Master’sdegrees which are specifically designed with morecourse work in lieu of thesis. Special efforts shouldbe made at the undergraduate level to identify andmotivate those who have the potential as well as theinclination towards teaching.• Incentives like better salary, modern infrastructure,better living and working environment, possibilityof secondment to industry during vacations shouldbe made available.• Shortage of faculty could also be overcome byinnovative use of Information & CommunicationTechnology and Open Educational Resources(OERs) by leveraging the content available fromthe best universities across the world.• Several initiatives need to be undertaken to improvetraining and professional development of the faculty.A two-week teacher induction training courseshould be made compulsory. A one-day regionalworkshop on teaching/learning processes should bearranged as a part of the academic calendar. Coursedevelopment should be made an integral part ofthe training programs conducted by AcademicStaff Colleges. Better opportunities may be createdfor continuing education using the distance mode.4. Curriculum ReformThe current curriculum should be modified to providegreater flexibility, inter-disciplinary perspective andchoice of electives. The focus in the teaching/learningprocess should be on integrating skills such as problemsolving and logical reasoning, process orientation, learningability, English communication and programmingfundamentals. Industry participation to discuss reallife case studies should be encouraged. Laboratorycourses must be revamped to develop a healthy attitudetowards experimental work. Environment must becreated to encourage students to participate in cocurricularactivities.5. Integrating Sciences andEngineering EducationWe have entered a period in history where thedistinction between sciences and engineering has all butdisappeared. Sciences are at the heart of engineering. Tothat extent there is no distinction between the two. Inorder to reduce the perceived gap between sciences andengineering, we need to create mechanisms that allowmobility between the two streams. One option could beto start four year undergraduate programs in sciences,initially in institutes of excellence where facilities forscience programs already exist. This would enablepursuing doctoral programs in science and technology,without a Master’s degree.6. Encouraging ResearchSeveral initiatives are necessary to promote research inengineering disciplines:• Vibrant and well funded Ph.D programs withopportunities for international exposure shouldbe rolled out to attract students who currently goabroad for Ph.Ds.• The new academic and research institutions beingestablished should be so located that they canoptimise mutual collaboration. Likewise, existingacademic institutions with active research programsshould be supported to set up high-tech industrialresearch parks in the vicinity of their campuses.• Universities must become the hub of researchonce again to capture synergies between teachingand research. This will require changes in resourceallocation, reward systems and mindsets.7. Industry-Academia InteractionIn order to attain greater alignment of engineeringeducation with employment opportunities, frequentdialogue with industry and government through seminarsand workshops is necessary. To enhance employability,summer internships should be made an integral partof the curriculum. Restrictive provisions and theelaborate regulatory framework of the ApprenticeshipReport to the Nation89

Act 1961 have inhibited industry from adequatelyusing the apprenticeship scheme for honing the skills ofengineering graduates. Clauses need to be incorporatedin the Act that will enable training in multiple skills(not just a specific trade) and allow entry to and exitfrom the scheme at different points in the educationand career cycle. Likewise, industry needs to encouragecontinuing education programs for their employees bycollaborating with appropriate educational institutes.Academia and industry should engage in joint researchto encourage innovation and competitiveness in theglobal economy.8. Improve AccessWhile the government would need to establish newinstitutions in the under-provided states, it must beemphasised that the recent proliferation of engineeringinstitutions in the southern states is largely theresult of private initiatives. A framework for publicprivatepartnerships should therefore be developed incollaboration with the concerned states to establish newquality institutions.9. MentoringElite institutions should consider some additionalresponsibilities such as adopting a few engineeringinstitutions of their choice and helping them raise theirstandards, creating and making available educationalresources in the public domain for use of all studentsand conducting distance education courses, especiallyfor students at the post-graduate level and workingprofessionals. In particular, the existing IITs couldmentor the new ones being established. The latter, indue course, could play a similar role vis-à-vis others.Similarly, National Institutes of Technology andRegional Engineering Colleges could play a mentoringrole for selected engineering institutions in theirrespective regions. Mentoring by its definition is avoluntary activity, but if we can create an atmospherewhere institutions of distinction feel a sense of callingin the interest of the larger national good, it wouldtransform our education. The changes and reformsproposed above are necessary to bring about a qualitativetransformation in engineering education to meet presentand future needs.90 National Knowledge Commission

Open and DistanceEducationNovember 2, 2007The National Knowledge Commission (NKC)believes that a radical reform of the system of Openand Distance Education (ODE) is imperative toachieve the objectives of expansion, inclusion and excellencein higher education. The significance is obvious. For one,more than one-fifth of the students enrolled in highereducation are in the ODE stream. For another, ODEhas an enormous potential to spread higher educationopportunities beyond the brick and mortar world. Butthere are reasons for concern. First, the quality of highereducation provided in large segments of ODE, particularlyin correspondence courses in universities, leaves much to bedesired. Second, it is not sufficiently recognised that ODEprovides educational opportunities not only to those whodiscontinue formal education on account of economic orsocial compulsions, but also to young school leavers whoare simply unable to secure admission in the formal streamat universities. It is time to address these problems. Thereis a clear need to improve the quality of ODE and to makeit more appropriate to the needs of society. It is just asimportant to expand opportunities in higher educationthrough the use of technology in ODE. It would not bepossible to attain a gross enrolment ratio of 15 per centby 2015 without a massive expansion in ODE. In thisendeavour, we must not forget that ODE is seen as inferiorto conventional classroom learning. This perception, andthe reality, both need change. We must realise that ODE isnot simply a mode of educational delivery, but an integrateddiscipline engaged in the creation of knowledge.In light of the above, NKC constituted a WorkingGroup composed of distinguished experts in this field,chaired by Prof. Ram Takwale, former Vice-Chancellor,IGNOU. Based on inputs provided by the workinggroup and consultations with stakeholders, NKCrecommended the following reforms:1. Create a national ICTinfrastructure for networkingODE institutionsA national Information and Communication Technology(ICT) infrastructure must be set up through governmentsupport for networking all ODE institutions. In thisregard, we recommend that the digital broadbandKnowledge Network proposed by NKC should haveprovision for interconnecting the major ODE institutionsand their study centres in the first phase itself. Eventually,minimum connectivity of 2 Mbps must be extended tothe study centres of all ODE institutions. A national ICTbackbone would enhance access and e-governance inODE, and enable the dissemination of knowledge acrossall modes, that is, print, audio-visual and Internet basedmultimedia.2. Set up a National EducationFoundation to develop web-basedcommon open resourcesA National Educational Foundation with a onetimeinfusion of adequate funds must be establishedto develop a web-based repository of high qualityeducational resources. Open Educational Resources(OER) must be created online through a collaborativeprocess, pooling in the efforts and expertise of all majorinstitutions of higher education. The OER repositorywould supply pedagogical software for various programsrun through ODE and be available for utilisation by allODE institutions. An enabling legal framework thatwould allow unrestricted access without compromisingintellectual authorship must be devised for this purpose.3. Establish a Credit Bank to effecttransition to a course creditsystemTransition to a course credit system must be carriedout to enable the learner to undertake programs acrossall ODE institutions and disciplines. As a part of thisprocess, an autonomous credit bank must be establishedfor storing and filing credits acquired by every learner.In addition, admission criteria and the system of creditsshould be as flexible and adaptable as possible. Provisionsmust be made for multiple entry points and exit points,a flexible time-table and assessment mechanisms forsupporting life-long learning.Report to the Nation91

4. Establish a National EducationTesting Service for assessing ODEstudentsAn autonomous National Education Testing Service(NETS) must be established through legislation andinvested with functional powers and responsibility forassessing all potential graduates in ODE. This unifiedexamination system would test the learners’ ability toperform intellectual and practical tasks. All courses,degrees and activities offered through ODE should becertified through this system.5. Facilitate convergence withconventional universitiesThe lack of convergence between programs run by openuniversities and correspondence courses offered by thedistance education wings of conventional educationalinstitutions is a cause of great concern. Rather thanfunction as parallel systems at odds with each other,open universities must forge organisational alignmentswith conventional universities geared towards commongoals and strategies. They must engage each other inthe collaborative creation of pedagogical resources viaOER and its delivery along shared modes. Programsand courses offered by each should be subject tothe same stringent norms of quality assurance. Thisimplies that the distance education departmentsoperating within conventional universities must beencouraged to put correspondence courses throughthe NETS for purposes of assessment. At the sametime, universities must also ensure that their distanceeducation programs are not stand-alone, but shouldbenefit from regular interaction with universitydepartments in concerned disciplines. The aim of suchconvergence is to eventually enable learners to movefreely from one system to the other.6. Set up a research foundationto support research activityin ODEAn autonomous and well-endowed Research Foundationmust be established to commission and facilitatemultidimensional and multidisciplinary research inODE. In addition, a favourable environment forresearch must be created by setting up infrastructurelike libraries, digital databases and online journals,holding regular workshops and seminars, grantingsabbatical leave for undertaking research, establishinga peer reviewed journal to provide a platform forpublication for scholars, and other such measures. Arobust research environment is essential to accord ODEvalue as a discipline, as opposed to it being consignedto a ‘mode’.7. Overhaul training programs foreducatorsTraining and orientation programs must beconceptualised to enable educators and administrators toeffectively utilise technology to cater to diverse learners’interests. The content of the training modules mustpromote familiarity with the theories and practices ofself-learning. Their delivery should take place throughseveral modes, including web-supported, audio-visualand face-to-face interaction on a regular basis withexperts, practitioners and peers. Most importantly, thesepackages must be updated regularly and administereddirectly. The B.Ed. curriculum must also be revised,updated and made to emphasise theories and practicesof self-learning.8. Increase access for learners withspecial needsSpecial Education Committees must be set up in allODE institutions to address the needs of learnerswith disabilities as well as senior citizens. Thesecommittees must devise mechanisms to ensure theirparticipation and provide effective mechanisms formonitoring, evaluation of policies, and collection offeedback. Admission criteria and time tables must beflexible enough to provide diverse options for meetingprogram requirements to differently able learners andsenior citizens. Pedagogical tools and components fromthe open educational resources must be adaptable toalternative formats for special learning needs. This couldinclude, for example, Braille, colour-contrast texts andvoice recordings for the visually disabled.9. Create a new Standing Committeefor the regulation of ODEAt present, the Distance Education Council (DEC)under IGNOU arbitrates standards and disburses fundsfor ODE institutions across the country. NKC believesthat this arrangement cannot provide adequate andappropriate regulation. A new regulatory mechanismmust be established by appointing a StandingCommittee on Open and Distance Education underthe Independent Regulatory Authority for HigherEducation (IRAHE) proposed by NKC. This statutory92 National Knowledge Commission

ody would be responsible for developing broad criteriafor accreditation as well as laying down standards forquality assurance. It would be accountable to stakeholdersat all levels and to IRAHE, and have representation frompublic, private and social institutions involved in theeducation and development sectors. These include thecentral open university, state open universities, privateopen universities, conventional education institutes, aswell as chairpersons of the specialised bodies to be set upto look into infrastructural requirements of ODE.In addition, two specialised bodies should be establishedunder the aegis of the Standing Committee:(i) A Technical Advisory Group with representativesfrom the IT sector, telecom, space and industryshould be constituted to provide guidelines, ensureflexibility and track the latest developments inapplication. The most important function would beto devise common standards for labelling learningcontent developed by different agencies in order tosupport indexing, storage, discovery and retrievalof this content by multiple tools across multiplerepositories.(ii) An Advisory Group on Pedagogical ContentManagement should be set up to provide guidelineson curricular content and development ofrepositories, exchange of material, access to studentsand other such issues.The Standing Committee on Open and DistanceEducation would also serve as the nodal agency for theNational Educational Foundation on open educationalresources, the National Education Testing Service(NETS) and the Credit Bank.10. Develop a system for qualityassessmentReliable external assessment is valued by employers,students and other stakeholders in the given context of amarket driven economy. In view of this, a rating systemto assess the standard of all institutions imparting ODEmust be evolved and made publicly available. TheStanding Committee would stipulate grading normsand independent rating agencies would be licensedby IRAHE to carry out this function. In addition, itis recommended that every ODE institution has aninternal quality assurance cell to ensure that statutoryquality compliances are regularly met.Establishment of the new organisations proposedabove, namely, the National Education TestingService, the Credit Bank, the National EducationalFoundation for developing common open resources,the Technical Advisory Group and the AdvisoryGroup on Pedagogical Content Managementwould initially require financial support from thegovernment. Additional finances for networking ODEinstitutions and creating access centres, developingtraining programs for educators and administratorsand providing scholarships and services for needystudents would also be required.Report to the Nation93

Open EducationalResourcesNovember 7, 2007Our success in the knowledge economy hingesto a large extent on upgrading the qualityof, and enhancing the access to, education.One of the most effective ways of achieving this wouldbe to stimulate the development and disseminationof quality Open Access (OA) materials and OpenEducational Resources (OER) through broadbandInternet connectivity. This would facilitate easy andwidespread access to high quality educational resourcesand drastically improve the teaching paradigm for allour students. As a part of its consultative process, NKCconstituted a Working Group of experts, includingdistinguished members from the academia, government,private sector and users to suggest necessary measuresto improve the quality of Open Access in India. NKCconsultations with stakeholders helped identify a fewkey reform proposals which are elaborated as follows:1. Support the production of qualitycontent by a select set of IndianinstitutionsA set of key institutions should be selected and expertsrepresenting diverse knowledge areas like agriculture,engineering, medicine, arts, humanities, science,education etc. should be asked to develop standardsbasedcontent, which can be customised to diverse userneeds. This should be made available not only to Indianinstitutions but also for global use. The efforts madethrough the project of Ministry of Human ResourcesDevelopment – National Program on TechnologyEnhanced Learning (NPTEL) for creation of OER inthe areas of Engineering and Technology should beapplied in other areas of education also. The content inthe repositories should be multimedia, interactive andavailable in different regional languages. These projectsshould cover a wide range of subjects mentioned above.To speed up the creation, adaptation, and utilisation ofOER, it is necessary to launch a ‘National E-contentand Curriculum Initiative’.2. Leverage global open educationalresourcesSustainable development of quality content relevantto India is a difficult and expensive proposition, giventhe diverse needs of various sectors in our emergingknowledge economy. Emerging international andnational initiatives are offering quality educationalcontent as open resources. It is vital for India toleverage these initiatives as they are readily availablefor adoption and adaptation and to serve as a modelfor further indigenous content production. NKCfound that there are already 200-300 free knowledgerepositories available across the world. The NationalKnowledge Commission is separately disseminatingthis information through its website.3. Encourage open accessOpen Access material stimulates research and helpsstudents, teachers and researchers across the world.Therefore at the policy level, all research articlespublished by Indian authors receiving substantialgovernment or public funding must be made availableunder Open Access and should be archived in thestandard OA format at least on his/her website. As anext step, a national academic OA portal should bedeveloped. The government should allocate resourcesto increase the current digitisation efforts of books andperiodicals which are outside copyright protection.Separate funding should be allocated to develop anew high quality OCR software package so that newand old fonts in many different Indian languages canbe converted into ISCI/ASCI code and OA portalsand servers could be upgraded regularly. Appropriatefinancial resources should be earmarked for theseendeavours. This will also facilitate machine translationof these valuable resources.94 National Knowledge Commission

4. Develop network-enabled deliveryinfrastructureAlong with the national initiative for contentdevelopment, we must develop a network-enableddelivery infrastructure with a focus on two primaryareas: access and delivery. For access to the network,high bandwidth connections across institutions and anational backbone that provides advanced networkingcapabilities are major requirements. Additionally,connectivity to global networks is essential. Delivery ofthe OER content would be done through distributedrepositories of educational resources.5. Create a faculty and institutionaldevelopment programFaculty development and teacher training is the primaryarea that needs to be addressed in order to realise thebenefits of extended access and improved qualitythrough OER. The training program must developdomain competencies and teaching skills using neweducational technologies. The training will also helpdevelopers of new OER and in contextualising existingeducational resources. Centres at specific institutionsshould be identified so that the faculty of theseinstitutions will eventually own, modify, and expandOER repositories. These must be integrated intouniversity curricula and organisational structures. Theavailability of learning management systems and otherquizzing, authoring and collaborating tools should beincreased. The evaluation system should be based onthe use of the content and the pedagogy in OER. Toimplement and monitor the above recommendationsurgently and efficiently, the Government of Indiamay designate a suitable organisation or establish anew institution with necessary mandate to achieve theabove objectives. This institute may serve the followingfunctions:• Provide leadership and coordination of networkbasedopen education resources• Select institutional collaborations for developingcontent• Develop adoption support strategies• Recommend and monitor standards for contentdevelopment and adoption• Advise on policy implications vis-à-vis licensing,intellectual property rights etc.• Identify and set benchmarks based on global bestpractices• Establish relationships with global OA and OERinitiatives.Report to the Nation95

More Talented Students inMaths and Science May 2, 2008Astrong foundation in the pure sciences is essentialto transform India into a knowledge superpower.Unfortunately, as the economy grows, fewerstudents are opting for the pure sciences. This has ledto a talent crunch, seriously impeding the developmentof the future generation of scientists and teachers. Weare aware that this is a worldwide phenomenon, butcountries like China and South Korea, having investedprudently in science education, are now beginning toreap rich dividends.In this context, NKC carried out wide consultations withexperts through a series of workshops and interviews. Aworking group of eminent persons was also constitutedto consider all aspects of the problem. Based on theseinputs, NKC has formulated a set of recommendationsto attract and retain talented students in basic scienceswhich are summarised in the following paragraphs.NKC has chosen to reiterate some of the proposals whichoverlap with the views of other expert groups. NKCwould like to stress that this matter is extremely urgentand a rapid implementation is now crucial to effect aparadigm change in the field of Science education andresearch in the country.1. Invest in upgrading andexpanding the existinginfrastructure and promotesharing of available resourcesUniversity departments and leading undergraduatescience colleges should be generously funded toupgrade their staff and facilities. To encourage gooddepartments, ‘Centres of excellence’ should be identifiedwith comprehensive review and evaluation proceduresin place. To create a critical mass of scientists in eachscience stream undergraduate seats should be increasedin good institutes and undergraduate programs shouldbe introduced at institutes where only post graduateteaching is currently undertaken. Innovative methodsfor sharing resources and faculty between institutesand universities need to be evolved. At the same time,university management at all levels should be mademore professional and sensitive towards working in anacademic and research environment to promote optimalutilisation of resources.2. Revitalise the teaching professionto attract and retain qualityteachersThe working condition of teachers needs to bedrastically improved. Rewards and recognition shouldbe publicised and given at all levels. Teachers at theschool and college level should be encouraged todevelop innovative teaching methods. Research shouldbe promoted in colleges by building linkages betweencolleges and research institutions. Academic autonomyand flexibility should be encouraged. Further, amentoring program for young faculty members shouldbe started in universities and colleges. Many reservedfaculty posts remain vacant in the absence of innovativeor flexible appointment modes to fill these posts,creating enormous practical difficulties in teaching.There is a need to start a systematic affirmativecampaign to rectify this situation. Young students whocan eventually fill these posts could be selected from anearly age and nurtured and trained carefully to inductthem into a career in teaching.3. Revamp teacher training at alllevels and promote developmentof teaching aids to retain studentattention in classroomsA systemic change in science pedagogy from primaryand high school levels is required. There is a need tolaunch a large scale in-service training program forall science teachers based on the initiative undertakenby Science academies. At the undergraduate level, thepresent method of faculty training conducted by StaffTraining Institutes/Centres should be reviewed andrevamped. In addition, there is a need to provide aplatform for life long skill enhancement of teachers.Teacher organisations like the Indian Association ofPhysics Teachers should be strengthened and financially96 National Knowledge Commission

supported so that they can become leaders in developingnew teaching methodologies and make significantcontributions to content and evaluation reforms.4. Restructure masters and graduatedegrees to promote careerflexibility after graduationTo bring graduate degrees in science at par with otherprofessional streams, a four year Bachelor in Science(flexible and modular in nature) is proposed. Thisdegree course should be aptly branded and devised sothat it is significantly stronger than the regular threeyear program. It should enable students aspiring for aresearch career to directly enter a Ph.D program. Forothers, it should provide them with measurable valueadditions like interdisciplinary skills, niche skills requiredin industry, or rigorous training in science education,science communication etc. To ensure the success andacceptability of such programs, the course content mustbe planned in consultation with diverse expert groups,and implemented at institutions with a proven trackrecord of success. Simultaneously, the existing B.Scand M.Sc courses should be reformed. The integratedfive year M.Sc program should have the provision tobe integrated with the Ph.D program so that the totaleffective time spent for a Ph.D is reduced.5. Reform the science curriculumcontent in line with the changingworld and increase researchcomponent at all levelsThere is an urgent need to reduce information loadof curriculum at the higher secondary level. Coursesshould be made engaging and the amount of hands-onwork at all levels should be increased. Books should bewritten by teachers who teach the subject and not bycurriculum committees. Pedagogy should be modifiedto impart creativity and global vision training. Avenuesfor research should be increased at all levels.6. Radical changes are requiredin the evaluation system toencourage scientific thinking andpromote better understanding ofbasic science conceptsThe system should move from examination basedevaluation to more open assessment mechanisms.Memory, comprehension and creativity should begiven equal importance in evaluations. Continuousassessment at the school level will reduce dependenceon year-end examinations. To enable the modificationsin the evaluation process, teachers need to be trained innew methods of evaluation.7. Promote access to quality scienceeducational material at all levelsThere is a need to disseminate high quality scienceeducational material and self learning aids in locallanguages to assist students from non-English mediumeducation background. One important factor whichhas to be kept in mind while translating into locallanguages is that the technical/scientific terms shouldbe retained in English. This will make it easier to migrateto English medium teaching in sciences at higher level forthe students. Special teaching aids need to be developedfor tribal children and children from rural backgroundsto attract them towards science. Tribal schools should beequipped with teachers who are trained in pedagogicalmethods suited to the special needs of tribal children.8. Re-brand and promote careers inbasic sciencesExisting careers in sciences, namely teaching andresearch, should be made more attractive. There isa need to increase salaries in this field to reflect theshortage of skilled manpower and to attract studentstowards a career in science. Science colleges shouldcollaborate with research institutes and industry forcampus placements. More modules/courses could bedesigned which prepare students for employment inindustry. The four year bachelor’s course offered byquality institutes should dispel the myth that sciencebachelors are in any way less employable than graduatesfrom other professional streams. Research institutesshould collaborate with professional streams to pursueand create more opportunities. New institutes willcreate a demand for quality science Ph.Ds and thesecareer opportunities need to be publicised.9. Launch a massive science outreachprogram aimed at students andtheir parentsA science popularisation program should be launchedto effectively cover children across India. This programshould bring all popular science activities under oneumbrella for rapid implementation and replication ofsuccessful initiatives. A large chain of science talentcells should be created and each school should beReport to the Nation97

funded to open a science club. The effectiveness ofmobile labs in reaching the rural students and teachersis very high. Replication of the Agastya InternationalFoundation’s mobile lab program, with possible publicprivate partnership mode for implementation, shouldbe considered for various states.10. Encourage industry participationin promoting sciences at all levelsAs research based industries flourish in India, moreand more companies will need employees qualifiedin basic sciences, thus creating other attractive careeropportunities in science. Industry should be encouragedto sponsor students for Masters and Ph.Ds in scienceand also internships of longer duration in industry forpost graduate students. Science undergraduates shouldbe exposed to various applications of science in industrythrough seminars and popular science lectures byindustry leaders. Academic institutions should developgroups at each institute which specialise in developingnovel funding mechanisms involving industry andexplore other possible modes of industry participation.India has a long and rich history attesting to the hightalents of Indians in science. To bring back the glorythat the pure sciences once held in the minds of thestudents, an urgent restructuring of the entire system isneeded. These recommendations are just the beginningof a systemic overhaul process, requiring great supportfrom the government and committed individuals.The crucial ingredient for ensuring success would bean effective, mission-oriented platform for delivery.Therefore, a National Science and Mathematics Missionis proposed.98 National Knowledge Commission

Note on More TalentedStudents in Maths and SciencePure sciences form the bedrock of all appliedsciences. Advancement in sciences is a necessarycondition for future technological revolutions.While innovative science and scientific discoveries havethe potential of enabling a quantum leap in humancivilisation, pursuit of sciences promotes a cultureof open mindedness and rationality. India has a richheritage in abstract thinking and has contributed toscientific discoveries since ancient times. As Indiaventures into the 21st century and seeks to establish itselfas a knowledge superpower, it is essential that a strongfoundation in science is firmly in place. This will help thenation in building excellence in technology, achievingself-reliance and in propelling economic growth andprosperity, consequently raising the living standardsof all its citizens. Yet, as the economy progresses, it hasbecome increasingly difficult to ensure a sustained inputof fresh young scientists and educationists into thesystem. This situation has become particularly alarmingin the pure sciences. Since developing competence in thebasic sciences has a long incubation time, it is importantthat this problem be addressed with alacrity. Science andMathematics are living subjects which grow rapidly andgive rise to new areas which build on other existing areas.Therefore, they need a constant input of fresh and youngtalent. It is worthwhile to note that developing countrieslike China and South Korea have invested massivelyin science education in the past few decades and arereaping enormous benefits today in terms of economicdevelopment and global standing in science.The Prime Minister has repeatedly stressed theimportance of making Science a preferred discipline ofstudy for students and has also pointed out the needfor both a qualitative and quantitative expansion in thepool of science students. The strategy for the promotionof science education in the 11th Plan aims at (a)expanding and strengthening the Science & Technologybase in our universities, and (b) promoting excellencethrough competitively secured funding at centres foradvanced research.In this context, NKC conducted workshops and expertinterviews to analyse the issue and recommend steps toattract and retain talented students in basic sciences.A working group of eminent members representinguniversities, science colleges, research institutes,industry and NGOs was constituted to look into theideas in greater detail, and this Note is a result of thesedeliberations. Broadly, the recommendations can besummarised as better infrastructure and pedagogy,curricular and structural reforms, improved access,re-branding of science careers, massive outreach andgreater industry participation. We are glad to note thatsome recent UGC initiatives are in line with a few ofthese recommendations. We are aware that while someof the proposals below are new, various expert groups 1have previously made proposals which overlap in spiritand content with the others. They are reiterated herebecause it is felt that these proposals need fast-trackimplementation for effecting a change in ScienceEducation which is critical and urgent.ResourcesRecommendation 1: Invest in upgrading andexpanding the existing infrastructure andpromote sharing of available resourcesScience is a capital intensive subject and its pursuitrequires good infrastructure, adequate resources andregular maintenance of the same. Further, betterinfrastructure will play a vital role in attracting studentstowards sciences.Issues: The condition of basic infrastructure inmost science colleges and universities remain largelyunattractive and uninspiring to today’s high schoolstudent who has an array of other attractive options1Higher Education in Science and Research & Development: The Challenges And The Road Ahead, INSA and IAS, 2006; Attracting YoungPeople to Careers in Science, Office of PSA, 2005; Report on University Science Education, IAS, 1994Report to the Nation99

while choosing his/ her career. Basic infrastructurelike classrooms and buildings and essential laboratoryequipment deteriorate due to lack of proper maintenance.This creates a grim atmosphere for students and teacherswho are interested in pursuing pure sciences.1.1 Basic infrastructure: The number of seats presentlyavailable in good institutes for bachelors or integratedmasters in science is limited. There is a need to expandseats at entry level in science disciplines to create a criticalmass of scientists in each stream. Substantial expansionof capacity of bachelor’s program in all good institutesis required. The starting of IISERs is a step in the rightdirection and it is crucial that they succeed in setting anexample. Care should be taken that while excellence iscultivated in them, it should not lead to their isolation.A continuum of institutes in quality is needed. Whilethere are IISERs on one end, and government sciencecolleges on the other end, there is a need to startundergraduate courses at universities and other placeswhich currently offer only post graduate education insciences to complete the continuum of institutes forstudents with varying abilities. Select universities canoffer Bachelor’s honours (four year course – detailedlater) with an option to directly move to Ph.D programafter successful completion of honours.Independent but standardised accreditation of sciencedepartments and regular evaluation of accreditedinstitutions is necessary. Accreditation agenciesshould be sufficiently supported to carry out regularevaluations. This rating information will help studentsto take informed decisions when they choose their placeof study. This will also serve to direct public fundingwhere it is most optimally utilised.University departments should be generously funded andupgraded with staff and facilities. To begin with, a fewdepartments could be identified, a plan prepared for theirconversion to centres of excellence and then continualmonitoring of the progress could be undertaken. Thistask can be accomplished by either UGC or directly byMHRD. Leading undergraduate science colleges shouldbe chosen to provide them with additional assistanceand turn them into centres of excellence. Clusters ofundergraduate colleges should make a centralised requestthrough university for comprehensive funding.UGC has a provision to provide grants to theuniversities for providing financial support to thefaculty for travel or to organise seminars. This shouldbe extended to colleges with a proven track record. Infact, a comprehensive funding mechanism needs to bein place which will cover capital as well as maintenanceexpenses, work related field trips for students, supportto publish articles etc.1.2 Sharing resources: Many valuable facilities are notoptimally shared among research institutes, laboratoriesand universities. The funding agencies should promotethe formation of centres for shared instrumentation,by facilitating a consortium approach. Full-fledgedlaboratories within the campuses of our universitiesand other educational institutions can be set up.Greater collaboration should be promoted betweenresearch institutes and universities through appropriateincentives. Further, colleges which do not have adequateinfrastructure should form clusters with nearby collegesand institutes to share laboratory resources, especiallyexpensive equipment.1.3 Scholarships: The number of direct scholarshipsto meritorious students like KVPY (Kishore VigyanikProtsahan Yojana) should be increased to cover a largerstudent population. To enlarge the pool of scientificmanpower and foster research in the sciences, theGovernment of India has announced a program entitled“Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research”(INSPIRE). The INSPIRE program should be launchedas soon as possible.1.4 Autonomy and flexibility: “A university is aboutlearning that moulds a lifetime, learning that transmits theheritage of the millennia, learning that shapes the future.”While efficient university administration should facilitatethis, bureaucratic stranglehold and political interferencevitiates the academic environment, creating a war ofnerves between academicians and the administrators.Universities have to be financially accountable to thegovernment, but the academic matters should be underthe sole purview of the university bodies. At present,even academic matters like starting new innovativecourses have to be approved by the state governments.These proposals do not see the light of the day evenafter several years. Academic autonomy is essential tocontemporise syllabus and make it more relevant. Theadministration at all levels should be made transparent,professional and sensitised towards working in anacademic and research environment.To facilitate teaching in universities by researchscientists, supporting infrastructure should be createdin universities for visiting professors. Further, University100 National Knowledge Commission

and research institute faculty members should be given thefl exibility of taking sabbaticals for teaching in colleges,doing work in educational field and for popularisingscience among children, teachers and communities in ruraland urban areas. Appropriate checks and balances can beput in place to ensure that the organisations where thefaculty members choose to work are indeed benefitingfrom their participation.There is a horde of grant disbursing governmentdepartments and organisations. Researchers seekingfunds for their projects have to manoeuvre across allthese administrative hassles to get funds. A web portalwhich brings all relevant funding information togethershould be launched. Administrative problems and delayscreated by funding agencies should be done away with.Competitive process for grants should be established.Principles of e-governance should be incorporated topromote transparency in the system.Recommendation 2: Revitalise the teachingprofession to attract and retain qualityteachersThe working conditions for science teachers at all levelsshould be improved. Massive efforts are needed notonly to make teaching an attractive profession for youngscience trained professionals, but also to revive the desireto teach and inspire students in existing teachers.Issues: The base salary of teachers is low. Further,reward and recognition mechanisms do not exist. Basicinfrastructure is inadequate and poorly maintained. Inaddition, systematic politicisation of universities hascontributed to the deteriorating environment. Overall,the morale of the teachers is severely affected. Teachingis taken up by uninspired practitioners who do notcommunicate the passion for doing science. Shortageof teachers in colleges results in additional burdenof teaching load leaving little room for innovationin teaching. The practice of contractual teachingwithout appropriate remuneration has created its ownproblems. Access to good libraries, teaching aids etc. isnot available. College teachers do not get exposure tonewest developments in their fields. Academic freedomand flexibility is lacking in the present rigid system.2.1 Rewards and recognition: The teaching professionhas been severely undermined in recent years and theworking conditions of teachers needs to be drasticallyimproved. It is essential that teachers are given duerecognition for their contribution to society. Salariesneed to be hiked across the board. Rewards should beinstituted for good teaching based on student feedbackin colleges. The rewards should be given at all levelsand should be organised with sufficient publicity.Innovation in teaching should be encouraged throughappropriate incentives. The practice of instituting chairslike National Professors should be extended to schooland college teachers too.2.2 Professional development: School teachers shouldbe provided with avenues to discuss new pedagogicaldevelopments. For instance, they should be encouragedto do projects in laboratories in colleges during vacationtime. Colleges can be given separate funds to runsuch programs. School teachers should be sufficientlyincentivised to develop new experiments and activitiesto be used at school level.Teaching load in colleges should be lightened to providescope for professional development. There should be aprovision of research facilities in all colleges or a systemwherein interested college teachers can avail of nearbyresearch facilities. Access to journals and internet basedlearning must be provided. New faculty members shouldbe given lighter teaching load and a start up grant forresearch. This will enable them to establish themselvesin their chosen research area. There is a need to increaseacademic freedom at all levels. Academic autonomyis important in retaining teachers. Teachers should beencouraged and empowered to try new pedagogical tools.Flexibility is important to contemporise classroomlearning and make it more engaging.2.3 Mentoring: A mentoring program for young facultymembers should be started in universities and colleges.Experienced faculty members can mentor junior memberson issues related to starting new research projects, grantapplication writing etc. They can share tips on differentaspects of classroom teaching, like syllabus planning,managing the classes etc. Peer evaluation of teaching andexchange of ideas on pedagogy should be encouraged.Many reserved faculty posts remain vacant in the absenceof innovative or flexible appointment modes to fill theseposts. This leads to excess strain and teaching load onthe existing teachers. In addition, this has contributedto the gradual decay and death of many departmentsof pure sciences in colleges and universities aroundthe country, which were once famous for their scienceteaching. There is a need to start a systematic affirmativecampaign to rectify this situation. Young students whocan eventually fill these posts should be selected from anReport to the Nation101

early age and nurtured carefully to induct them into acareer in teaching. Special mentor programs with highlyindividualised attention should be an in-built part ofthis program.Recommendation 3: Revamp teacher trainingat all levels and promote development ofteaching aids to retain student attention inclassroomsA systemic change in science pedagogy from primary andhigh school levels is required. Teaching should be mademore inquiry based. It should raise curiosity, conveythe excitement of science and enable understanding ofnature through experiments.Issues: Unimaginative science teaching has promotedrote learning, thereby dousing the very spirit of enquirythat a study of science should nurture in young minds.Teaching is accompanied by a limited number ofdemonstrations and activities. Science is projected asan abstract difficult subject to its young practitioners.There is no effort on the part of the system to engagestudents in the process of scientific enquiry. Emphasisis not laid on thorough understanding of fundamentalconcepts. Instead, students are overloaded with moreand more information. This is also encouraged by thecurrent evaluation system and various competitiveexamination bodies.3.1 Teacher training: To help teachers keep pace withrecent advances in their subjects and new pedagogictools, there is a need to launch large scale in-servicetraining program for all science teachers. Trainingteachers is necessary because at the middle schoollevel, they are expected to teach general science coursesthough they might have received training in only oneof the disciplines. The delivery medium should beclassroom based, supported by materials based on ICT.Video-conferencing sessions can be very useful. Scienceacademies have launched such a training program,and this can serve as a model for other institutes.The in-service training program for teachers needsto be revamped. The frequency of training shouldbe increased. Teacher training institutes should bemeasured on their performance based on outcomes.Every training school can be linked to nearby schoolsfor this purpose. The performance of students can betaken as a substitute for measuring the performanceof teachers associated with the training school. Apartfrom fundamental concepts, inquisitiveness, creativity,problem solving and research orientation should beincluded in teaching. At the undergraduate level, thepresent method of faculty training conducted by StaffTraining Institutes/Centres should be reviewed andthe training system with lectures alone should be doneaway with. There is a need to revamp the Refresher andOrientation courses conducted under the guidance ofUGC. The need is to provide a platform for life longskill enhancement of teachers.Dedicated training centres can be established at researchinstitutes/universities for advanced level courses. Adatabase of good teachers should be created so that theycan be tapped for discussion forums, video-conferencingsessions and for live interactions with trainees. Lecturesof good teachers should be recorded and made availablein CDs or on internet for easy accessibility. Web enableddiscussion forums should be promoted. Teachersshould be connected with one another so that in time,teacher organisations can become leaders in developingnew teaching methodologies and make significantcontributions to content and evaluation reforms. Wellestablished associations like Indian Association of PhysicsTeachers and others like the nascent Indian Association ofTeachers in Biological Sciences should be strengthened byappropriate financial and other support.3.2 Teaching aids: With the advent of new technology,there is a need to develop better teaching aids to makeclassrooms livelier. There is an array of open sourcematerial and ICT aided tools, which can make classroomtransactions in math and science more engaging andparticipatory. At present, it is felt that neither the teachersnor students are fully familiar with these resources.Multimedia should be appropriately used, and easilyreplicable hands on activities to demonstrate scientificconcepts should be made part of regular teaching. TheHoshangabad Science Teaching Program should beemulated by the training schools to enable teachers to usethese concepts in their own schools. Virtual laboratoriesprogram should be encouraged and scaled up so thatschools which are in a position to benefit from suchexperiments have the opportunity to do so.3.3 Some external measures to raise quality of scienceteaching.• Good teachers can offer common courses in aninstitute cluster. This will enable access to goodteaching for a large number of students and providethem with an option of host of electives.• Bright young faculty should be attracted with highsalaries. This will inject much needed fresh blood inour universities.102 National Knowledge Commission

• Researchers in India and alumni in researchinstitutes abroad should be encouraged to teach.They are best positioned to convey the excitementof science.• Schemes that permit utilisation of the skills oftalented teachers and scientists, who have reachedformal retirement age, will be an important step inmaintaining standards in many disciplines, whichhave been hard hit by declining recruitments overthe years.• Universities should be given financial support toattract good teachers and researchers from institutesin India or abroad (for periods ranging from onesemester to an academic year or so) to help introduceteaching in new fields.II. Science education in schools andcollegesRecommendation 4: Restructure masters andgraduate degrees to promote career flexibilityafter graduationStructural reforms in courses are needed to streamlineavailable options and present students with multipleoptions. Preferences of students who intend to pursue acareer in research will be different from those who wantto work in industry immediately after graduation. Manystudents may want to pursue a more generalised sciencecourse while others may prefer a highly specialisedcourse focused on a particular stream. Issues: Thepresent courses of study available at various colleges anduniversities involve repetition at each level. This affectsstudents’ interest adversely. There is a need to integratecourse curriculum from senior secondary level to masterlevel in sciences. Most of the B.Sc courses in the countryfail to provide a wider conceptual base in diversedisciplines of Science and thus severely limit “interdisciplinary”capability of the graduating students. Inthe absence of extensive laboratory work, the graduatesdo not know how to actually do an experiment andwithout any self undertaken exploratory experimentalwork, they also fail to learn how to ask new questionsfor research.4.1 To bring a graduate degree in science at par withother streams, a four year Bachelors in Science course isproposed. This degree course should be aptly brandedso that it gains more significance than the regular threeyear program. To ensure the success and acceptabilityof this program, the course content must be plannedin consultation with diverse expert groups, andimplemented at institutions with a proven track recordof success. The first two years of this course would becommon for all students. The students may choose theirstreams based on interest and performance after twoyears. If the course is offered in an institute/universitywhere engineering courses are also offered there can bea provision of flexibility to move from B.Sc to B.Tech.Further, a student could also choose to take a 4 yearintegrated B.Sc plus B.Ed. course in colleges where sucha facility is available. A four year B.Sc + B. Ed. Programis a more effective training program than the currentpractice of B.Ed. after completing B.Sc. Funding of thisprogram should be given special attention. Universities/Science colleges must be encouraged to run suchprograms. If the student does not opt for B.Ed. thens/he can either do a research project in final year or takeup employment friendly modules like clinical research,statistics etc.The exact duration of the course need not be fixed butshould be based on credits. Thus, if a bright studentcompletes the requirement of all necessary credits asemester before, s/he could do additional advancedcourses in the remaining period. Also if the place s/he is studying offers M.Sc and Ph.D, there should beflexibility to start earning credits for the master’s coursessuch that the total effective time spent in B.Sc + M.Sc isreduced, and the student can directly opt for Ph.D at theend of the course. The government should encourageuniversities and IITs/IISERs/ research institutes to starta broad based undergraduate degree program in science.Based on the course credits students acquire, the degreecan be aptly named like Bachelor in Mathematics andComputer Science, Bachelor in Chemistry and Biologyetc. Highly specialised courses like Biotechnologyor Bioinformatics at undergraduate level should beavoided. Instead the emphasis should be on broad basedknowledge of various science streams.4.2 The 3 year regular B.Sc course should be reformed.In the first year, the program should include courses inall major disciplines of science, so that all students learnthe basics of “physical”, “life” and “earth” sciences. Thesecourses should advance the student’s understandingbeyond the +2 level where the focus is more oninformation due to limited evaluation methodology.“Deficiency” courses may need to be planned for thosewho have not studied Mathematics or Biology at the+2 level. In the second year, a student may select threemain subjects; however, about 15-20 per cent of creditsshould be earned through courses from other streams(e.g. a student of “Physics/Maths” stream may takeReport to the Nation103

some courses in Biological/Earth sciences and viceversa.In the final year, the student may select onesubject (Major subject) out of the three studied inthe second year. Again, 15-20 per cent credits shouldbe obtained through courses in other streams. Theseshould also include courses designed to improve “skills”like computer programming, statistics, instrumentation(optical/electronic) etc.All science courses must include 30 to 40 per centcredits in laboratory and field work (where applicable asin Earth sciences and some areas in Biological sciences)and the laboratory exercises should be planned in such amanner that students have opportunities for “hands on”training, and a certain proportion of practicals should be“open-ended” so that students can learn to be innovative/exploratory. The “open-ended” exercises may also be inform of “projects”, which should include, besides theactual study, preparation of a formal report. Care mustbe exercised to ensure that the practicals do not become“rituals” or “demonstrations”, and project reports do notget replicated from one batch to the next.It is also desirable that language courses are introduced,at least from the viewpoint of presentation of data etc.in scientific reports/papers. In addition, the studentsshould also be encouraged to take some extra credits incourses in other faculties, like Arts, Social Sciences etc.to develop a more integrative personality. To encouragecommunication skills, each student should be requiredto give at least one seminar on a current topic in thefinal year of B.Sc.4.3 The integrated M.Sc offered by many institutesshould be made more flexible. The program shouldoffer more elective choices for students. The programshould be restructured so that the students have theoption to pursue a part of their training outside themother institute. This is being followed successfully ininstitutes like BITS Pilani. Further, a student shouldhave the flexibility to major in a science stream andobtain a minor in engineering or technology or anotherscience stream. The program should have the provisionto be integrated with the Ph.D program offered by theinstitute so that the effective time spent in B.Sc + M.Sc+ Ph.D reduces. Also the integrated M.Sc should havea provision of exit for a student after 3 years with aB.Sc degree. As an integrated M.Sc course by its verynature will have a major interdisciplinary component,it should be run in institutes or universities which havethe infrastructure to provide such flexibility. Studentsshould have the option to study a wide variety of subjectsbefore choosing their thesis topic. A cluster of institutesin the same locality can come together to present andoffer such a bouquet of courses.4.4 Premier engineering institutes should be encouragedto offer a combined master’s degree in technology andsciences to lure some students to sciences. Flexibilityto change streams from engineering and medicine tosciences and vice versa should be built in. Masters anddoctorates in pure sciences should be open to graduateengineering and medicine students. Remedial coursescan be run by premier institutes to bridge the gap in theknowledge of professional degree students. The BITS,Pilani model is worth studying in this context. Frequentinteractions with students of engineering and medicalstreams are important to expose and enable studentsto contribute to interdisciplinary research. Interactionscan be planned in the form of research projects, studentseminars and conferences on recent advances in eachdiscipline where participation is open to all.Recommendation 5: Reform the sciencecurriculum content in line with the changingworld and increase research component at alllevelsThere is a need to change the balance of content infavour of hands-on activities and research at all levels.Increase in experimental learning will increase studentinterest in science. Content development activities alsoneed to be altered to cater to all segments of studentpopulation.Issues: Firstly, the curriculum load at school level hassignificantly impacted the understanding of fundamentalconcepts. Inflexibilities in the course curriculum, lackof application oriented content and poorly designedlaboratory courses have made sciences unattractive.Secondly, emerging technology has reshaped andcontinues to reshape every discipline rapidly. Competitiveadvantage will rest with those who have life-long selflearning skills and humanistic grounding and not withthose stuffed with most information. Globalisationdemands individuals who can cope with exploding andchallenging landscapes of the future world. There is aneed to modify the current education system to adaptto changing needs of society.5.1 Reduction of load: There is an urgent need to reduceinformation load of curriculum at higher secondarylevel. Courses should be made engaging and not veryheavy. Fundamentals should be emphasised by providing104 National Knowledge Commission

more background and application related problems oneach concept.5.2 Content reforms: The amount of hands-on work atall levels should be increased. To make sciences interesting,local environment can be made a part of learning. Studentscan apply principles of science to solve local problems.This can be coordinated with local science bodies.Group activities, hands-on training, student seminars,project camps in summers should be encouraged at alllevels. Laboratory courses should follow a continuum.To aid learning by inquiry, more exploratory methodsmust be incorporated into the curriculum. A largernumber of experiments, kits and multi media teachingaids should be created using, as far as possible, locallyavailable materials with accompanying do-it-yourselfbooks. Most textbooks at school level do not describethe details of experiments and teachers are often not surehow to do the experiments or why their experiments fail– it should be ensured that practical manuals explainingdetails should be made available. Details about wherethe requirements /kit items can be available and expectedcost should be provided. Students should be encouragedto experiment in a creative, unfettered fashion. This callsfor changes in the curriculum, teaching and attitude ofschool administrators (not viewing labs or instrumentsor chemicals as prized possessions etc).Books should be written by teachers who teach the subjectand not by curriculum committees. A culture of writingbooks needs to be developed. Mass collaboration forcontent development should be encouraged. Thegovernment should promote Indian edition of latestbooks in science.To be ready for the ever changing scientific world, weshould develop and impart creativity training that is theability to synthesise conceptually. Pedagogy should bemodified to entail such training. To empower studentsto face future challenges imposed by globalisation, globalvision training should be imparted to students. Studentexchange programs should be increased as internationalstudents bring fresh perspective crucial for turning outglobal citizens.5.3 Increasing avenues for research: As studentsadvance in their studies, whether undergraduate orgraduate, they should be frequently exposed to peoplewho are immersed in solving serious problems in globalchange, energy and environment, pharmaceuticals,biology and biotechnology, finance, cryptography, andcommunication — again without dilution of standards.At the undergrad level, this can be done through popularscience lectures. Research institutes and universitiesshould collaborate to launch attractive programs forstudents. These specialised courses will help in channellingstudent interest towards sciences. Scientists should beincentivised for teaching. If the research institutes haveadequate teaching infrastructure, some of them canrun six months residential courses at their premisesand offer research training in the final semester to postgraduate students.Undergraduate summer fellowships should bepopularised and increased in number. The fellowshipprogram currently run by science academies and otherresearch institutes should be integrated and popularisedso that students have uniform access to information andopportunity to do a project at a premier institute.A “University Innovation Fund” can be constitutedto promote projects by college/ university researchersshowing potential for innovation. The funding systemshould be intensively peer reviewed. These innovativegrants should be closely monitored in terms ofperformance with a provision for early termination ifmilestones are not achieved. On the same lines, theCollege Science Improvement Program can be promoted.Teachers should come together to design and fabricatenew lab experiments.Recommendation 6: Radical changes arerequired in the evaluation system to encouragescientific thinking and promote betterunderstanding of basic science conceptsIssues: The present evaluation system tests memoryinstead of comprehension. It does not promote creativethinking or problem solving. The selection processesdiscount originality in thought, innovative abilityand passion for hands-on science. These elements arefar more important for a career in research. The funof studying science has been forgotten in the currentcompetitive scenario where science students are focussedat solving problems which appear in various entranceexaminations in the shortest possible time.6.1 Alternative evaluation methodologies: The systemshould move from examination based evaluation to moreopen assessment mechanisms. Memory, comprehensionand creativity should be given equal importance inevaluations. More weightage should be given to roundthe year hands-on activities and laboratory work.Continuous assessment at school level will reduceReport to the Nation105

dependence on year end examinations. If we coulddevelop a system where a holistic record of studentperformance from school to college is maintained,then this can be used as an alternative or additionalinput to entrance examinations for entry into variousinstitutes after higher secondary level.At the college level, introduction of semester system willreduce the anxiety related to year end examinations.Internal assessment should be increased and givenmore weight. Internal assessment should focus onexperimental projects which will create demand forlaboratories. This in-turn will lead to demand forbetter laboratory facilities and consequently improvedinfrastructure in all colleges. Other measures which willencourage students to go beyond rote learning are openended examinations which test comprehension ratherthan memory and open book examinations focusing onproblem solving and critical thinking. Group testing andfield-work based testing should be used extensively.6.2 Enablers: To enable the modifications of evaluationprocess, teachers need to be trained in new methods ofevaluation. Academic calendar should be strictly adheredto. There is a need to increase the teacher to studentratio to ensure better interaction and assessment. Aratio of 1:40 should be targeted. One can look at aunified National Level testing at mid school level andafter school completion to reduce load of competitiveexams on students. Another important application ofsuch testing could be to bring forth areas where teachersneed to be trained.Recommendation 7: Promote access to qualityscience educational material at all levelsTo attract more talented students to Maths andScience, it is essential to ensure access to quality scienceeducation to all students. There is a need to disseminatehigh quality educational material in local languages toassist students from non English medium educationbackground. Educational materials should be providedto all at subsidised rates.Issues: The quality of education in sciences across thecountry varies widely. Many meritorious students haveno access to quality education. There is a large sectionof student population which receives school educationin local languages. These students do wonderfully wellin the sciences till graduate level where the medium ofinstruction remains vernacular. But at post graduate andhigher levels because of the monopoly of English languagein science education, they face serious problems. Theyhave to put a lot more effort to understand concepts inthe English language at a higher level; often making itdifficult to cope with the course work.7.1 Study material: The current study material availableat bachelor’s and post graduate courses in science islimited and does not promote or enable self learningfor students. Self learning aids will increase access toquality education and hence should be promoted.Internationally available courses in different streams canbe adapted for local use. Incentives for people to createsuch material in academia should be provided so thatpeople are encouraged to take up such work willingly.Further, lectures of teachers reputed for their teachingshould be recorded and disseminated all over thecountry, enabling students and teachers to have accessto quality education material.7.2 Translation: Language should not act as a barrierin science teaching. To bring such students to levelplaying ground, apart from English language lessons,there is a need to arrange speedy and widespreaddissemination of basic science education materials inlocal languages. These courses should be designed tofacilitate understanding of fundamental concepts inthe local languages and also provide a bridge towardssubsequent studies in the English language. Resourcesshould be provided to translate the best science booksin local languages. Internet dissemination of thesetranslated books should be carried out. To aid conceptualunderstanding, science lectures in local languages canbe prepared by good science teachers capable of doingso. These lectures can be recorded and distributed tolibraries of all science teaching colleges and universitiesand made freely available on the internet. As there is anurgent need for this task to be carried, it is importantthat the right agencies and people be identified andnetworked to carry out this work in an organised andcomprehensive manner. One important factor which hasto be kept in mind while translating into local languagesis that the technical terms/ scientifi c terms should bekept in English. This will make it easier to migrate toEnglish medium teaching in sciences at higher levelfor students.7.3 Special needs of Tribal children: Early childhoodeducation is very important as the brain develops thefastest up till six years of age. In this context, specialteaching aids need to be developed for tribal children asthey are not exposed to modern technology like rest ofthe children. Motivation for learning has to be created106 National Knowledge Commission

y providing exposure to scientific developments. Tribalschools should be equipped with teachers who are trainedin pedagogical methods suited to special needs of tribalkids. They should be well versed in local tribal dialect.Science subjects should be taught in local language tillmid-school level. However, the teacher should explainfundamental concepts in tribal dialect to ensure soundconceptual understanding. Tribal dialect can be usedfor evaluation purposes too at lower levels. Nutritionalrequirements of tribal children should be taken care off.Migration is a major problem which hinders educationof tribal children. Hostel facilities should be providedfor older students to ensure continuity in learning.III. Career Opportunities, Outreachand Industry ParticipationRecommendation 8: Re-brand and promotecareers in basic sciencesThe prime reason that students opt for professionalcourses is the perception that there are no attractivecareer opportunities in sciences. There is an urgent needon the part of all science teaching colleges, universitiesand institutes to better brand the careers in science andto spread awareness of increasing career opportunitiesin basic sciences.Issues: Financial unattractiveness at all levels is a majorreason for the downfall of interest in science. The twomain occupations associated with pure sciences areteaching and research. Both careers no longer carry therespect and recognition in society as they used to. Thefinancial attractiveness of jobs in other streams pullsstudents away from sciences. Parental and peer pressurede-motivates even interested students.8.1 Current careers: Existing careers in sciences, namelyteaching and research, should be made more attractiveby providing better emoluments, security of tenure,academic freedom and facilities. Joint appointmentswithin the country and appointment of eminentscientists in such areas from other countries under longterm visiting professorships should be looked into.Ph.Ds need to be restructured to ensure better stipendsfor longer duration and secured post docs. It is vital thatall such recommendations of appointments and salarystructures have a visible component of accountability intheir implementation.8.2 Some other suggestions to attract students to careersin sciences:• Information about job opportunities for individualswith a master or doctorate qualification in puresciences should be made available on a portal.New opportunities in emerging fields like financialmathematics etc. should be appropriately marketed.Companies working in these fields should be invitedto deliver talks in science colleges.• Science colleges should collaborate with researchinstitutes and industry for campus placements. Careercells need to be established. Close interaction withindustry and research institutes is needed to projecttype, expertise level and amount of manpower.• Additional training at bachelor’s level has alreadybeen suggested for increased employability. Moremodules/ courses could be designed which preparestudents for employment in industry. Studentsshould have the choice to take such courses whilepursuing bachelors. The 4 year bachelor’s courseoffered by good institutes will dispel the myth thatscience bachelors are in any way less employablethan graduates from other professional streams.The ability of life long learning should be instilledin students. This should be marketed well to attractcompanies to employ science background students.• New opportunities in science streams need to bedeveloped. Research institutes should collaboratewith professional streams to pursue and create moreopportunities. Research in emerging areas shouldbe systematically developed. Research activities inresearch laboratories and universities needs to bemassively increased. Government should provideall possible incentives to encourage research anddevelopment in every sector of the economy.• Large research groups should be developed. Thesegroups should focus on taking an idea from basicresearch to market ready application. Such groupscan be partially funded by industry. These groupsshould look at problems which affect a largesection of society and devise plan to come up withsolutions. Young researchers should be recruited insuch initiatives. These research groups should beheaded by a well known scientist who is capable ofattracting young doctorates.• New institutes will create a demand for Ph.Ds. Astudy on shortage of skilled manpower in scienceshould be commissioned by DST. There is a need toincrease salaries in this field to reflect the shortage ofskilled manpower. More students will be attracted topursue basic sciences if they realise that the rewardsin scientific profession are not controlled by fixedpay scales but show an upward trend as a reflectionof the scarcity of talent in the field.Report to the Nation107

8.3 Trained technicians: Shortage of trained techniciansfor science laboratories has resulted in poor maintenanceof laboratories across universities, colleges and institutes.Appropriate vocational courses may be designed andintroduced in areas that can provide direct employment.This may require a good analysis of local industrial andother requirements. Some general examples are: i) Bio-Medical Laboratory Techniques; ii) Bioinformatics; iii)Computer Applications; iv) Laboratory Techniques (forPhysics/Chemistry labs) etc. These courses need to beso designed that the students may be ready for gainfulemployment. These courses can also be offered to studentswho are still pursuing their B.Sc as additional courses.8.4 Mentoring program: A structured program formentoring students in science should be introduced. It wasfelt that the students in lower classes in different schoolsacross the country are intimidated by their science andmath teachers because of the teacher’s attitude towardsthe students or the teacher’s gap in knowledge. As aresult, students feel inhibited in asking questions. Thisin turn, leads to the development of a complex, which isdetrimental for academic progress. On the other hand,if good students of higher classes, at least 4 years older,come forward to assist the younger students, the latterwould benefit by peer learning as this is associated with awith a sense of ease and freedom. The Young Instructorsprogram of Agastya International Foundation is a modelwhich could be replicated in this context at all levels. Thisprogram will instill confidence in senior students andlead to their holistic development too.The program can be started at first in schools where afew hours every week are kept aside for close contactslike informal tutorials between groups of seniors andjuniors. Such a tutorial program should be expandedlater to cover students’ questions on careers. Schoolteachers can be trained to act as career counselors.Students’ doubts regarding uncertainty in pursuing acareer in science should be effectively dealt with.Recommendation 9: Launch a massivescience outreach program aimed at studentsand their parents in particular.The declining interest in sciences is a wider phenomenonand needs to be addressed comprehensively. Large scalescience popularisation programs are needed to reestablishthe passion that science once generated. The objectivesof science programs should include:• To spark curiosity and imbibe scientific way ofthinking• To spread awareness about latest discoveries andtheir impact on society• To discuss issues related to adverse effects of scientificdevelopments• To promote science as a medium of socio-economicdevelopment• To glorify careers in science - The media, parentsand students should be sensitised to the variouscareer options and job situations available tostudents coming out of science streams. This wouldencourage more students to science and reverse thealarming trend of lack of interest in basic sciences.9.1 A large science popularisation program: A sciencepopularisation program should be launched to cover 250+ million children effectively across India. This programshould include all the objectives mentioned above. Apartfrom money, it will require committed people withvision and capacity towards execution. The importanceof this program necessitates consideration of out-ofthebox organisation and service delivery alternatives.This program should bring all popular science activitiesunder one umbrella for effective implementation andreplication of successful initiatives.9.2 Science cells, centres and mobile labs: A large chainof science talent cells should be created. Each schoolshould be funded to open a science club. A network ofgood teachers, laboratory facilities and reading resourcesconnecting like – minded students in every town/city isneeded. The school science clubs can be then networkedto the local centres of science. The local science centresshould have experimental models to demonstrate basicscience concepts. The centres would be equipped withpersonnel to explain and answer questions of students.Provision should be made to facilitate visits to thisscience centre by connected science cells. The Centrewould act as an “anchor” for the rest of the state’s scienceactivities and mobile lab programs, which would bedispersed across rural taluks. In general, the variousstate governments should facilitate building of moreengaging and interactive science parks and museums forlearning science outdoors.To tap talent from rural India, special efforts needed.Science programs for rural children should be started– book grants, computer grants etc. can be given apartfrom direct scholarship. The effectiveness of mobilescience labs in reaching rural students is very high and theprogram should be replicated across India. The AgastyaInternational Foundation’s mobile lab program shouldbe studied in this regard. A suitable public private108 National Knowledge Commission

partnership mode can be worked out where a companycan sponsor the capital cost of the mobile labs in returnfor some minimal publicity like logo etc. on the van.The Government under its Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan cansponsor the operating costs of mobile labs to reachrural schools. Such a model is running successfullyin many districts of Karnataka. Apart from mobilescience labs like in vans, such labs can also be put incoaches of passenger trains run in the interior regionsof the country by Indian Railways and in buses of StateTransport Corporations.Mobile science libraries similar to mobile sciencelaboratories can also be promoted. These should havechild friendly volumes on interesting topics includingscience fiction. Alternatively, children’s/public librariesshould be opened all over the country by the government.These could lend out books to schools and other registeredinstitutions in bulk, say 100 or more books at a time for,say a month – this could be useful since expecting eachschool to be able to identify and purchase suitable booksis unreasonable. Good books could be identified for eachstate and purchased in bulk for/by the public libraries.9.3 Local science programs: While we need to builda very strong machinery to promote sciences, scienceresearch institutes, science academies and local scienceorganisations and scientists (role models) in theirindividual capacity should participate in this task ofnation building. Science should be used as a means toengage students in a variety of extra curricular activities.Science exhibitions, science competitions and popularscience lectures can be organised by local scienceorganisations/ teachers’ association/ group of schoolsto promote application of what students learn in theirenvironment. Different ventures to encourage andpopularise science, such as mobile vans, science centres,interactive exhibits, workshops and activity centres forchildren should be supported financially.Journals and popular science magazines can play animportant role in spreading the scientific temper amongcitizens must be more aggressively encouraged, especiallyamong college going students. The country needs manymore child friendly science magazines, especially inlocal languages. TV programs like ‘Turning Point’and ‘Quest’ that were hugely popular and provided aplatform (turning point) for asking ‘scientific questions’for children and adults alike should be promoted.Science programs focused at non-metro students shouldbe launched. Local languages should be used in sciencedissemination. Scientists should communicate more tomasses through the media. A national science portal,promoting science contests etc. can be created. TheGovernment can mandate outreach programs as part ofgrant applications.The Children Science Congress organised by theDepartment of Science and Technology is a laudableeffort. Its scale should be expanded and more schoolsshould be included. Information should be madeavailable, and should be readily accessible at all highschools and junior colleges about careers in Science,and this should be publicised among the teachers atthese levels. Programs like Vigyan Manthan Yatra of theMadhya Pradesh Government, Science centre proposedby Assam Government, Science city concept of TamilNadu and Gujarat Government etc. are also good effortsand should be replicated across India wherever possible.Recommendation 10: Encourage industryparticipation in promoting sciences at all levelsIndustry participation is important in making sciencespopular. As research based industries flourish in India,more and more companies will need employees qualifiedin basic sciences. This will visibly provide more attractivecareer options.Issues: The current industry participation in scienceeducation is very low. It needs to be increased manifold.Companies need to realise that their investment inscience education is a long term investment for theirown benefit.10.1 Select companies, which employ research scientists,can come forward to offer jobs to Ph.D studentspost completion of their doctoral degree. Ideally thiscommitment should be made at the time when aprospective Ph.D student is deciding about joining thedegree program. Some industries are already doing thisin Computer Science. Industry can sponsor Ph.Ds forstudents after setting some certain minimum criteriaor it can hire students at master’s level and providescholarships to pursue Ph.D in chosen fields.10.2 Industry internships of longer duration for postgraduate students should be encouraged for studentswho intend to pursue a career in industry. This willenable them to learn work place skills as well as exposethem to latest technologies and research methodologies.Industry should also devise methods to optimally utilisethe student’s stay in their workplace.Report to the Nation109

10.3 At bachelor’s level, employable skills like computertraining, communication skills etc. should be includedin the curriculum. Undergraduates should be exposedto industry problems through seminars and popularscience lectures by industry leaders. This will engagestudents in scientific issues and motivate them to solvesome of these problems in the future.10.4 Teaching aids: Industry can participate in creatingstudy material which can be directly used by students.Self learning should be promoted at all levels. Themassive efforts required in translating science studymaterial into local languages can be undertaken bycompanies which have some expertise in this field.10.5 Industry sponsorships for science fairs, laboratories,science centres and mobile labs should be sought. Amutually beneficial partnership can be worked outbetween universities, NGOs and industries to promotescience popularisation programs. Industry shouldbe encouraged to invest in basic infrastructure andmaintaining them in universities and also in providingscholarships to deserving students. Universities shouldinteract with industry in terms of needs, employabilityskills etc. In India, a few technology companies havestarted exploring possible symbiotic relationships withuniversities in recent years. This needs to be structuredand massively encouraged. Further, if the academiadesires industry co-operation, it has to move away fromexamination orientation. Inter-disciplinary approach isneeded to handle partnership projects. This should befacilitated.10.6 Academic institutions should develop groupsat each institute which specialise in developing novelfunding mechanisms involving industry. The academiaon its part should run courses to train industry personnel.It should take up industry sponsored projects foreffective interaction. Academic institutes should inviteindustry to visit institutes and demonstrate facilities tocreate confidence in the industry people. Universities cancreate interface bodies for effective research work. Suchcollaborative work will generate funds for universities too.In short, restructuring of the entire system is needed tobring back the glory that the basic sciences once held in theminds of the students. Many of our recommendations oninfrastructure, autonomy, access, evaluation and pedagogyhave synergies with NKC recommendations on highereducation, school education, libraries, translation andopen educational resources. We have highlighted the mostimportant things which have to be in place to work thesystem around. We believe that the implementation of allthese recommendations in a coordinated fashion will chargethe system to act as a magnet to attract students towardsbasic sciences.110 National Knowledge Commission

More Quality Ph.DsNovember 6, 2008It is widely recognised that a nation’s transformationto a Knowledge and Skills Economy is criticallydependent on the original research and developmenttaking place within the country. If India is to make thetransition to a Knowledge economy, it is therefore vitalthat research and development within the country bedramatically improved. There is ample evidence thatIndia is not well-placed for this future transformation.For example, in many disciplines, there is already asevere shortage of well-trained young doctorates to fill inexisting posts in research institutes and universities. Thisproblem is likely to be even more acute in the envisagedelite new universities. The growth in the number ofdoctorates has only been 20 per cent in India in the period1991-2001 compared to 85 per cent in China 1 . Notmore than 1 per cent of those completing undergraduatedegrees currently opt for doctoral studies in India, and asubstantial number of students prefer to go abroad. Toaddress these problems, there is a pressing need for urgentgovernment policy interventions, including high priorityinitiatives to attract, nurture, and retain the country’s bestyoung minds in academia and research.With this objective, the NKC conducted a wide-spreadinvestigative survey across the country and abroad.Workshops and consultations were also held with otherstakeholders from industry, research institutes anduniversities. The attached note on ‘More Quality Ph.Ds’,identifies the critical issues and discusses the remedialsteps in detail. NKC recommends the following toimprove the quality and quantity of Ph.D students inthe country.1. Launch a national publicitycampaign to attract the bestyoung minds for careers inteaching at all levels, and alsoacademic researchOne of the casualties of the expanding market economyhas been the devaluation of the academic profession as awhole, and this is now seriously affecting the desirabilityof this profession. Specific measures for addressing thisproblem include:-• Enhancing the prestige, social-standing andremuneration of people in the academicprofession• Systematic and targeted initiatives to unleashthe potential of gifted students outside theurban population centres• Utilisation of current technology to providegreater access to quality learning at all levels,and bridging the language gap• Increased coverage in the media of different facetsof teaching, research and academic achievements,both nationally and internationally2. Initiate major academic reformsin universitiesThroughout the world, universities are the naturalhome for the interface between teaching and research.But this is far from reality in the vast majority of Indianuniversities. In fact, the overall current situation inIndian universities is dismal largely due to the lack ofquality infrastructure and the inability to recruit goodyoung faculty and gifted students. Some concreteinterventions for improving the situation include:• Urgent Regulatory reforms in HigherEducation, reducing regulation while improvinggovernance; the details have been articulated byNKC in its earlier recommendations on HigherEducation• Greater autonomy for departments withinuniversities to introduce new relevant courses,along with encouragement and rewards forinnovation in teaching and research• Identifying and supporting universitydepartments as Centres of Excellence• Greater flexibility and increased funding foruniversity departments to recruit and retaingood faculty from across the world1“Measures of Progress of Science in India”, Report by NISTADS 2006Report to the Nation111

• Periodic peer reviews of departments in theuniversities• Encouraging recruitment of capable and talentedyounger faculty3. Implement administrativereforms in universitiesIt is equally important that reforms in the administrationof universities accompany academic reforms. This willensure professional administration of universities, andhelp in attracting students and good faculty. These reformsshould include the following:• Ensuring a capable administration headed byan able Vice Chancellor and Registrar; theseappointments should be based on academicand administrative credentials• Increasing efficiency and transparency inuniversity administration at all levels• De-politicisation of appointments and moreadministrative autonomy• Better systems for monitoring and maintainingthe physical infrastructure, especially buildings• Sensitising the administration towards academicfreedom and the academic needs for a goodresearch environment4. Enable research environmentsin universitiesAcademic reforms and better infrastructure should gohand in hand with nurturing and sustaining a researchenvironment. Some key enablers for this are:• Mechanisms for greater academic co-operationbetween universities and research institutions;in particular embedding research institutes(granting sufficient autonomy) within universitycampuses• Providing access to digital media in universities,in parallel with funds for better libraries andlaboratories• Focused engagement towards makinguniversities a natural home for research as wellas teaching5. Set up more qualityundergraduate teachinginstitutions across disciplinesDedicated researchers involved in direct training ofthe students at the undergraduate level create a greaterimpact. Most of the universities or elite institutionsin the country are currently involved in training forthe Masters or Ph.D degrees. However, it is nowwidely recognised that the students emerging from theundergraduate programs are ill-prepared for a researchcareer. The following steps are proposed to address this:• Introduction of well-planned four-year courses toenable direct entry into Ph.D programs• Encouragement of various measures to ensuremultiple sources of input of talented people intothe academic profession• Credit portability across a network of institutions6. Increase funding for education atall levels and for R&DEven in the developed countries, it is fully acceptedthat long-term investment in education and increasedspending on R&D is necessary to maintain the leadin cutting-edge research. This is even more relevant inIndia today. NKC proposes the following measures:-• Strengthening of education at the school level,with particular focus on teacher training• Creation of effective monitoring and assessmentmechanisms, nimble enough to measureoutcomes and adopt new strategies• Consulting stakeholders in making policydecisions7. Rejuvenate doctoral programsacross disciplinesWhile the above recommendations are aimed atattracting potential doctoral students and enabling aresearch environment, it is vital that prospective doctoralstudents are chosen with sufficient care. The followingmeasures are proposed with this objective in mind:-• A review of the whole selection procedure andmonitoring process for graduate students• Multiple pathways for entry to a Ph.D programwhile maintaining entry standards• Support for quality research in Arts, Humanitiesand other areas• Support and promotion of cross-disciplinaryteaching and research programs• Greater exposure of undergraduate andpostgraduate students to cutting edge research8. Ensure quality of doctoralwork and academic research ininstitutionsAt the same time as striving for greater influx of peopletowards research careers, institutions must ensure thatthe research undertaken matches global quality in the112 National Knowledge Commission

elevant field. In addition, the graduate programs shouldbe continually reviewed so as to make them vibrant,challenging and internationally relevant. Here are somesteps to be taken in this regard:• A preliminary vetting of the synopses of thetheses followed by rigorous external examinationof doctoral theses• Broad funding for the organisation of andparticipation in workshops, seminars andsymposia, in India and overseas• Encouraging doctoral students to teach,with remuneration provided via TeachingAssistantships• Wider dissemination of research work, especiallythrough current digital media in universitiesand research institutions9. Enable vigorous industryacademiainteractionIn the modern context, there is a crying need for ahealthy and enlightened co-operation between privateindustry and academia, which replaces the existingfeelings of doubt and mistrust. While industry shouldrecognise that support for education is beneficial,universities should take cognizance of the changingneeds of private enterprise in planning new courses.This could be achieved by the following measures:• A policy framework for meaningful PublicPrivate Partnership in universities, andconcerted efforts to nurture Industry-Academiainteractions• Encouraging private investment in education,research and innovation, backed by appropriatetaxation measures• Promoting collaboration between researchand development units within industry anduniversities10. Foster a global outlook in researchResearch is increasingly becoming a collective globalendeavour. It is thus necessary to harness global talentand expertise to develop capacity within the country.This is also essential if the nation is to remain aparticipant in global cutting edge research. With this inview, the following is recommended:• Encouraging NRI/PIO Scientists to establishmeaningful links with Indian institutions, andparticipate in the academic development of thenation• Creating joint Ph.D programs between universitiesboth within and outside of the country• Financial and administrative support forinternational research collaborations• Identifying important areas of research wherenational expertise needs to be developedand initiating steps for funding and capacitybuilding by way of collaborations, guest faculty,pro-active hiring etc.In conclusion, it must be recognised that investmentin education and research produces a broad range ofdividends, both tangible and intangible. Our existing basein research needs to be urgently strengthened to arrest anyfurther erosion. While the NKC welcomes the augmentedallocation for education in the Eleventh-Five Year Plan, it isimportant that these funds are effectively utilised to makea visible difference in our academic landscape. As a firststep, we urge the government to set itself a target of triplingthe existing research base within the next dozen years,and meaningfully work towards it. NKC strongly feelsthat a mission oriented approach is necessary for creatingthe required research ecosystem in the country. Hence,a National Research Mission which can be spearheadedby National Science and Engineering Research Board,proposed in the current Five Year Plan is recommended.Report to the Nation113

Note onMore Quality Ph.DsResearch is an activity based on intellectualinvestigation and has the purpose of discovering,interpreting, and revising human knowledge andexperience on various aspects of life. It is crucial for theoverall development of human society. As the economicparadigm undergoes a change in the globalised world,future economic progress will increasingly be a functionof the intellectual capital that a nation can create. Thisin turn depends crucially on the quality of academicresearch that is done in the nation. Thus, if India is toplay a key role in the envisaged knowledge economyof the world, a significant investment in research,accompanied by sustained vision and policy is vital toachieve a long term competitive advantage. While theimportance of research and development in science andtechnology is increasingly recognised, basic research inmany other areas like economics, management, socialsciences, arts etc. play an equally important role in theoverall development and well-being of a nation.Historically, India has had an enviable standing inthe world of research. However, the current situationis unsatisfactory across multiple dimensions, and thereasons for this are manifold. An important factor whichimpacts the quality and quantum of research is thescarcity of talented and dedicated manpower engaged inresearch. We need qualified doctorates for our researchlaboratories, to teach and engage in research in ouruniversities and to work for research and developmentin all sectors of the industry. The number of researchersin India was 112 per million inhabitants compared to633 in China and 4374 in USA in 2002. The growth inthe number of doctorates has been only a modest 20 percent in India from 1991-2001 compared to 85 per centin China during the same period. 1 The current state ofaffairs thus requires urgent policy intervention.Research in any area requires continuous intellectualengagement along with a passion for ideas and creativethinking. We thus need to create a system wherethese qualities are nurtured and encouraged, therebyproviding a pool of students wishing to pursue doctoralstudies. Simultaneously, it must be ensured that oncethey acquire a Ph.D, further employment opportunitiesare attractive. This is essential to justify the amount oftime and effort invested in doctoral research, even moreso in today’s modern world where there are many otherseemingly easier and more lucrative career options.While achieving a critical mass of researchers in thecountry is important, it is necessary to ensure thatquality standards are maintained at the same time.With this objective, NKC initially conducted a widespread survey across the country and abroad. A detailedquestionnaire was sent to all the universities, academicand research institutions, government agencies, andother stakeholders. More than 250 people responded tothe survey. A one day workshop was also held whereprominent members from diverse industries, academicand research institutions and universities deliberated onthese issues. This note captures the main suggestionsthat evolved from these consultations. Some of therecommendations below have systemic linkages tothe previous NKC recommendations in the areas ofeducation, entrepreneurship, intellectual property rights,knowledge network and attracting talented students toMaths and Science.Part A: Attracting potential doctoralstudentsIn order to sustain research in the long term and for itto flourish, creating a critical mass of researchers andacademics is of the foremost importance. Serious policyinterventions are required to ensure that this is achievedwithin a specified time frame in the country.Recommendation 1: Create greater awarenessand acceptance towards pursuing teachingand research as a career, by communicatingthe opportunities and excitement at abroader level1“Measures of Progress of Science in India”, Report by NISTADS 2006114 National Knowledge Commission

Issues: The Indian society at large, especially theyounger generation is not well-informed of the careeropportunities, excitement and freedom that a researchcareer offers. Consequently, the acceptance level forembarking on such careers is rather low.Societal pressure affects career choices significantly.A multi pronged approach needs to be adopted tobring about a change in the national mindset towardsrecognition and acceptance of a career in research.For long term wealth creation, it is important that thenation trains academics, scientists and teachers, ratherthan bankers.AwarenessMedia: The media has an important role to play inbringing about a fundamental change in attitude and inthe nation’s consciousness on this issue.• Short and engaging television or radio programsrelated to research can be aired at prime time.• News channels should highlight and publicise variousachievements of academics and other scientists.• Print and electronic media should be encouraged andincentivised towards promotion and engagement ofthe intellect.There are various other means to increase the awarenessof society at large:• Annual R&D shows can be held, where leadingresearch institutes and companies interact with thepublic, thereby providing a wider exposure.• Museums, exhibitions and popular lectures areother avenues through which public attention canbe engaged. These should be encouraged at as manyplaces as possible. For this purpose, the resourcesand infrastructure of various educational institutionsthroughout the country should be used.• Academic societies should be generously fundedand members should be encouraged to participatein the outreach programs.• In schools and colleges, career awareness workshopsand seminars highlighting research careers shouldbe held regularly.• Important academic events and visits of reputedacademics to India should be publicised and sharedwith the entire educational community throughthe use of various channels. This will help createenthusiasm in teachers, students and also acquaintsociety with academia.• Talent residing in rural areas remains completelyuntapped because of various reasons. Basiceducation and learning resource materials shouldbe made available to all. At the same time, it isimportant that targeted initiatives be undertakento identify talented students and to provide themwith opportunities for greater exposure, learningand bridging language gaps.• Women and especially their parents must be madeaware of the possibilities and flexibilities that a researchcareer offers, and should be encouraged throughtargeted initiatives towards such a career path.Acceptance• Nobel Prize winners, reputed academics and otherscientists should communicate and publicise the joyand opportunities in a research career.• School teachers play a very important role inorienting students as well as their parents. Henceteachers should be trained and engaged in thisendeavour. Parent-Teacher Associations provide aplatform where role models can interact with bothparents and teachers at the same time and increasetheir acceptance towards research.• Open competitions and projects at different levelsshould be conceptualised, encouraged and widelypublicised. Industry can be involved in suchactivities.• Recognising good research work is important fortwo reasons. It gives a sense of pride to the researcheras well as encourages others to do research. Hence,various means of recognition such as awards,felicitations, publicity etc. should be taken up at alllevels.• Higher learning, along with research andinnovation, plays an important role in developmentof knowledge areas. Its impact on society needs tobe publicised widely.• Both the monetary and non-monetary aspectsof a research career, especially the accompanyingacademic freedom and the international nature ofresearch, should be communicated to students.Recommendation 2: Expose undergraduateand post graduate students to cutting edgeresearch and engage them in serious researchwherever possibleIssues: The major decision points where a studentdecides to pursue doctoral studies are towards the finalyear of either an undergraduate or a master’s program.These students are often not well exposed to variousresearch opportunities and hence remain untargeted.Report to the Nation115

2.1 Undergraduate Research: A good undergraduateteaching program is vital for grooming prospectivestudents towards research. Currently, our educationsystem remains largely unimaginative and monotonouswith a stress on rote learning and with problems handeddown to students. Wide-ranging reforms that encompasspedagogy of teaching, curriculum and evaluation area pre-requisite to nurture and encourage interestedstudents towards a research path 2 .• Relevance and application play an important rolein attracting applied researchers, while generalabstraction and challenge attract theoreticalresearchers. Taking this into account, a judiciousmix of projects and courses may be designed,of which one kind offers an exposure to real lifeproblems from the industry, economy etc. andanother imparts foundational training in theoreticalaspects of the subject.• Courses that orient students towards research needto be specifically designed and made part of thecurriculum. An important component of thesecourses should impart knowledge on identifying anddefining problems, various research methodologies,analytic methods and presentation. Team projectscomprising of different disciplines can be introducedas an optional course for students. This could becombined with changes in syllabus that allow oneresearch-based course even at undergraduate level.• Summer internships, summer schools, workshops,competitions should all be encouraged. Excitingundergraduate research projects that can involvelarger number of students should be rolled out.The vacation period should be utilised to provideundergraduate students with a comprehensivetraining comprising of exposure to problems in ruralareas, industrial training, research project in academicor research institutions and an exposure to foreignuniversities through various means such as exchangeprograms. DST, ICSSR and other organisationscan fund a program of small research projects to beundertaken at undergraduate level, which wouldintroduce students to the actual practice of research.• Teachers need to be trained to promote research andshould be incentivised to create innovative projectswhere undergrads can participate.• Exposure to and acquaintance with frontier researchshould be facilitated.Overall, undergraduate education needs to bestrengthened in the country. Creativity should beencouraged at all levels. A continuum of qualityinstitutions from the undergraduate level in all disciplinesis required. Residential undergraduate programs shouldbe increased.2.2 Post graduate research and training: To encourageresearch and innovation at post graduate level, severalmeasures can be undertaken.• Post graduate students should be given theopportunity of spending a semester at researchlabs or other Indian or foreign universities, outsidetheir own university to broaden exposure. Thehome universities should facilitate such exposure byentering into alliances with other well establishedplaces of research. The BITS Pilani program is anexcellent example of such an initiative.• Research projects which have the potential to beextended as doctoral projects need to be encouragedat the post graduate level. Projects should be offeredin emerging areas to retain student interest. Facultymust regularly update themselves to be in a positionto guide students. Group research projects amongpost graduate students will create more interest andadd enthusiasm towards research.• Reduction of course load with a correspondingincrease in the research component for students whoshow deep interest and commitment to researchwould incite potential doctoral students.• Post-graduate courses in Social Sciences andHumanities should have a component (perhapsa full course or paper) that requires either deskbasedor field research, which could be an optionalchoice.• All post-graduate departments should organiseand hold regular research seminars, and studentsshould be encouraged to attend these. Programsthat facilitate establishing links between interestedpost graduate students and their prospective guidesshould be encouraged.2.3 Integrated doctoral programs: There should beflexibility of moving from undergraduate degree to aPh.D degree when substantial interest and aptitude forresearch has been shown at the undergraduate level by thestudent. S.N. Bose Centre for Basic Sciences runs sucha program. An integrated program covering bachelors,masters and doctorate degrees with various exit points hasmultiple advantages. It will establish a vital link betweenstudents at all levels. Networking among students atdifferent levels will give rise to new ideas. It will bring2See National Knowledge Commission’s recommendations on Higher Education,http://www.knowledgecommission.gov.in/recommendations/higher.asp116 National Knowledge Commission

much needed fresh energy into research by exposure andinduction to research at an early stage.However, many precautions need to be taken whiledesigning the integrated course, for instance• Curriculum must be planned well and subject toperiodic reviews. It should have a provision formultiple exchange semesters which will enablewider exposure, interaction and exchange of ideas.• Selection procedure should take research aptitudeinto consideration.• The program however should have multiple exit andplacement opportunities. There should be enoughflexibility provided to students so that while optingfor an integrated course, a student should not feelthat they are bonded by it for seven to eight years.In view of all these requirements, it is suggested that arestricted pilot be launched at select institutions. Thisprogram is especially directed towards science streams.2.4 Linking researchers at all levels: Within aninstitution, relations among different levels of students(e.g. undergraduate, postgraduate and Ph.D) shouldbe fostered. This could be achieved by judiciouslymixing students in projects. Apart from facilitating peerlearning, it provides a learning platform for potentialdoctoral students.A comprehensive National Projects and Research portalis highly recommended. This is essential for connectingstudents and researchers at all levels, facilitating formationof virtual peer groups, disseminating informationrelated to various projects and schemes, and providinginformation of various positions for doctorates etc.Recommendation 3: Restructure incentivesfor doctoral degree students to attract andretain them in researchIssues: The gamut of opportunities available to graduateand post graduate students today has made research inIndia an obvious secondary choice. Apart from financialunattractiveness and substantial investment of the primeyears in their lives, there is a perceived lack of challengeas well as future career opportunities.3.1 Remuneration: It is generally true that interestedand talented people choose to pursue doctoral studies.They could have easily opted for better paying careeroptions. Also, there are many more students whom thesystem fails to attract on account of remuneration issues.Thus it is important that while deciding remunerations,opportunity costs are factored in.• There should be a regular upgradation of theamount of fellowships offered for Ph.Ds, and ingeneral for the entire academic profession.• Various forms of additional compensation shouldbe explored.• Teaching assistantship to bright Ph.D studentsshould be provided to add to their earnings. Thiswould also have the additional benefit of trainingand preparing them for a career in academics andteaching. This is vital considering the currentserious shortage of competent faculty being facedby our institutions of learning.• Other possible methods could include summerprojects, summer internships in industry andinvolvement in organisational work as part ofacademics.• Subsidised health insurance, home loans etc. couldbe looked at.• Generous travel grants should be ensured.A good placement office for Ph.Ds should be givenpriority in all universities and institutions. Theyshould have tie-ups with various universities, researchinstitutions, industries at the regional, national andinternational level.3.2 Entrepreneurship: More students can be attractedto doctoral studies by providing a platform where theycan convert their ideas or research into reality. To fostersuch an environment,• Incubation centres must be facilitated and promotedin academic institutions.• Universities can offer courses on Entrepreneurship.• Mechanisms should be framed to support start-ups.While application-oriented research is important, careshould however be taken to ensure that• Traditional base of academic research is not eroded.• Intellectual property of the university is well protected.• Core values and requirements of research are notdiluted.3.3 Joint Ph.D programs with industry: To addressthe needs of people from industry interested in doing aPh.D, academic institutes should focus on networkingwith industry and work out joint programs withinterested companies. This will create a talent poolof researchers in industry. Consequently, research inprivate sector will get a boost, thereby creating attractivejob opportunities for researchers which, in turn, mightReport to the Nation117

entice many students to enrol in a doctorate program.Thus, a virtual circle can be created.The opportunity cost of pursuing a Ph.D is verysignificant for this target group. Hence, a favourableproposal needs to be designed which not only allowsbut also encourages employees to go for a Ph.D. Thereshould be Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)between the partnering institution and the industry. TheMoU could include the clause that the company paystheir salary during the period of Ph.D. The Reliance LifeSciences (RLS) model is noteworthy in this aspect. RLShas a mechanism whereby its employees may pursue adoctorate degree at Mumbai University. BITS Pilanialso runs a doctorate program for professionals. Theprogram has in-built flexibilities which attracts peoplefrom industry and simultaneously has a very strongscrutiny system to ensure quality Ph.Ds.One important factor that should be kept in mind isthat academic freedom is maintained and an enablingenvironment is created wherein prospective guides anddoctoral students from industry can interact.This will also potentially attract those bright studentswho chose to work in industry because of attractivefinancial packages.Recommendation 4: Create attractive postdoctoral opportunities to provide freshdoctorates with a valuable cross disciplinaryresearch and teaching experienceIssues: Post doctoral opportunities in India and abroadare limited. The opportunities existing in India right nowdo not stand any appeal against post doctoral offers fromabroad. The brightest go abroad and tend to prolongtheir stay as far as possible. Simultaneously, there is a lackof synergy between research and teaching experience.This is an important stage where effective interventionshould be made to broaden our academic and researchbase. Therefore, it is vital to create• Dedicated central fund for Post Doctoral Fellows(PDFs) so that senior researchers can employ postdocs for their research projects.• More flexible positions for researchers with variousinstitutions, centres of excellence, advanced researchlabs and industry.• A large pool of post doctoral fellows. Projects ofnational importance, faculty for teaching institutionsas well as private companies can choose new doctoratesfor temporary, yet financially very attractive positionsfrom such a pool. Such centralisation of resourceswill lead to better information dissemination andeffective resource sharing.Longer term offers could be made to PDFs by includingteaching as a vital component. In many universities, apurely post doc research position is not recognised asteaching experience while making faculty appointments.• Effective utilisation of the PDFs in universitiesshould be facilitated by flexible and innovativeappointment modes. This can provide a means ofupgrading university departments in general, and alsoaddressing the faculty shortage. Teaching experiencewill also increase opportunities of employment inuniversities after post doctoral work.• Mobility across organisations should be facilitatedduring post-doc tenure. A group of five to sixuniversities can be formed with an understandingthat a Ph.D of one university can do a post docat another. International peer review mechanismscan be established for PDFs. Overall, this calls forgreater coordination among universities and researchinstitutes, better sharing of resources, and forconvergence of teaching and research experience.Part B: QualityA quality degree which is universally recognised as such,and which is acquired after consistent hard work andapplication of mind both acts as a magnet to attracttalented students and inspires awe in the minds of thegeneral public. It is therefore essential that doctoralprograms in the country aspire to attain the higheststandards of excellence. At present, the quality of researchoutput in the country is completely uneven acrossinstitutions. While, it is necessary to maintain the highquality standards in elite institutions, it is simultaneouslyimperative to encourage the transition to cutting-edgeresearch in others. It is also crucial that quality in theoutput of academic research is ensured by a variety ofmetrics like publications in peer-reviewed journals withgood impact factor, academic activities like workshopsand conferences, patents, technology transfer activities etc.Recommendation 5: Rejuvenate the Ph.Dprogram and adhere to quality standards toattract talented studentsIssues: Other than the financial benefits, a key decidingfactor in making a career choice in academics is theintellectual satisfaction that one expects. The quality of118 National Knowledge Commission

esearch undertaken at a majority of institutions in thecountry is however so low that it deters potential students.5.1 Entry level screening: Usually, an entry levelexamination is conducted to ensure good quality ofthe intake of doctoral students. A prospective doctoralstudent’s aptitude and attitude towards research should alsobe considered along with other qualifications. At all times,adherence to good standards at the entry level is essential.• Multiple pathways should be used to fill researchpositions.• Flexibility should be given to universities forconducting their own entrance examinations.• A demonstrated research potential should begiven due consideration. If an applicant haspublished a good quality research paper, fileda patent etc, his/ her application should beaccordingly considered.• For working professionals, who may find itdifficult to pass an entry level test, other flexiblemethods of assessment should be put in place.• Online testing of students should also beworked out. This is particularly important toattract potential students from abroad.• Examinations• Testing aptitude for research should be made anintegral part of the selection process. Apart froma written examination, a personal interview willbe greatly useful.• Syllabus and quality of the current NETexamination needs to be massively reformed.• Unlimited attempts should be allowed to passthe qualifying examination.• As the borders between disciplines are gettingincreasingly blurred, it is important to examinethe entry requirements for lateral entry acrossdisciplines.• Adequate care should be taken to ensure thatscreening methods are transparent and objective.5.2 Pre-Ph.D courses: It is important to identify andbridge the gaps between the present and the requiredknowledge of a doctoral student. National Pre-Ph.Dprogram: In order to utilise the limited pool of talentedfaculty, a national Pre-Ph.D program of suitable duration,run by major national institutions can be launched. Theprogram would help in broadening the perspective ofa future doctoral student and also increase networkingwithin the research community. The necessaryinfrastructure for such an initiative needs to be created.• It should involve qualified researchers who shouldbe sufficiently incentivised to teach in the trainingprograms. Other distinguished speakers can also beinvited for delivering lectures.• Qualified applicants with a Pre-Ph.D degree canreturn to their respective home institutions oncetheir training is over.• The program should be tailored to cater to differentdisciplines and should include a study of latesttrends in particular streams. It should also trainstudents in analytical skills, research methodology,instrument use, dissertation writing etc.For students registering for a Ph.D directly after abachelor’s degree, the importance of a Pre-Ph.D programincreases. It would not only impart students withnecessary background training but also examine theirresearch aptitude. In an integrated doctorate program,Pre-Ph.D can serve as one of the exit points. The Pre-Ph.D degree could be recognised as a qualification toteach undergraduate courses.R&D laboratories can prepare teaching material for Pre-Ph.D courses. Lecture notes should be made available onthe internet, thereby ensuring wider accessibility. Thiswill also contribute towards greater access to qualityeducational material among students and faculty. Atthe individual level, the guides must give sufficient selfstudycoursework to students.Recommendation 6: Create effectivemonitoring and assessment mechanismsduring the course of doctoral research andencourage broader engagement with researchIssues: Research in India is carried out solely on the basisof internal motivation. Effective external mechanismswhich ensure good quality of research largely do not exist.At the same time, there are no sufficient mechanisms toguarantee broader engagement with research.To ensure effective monitoring and assessment mechanisms:• Students must be continuously monitored andmentored to ensure that the research output is ofrequisite quality. Regular seminars by students willensure that the students adhere to their researchwork plan and show progress. Regular reporting inlab meetings could be used for informal feedback.• Experimental projects should be monitored througha well maintained log book. The guide shouldinsist and regularly check whether log books aremaintained.• Independent committees can also be set up beforewhich the students make regular presentations.Report to the Nation119

Any such committee should provide feedback andcounsel the doctoral students. External co-guidesfrom industry/other institutes could facilitate a wayto ensure better monitoring.• Any mechanism used for monitoring should checkfor possibilities of plagiarism. Further, to enablean overall healthy research environment, Ph.Dstudents should be taught ethics and standards ofacademic research as part of curriculum.Before designing any new monitoring and assessmentmechanisms, it is important to identify why the existingones have failed and the lessons learnt should be takeninto account.To promote broader engagement with research:• Regular interaction among the researchers shouldbe facilitated through group meetings, researchseminars etc. At some places, lab group meetingsare held every week in which each student presentsand discusses his/her work with the entire group.• Wider exposure to research in the formof participation in international conferences,workshops, seminars etc. will strengthen thestudent’s research base and should be encouraged.• Journal clubs where students discuss articles otherthan those in their own areas of research provide ameans to broaden the academic horizon of students.• Mentoring doctoral students for meaningfulparticipation by means of poster presentations(individually or in groups), group discussions wouldprovide further impetus in helping the studentstowards gaining confidence about their research. Itwill also lead to a larger networking among peersand established researchers from around the world.Recommendation 7: Comprehensiveassessment of doctoral thesis and widerdissemination of research workIssues: Often there is no objective assessment ofdoctoral thesis, thus leading to theses of poor quality.The evaluation committee does not subject the thesisto a strict scrutiny. There is a huge problem of unevenquality across institutions, and this is particularlymarked in the Social Sciences and Humanities, even tothe point where Ph.Ds can be “purchased” on the basisof minimal work in some places.One of the fundamental requirements for runninga quality doctoral program is to have a strong facultyinvolved in front-line exciting research. It is equallyimportant that reputed examiners are appointed tovalidate the quality of output of research thesis.• A combination of internal and external examinersshould be used to make the system more robust.The names of members of the respective evaluationcommittee should be attached to each approvedthesis. It is important to bring transparency in thesystem and attention to quality.• Open defence of thesis could be mandated. If astudent fails to defend his/her work suitably, asecond defence can be planned after six months.Honourable exit options should be provided fordoctoral students.• Publications in quality research journals shouldbe encouraged. Open peer review of publicationsshould be aimed at.• Ph.D thesis should be uploaded on the internet,preferably on the proposed National ResearchPortal. In any event, open and free access to researchoutput in archives and other digital media resourcesshould be made mandatory.Alternative systems to grant a Ph.D can be explored. Aspractised these days in Germany, five published papersin peer reviewed journals should be deemed sufficientto acquire a Ph.D. This does not stipulate registration,time limit or supervision. Such students should publishin reputed and internationally recognised journals, andthese papers may be reviewed collectively by a panelof examiners (at least two from developed countriesand two from India). If a minimum of three pass thestandards test, Ph.D degree may be awarded to thestudent and should be recognised in the existing system.Such innovative and alternative systems need to beexplored and put into practice.Part C: Nurturing a researchenvironmentIn order for research to flourish, it is vital that the entireacademic system be made more conducive and vibrant.Universities are the natural homes for academic researchthe world over, and it is vital that research culture bebrought back to our universities. Other stakeholderslike industry and government can play an importantrole in this endeavour.Recommendation 8: Enable universityenvironment to produce quality Ph.DsIssues: Various compulsions in early policy makingin the post-independent era led to a large number of120 National Knowledge Commission

stand-alone research institutes. It is now increasinglybeing recognised that separation of research andteaching has been at the cost of creating a good researchenvironment in the universities. We have already lost acouple of generations of talent because of the resultingbreakdown in the university system. The presentacademic environment in many universities remainslargely unattractive for researchers.8.1 Facilitating research opportunities in universityenvironment: University reforms are urgently neededand an integral part of this should be aimed at enablinga research culture in universities. A vibrant researchatmosphere in the universities will definitely attractmore students towards research. The most essentialenablers for such an environment include the presenceof a facilitating administration, talented faculty and theavailability of adequate research facilities.Conducive administration: Often universityadministration itself militates against creatingconditions conducive to research. This is largely becauseof the centralisation of decision-making, restrictionson faculty autonomy and imposition of rigid financialrules that makes “managing” projects very demanding.Administration should be sensitive to academic needsand should aim to encourage and help faculty todeliver better results. In order to enable a favourableadministrative environment, it is essential to• Ensure a capable administration headed by an ableVice Chancellor and Registrar.• Grant autonomy in making recruitments to achievehigher standards.• Undertake steps to completely eradicate politicsand inbreeding in the system.• Simplify bureaucratic procedures to make thesystem more responsive, transparent and efficient.• Provide technical help or guidance to potentialuniversity researchers for writing grantapplications.Collaboration for sharing resources and expertise:It is vital to provide researchers with the requiredinfrastructure to carry out their research work.Universities should be given adequate funds forupgrading infrastructure. Often, the lack of funds actsas a hurdle in building and maintaining capital-intensiveinfrastructure. Hence, sharing of infrastructure withjoint responsibility of maintenance among institutesshould be greatly encouraged. For better, meaningfulsharing of physical as well as intellectual infrastructureamong institutions,• Collaboration should be formalised by entering intoalliances, signing MoUs etc.• New research and academic institutions should beco-located as much as possible.• Library facilities, access to journals electronicallyetc. should be provided freely. The upcomingNational Knowledge Network should be leveragedfor this purpose.• Top down systemic linkages from elite institutionsto universities and to colleges should be establishedand encouraged to ensure capacity building.• Joint doctoral research where students are allowedto select guide and co-guides from across academicand research institutions should be undertaken.• Research institutes can allocate sub-projects touniversities to begin with.• Inter-disciplinary projects involving multipleagencies should be explored.• UGC should promote conferences with industryand research institutes to enable conversion of ideasinto research to be implemented at universities.Revamp of Laboratories: An inseparable part of researchand teaching in Science and Technology is the laboratory.Laboratories play an important role in creating researchattitudes, arousing interest and curiosity. They help ingaining experience in scientific methods and learning theprocess of scientific enquiry. Given the current state ofaffairs, there is an urgent need to begin an interventionaimed at addressing the quality issue in laboratorytraining. It is important that even schools are providedwith good laboratories and specific attention should bepaid to lab training at the undergraduate level.A major problem with all laboratory experimentsis that they do not attempt to challenge the studentsufficiently and the whole exercise is conducted at avery rudimentary level. Vital aspects of experiments arenot highlighted for the students. The student is typicallynot involved in important areas of the experiment suchas designing or selecting the apparatus, deciding whatmeasurements need to be taken, or what variables needto be controlled. Students are given no opportunity tothink for themselves. Laboratory courses thus need acomplete revamp.• There is a need to redefine the objectives with whichexperiments in a lab are performed, so as to makethe laboratory training more concept based ratherthan ‘result based’.• It should lay emphasis on a student’s contributionto planning, execution and analysis of theexperiment.Report to the Nation121

• Error analysis, up to and including calculation oferror bars should be essential requirement for eachexperiment.• Training should include maintaining lab journalsand technical communication skills.This will help in guiding the talent towards hard-coreexperimental sciences.8.2 Changes in the university system to encourageresearch and good teaching: Both teaching andresearch should be promoted by creating mechanismswhich provide freedom, encourage innovation, andrecognise and reward good work. Good teaching playsan important role in encouraging students to pursue anacademic career and this aspect is often unrecognised.• Faculty should have sufficient resources to carryout research as well as teaching activities. Teachersshould be especially encouraged to create innovativeteaching material and for providing wide-spreadaccess.• Good working conditions are absolutely essential increating a vibrant academic environment.• Free flow of researchers between industry andacademia should be initiated. Sabbaticals to workin industry for academicians and vice versa forindustry employees should be instituted. Sufficientprovisions should be made for granting sabbaticalsto faculty for undertaking research.• Liberal rules should be looked into for providingfaculty members with the flexibility to hold dualappointments between R&D institutions anduniversities.• Flexibility in extramurally funded projects touniversity based investigators should be given sothat they can travel and participate in internationalmeetings/workshops.• There should be provisions for mentoring of youngfaculty by established scientists which involvesspending brief period at the mentor’s laboratory/institute.• To incentivise research, performance appraisalfor promotions should give a higher weightage toresearch.• A component of funding should be used forrewarding good teachers and researchers.• Separate research wing in universities could bedeveloped with as few bureaucratic hurdles aspossible. Group recruitment with a specific mandateof developing frontier areas in research should beexplored.Flexibility should be accompanied with a componentof accountability, the norms of which should beperiodically reviewed.8.3 Reduction of teaching load: There is a seriousshortage of faculty across institutions. Further, witha large number of teaching posts in colleges anduniversities remaining vacant, there is severe stress on theexisting faculty. Also, in the current system, the wholeprofession of teaching has been severely underminedwith contract teaching in colleges becoming more andmore acceptable. Teachers have no time or inclinationto participate in anything innovative which has led to alack of involvement and enthusiasm in the whole system,thereby leading to gradual decay and degradation. It iscrucial that these issues are addressed and acted uponwith the utmost sense of urgency.Some steps that could be undertaken to reduce teachingload are:• Duplicity of courses should be avoided. This callsfor greater interdepartmental collaboration at thelevel of individual institution. Inter-institutionalcollaboration to offer common courses can also beworked out by means of sharing credit.• Lectures can be delivered to a large class combinedwith tutorial sessions in smaller batches ofstudents.• Positions of Adjunct Faculty must be created andstrengthened. People from research institutes,industry, abroad etc. should be invited to teach fewcourses every semester. Services of retired professorscan also be used. This will also bring in much neededfresh inputs from outside into the university.• PDFs and Ph.D students should be effectivelyutilised in teaching or teaching assistantships.Specially, bright students should be allowed as wellas encouraged to teach junior classes.• ICT should be used extensively for teachingwherever appropriate. This will give access toquality educational material to a larger section ofthe student community.• Issues regarding new recruitment should be sortedout and new appointments should be made assoon as possible. Adequate facilities for research,seed money, housing and incentives for sponsoredresearch should be offered to attract new faculty.8.4 Data collection, organisation and access: Whilethere are numerous agencies involved in data collectionrelated to different aspects of Higher Education and122 National Knowledge Commission

Research, the organisation of, and access to these dataremain largely nebulous and inaccessible. This should berectified. It is important to recognise that such data canplay a vital role in policy issues, funding, reforms etc.Data collected should be cogently organised, analysedand made accessible to a wide section of stakeholders.We also emphasise that there should be strong, vibrantand systematic linkages in place between institutions likeNISTADS, NUEPA and the actual stakeholders in thesystem that these institutions are supposed to address.Just as the modern knowledge system necessitatescontinuous knowledge upgradation of the academicand scientific personnel, it also necessitates that theuniversity administration be continually exposed tobest management and administration practices in theuniversity systems around the world. It is thus essentialto create a vibrant and pro-active platform for the skilland human resource upgradation of the administrationpersonnel.Recommendation 9: Foster inter-disciplinaryresearch, translational research andbasic research in social sciences, arts andhumanitiesIssues: New interdisciplinary areas of research areemerging rapidly in the global context and these arenot adequately represented in the country. Almostin all important professional streams like medicine,engineering, management, law etc, actual practiceis divorced from research. Despite the tremendousdiversity, rich history and cultural heritage, crediblebasic research in the social sciences is conspicuous by itsabsence in most universities.The face of sciences, or for that matter, every disciplinetoday, is changing rapidly. Conventional boundariesbetween different streams are fast disappearing.Interdisciplinary projects and doctoral programsin interdisciplinary areas need to be encouraged topropel research in emerging areas. To facilitate this,interdisciplinary faculty options may be created.Interdisciplinary guide and co-guide combinationsshould be permitted for guidance towards a doctoralthesis. Generous funding should be provided toencourage research in new areas. Appropriatemodification of entry barriers to such doctoral programsshould be looked into.Translational research, especially in the area of medicineand engineering is largely absent in the academiclandscape. As a specific example, Medical Educationand Research lack in innovation due to the presentlacunae in the education system. This field is largelyservice oriented with less or no emphasis on research,reasoning and rigour. In order to drive innovation,it is imperative that a medical education straddlingprograms from diverse disciplines such as clinical,epidemiological, laboratory, pure sciences (physics,statistics, optics, medical chemistry, organic chemistry,cell biology, biochemistry) be rolled out in front-rankinginstitutions. An option of having a component of clinicalresearch in Ph.D programs in the natural sciences shouldbe introduced. This will require co-mentoring of studentsby faculty drawn both from a surgical/clinical/para-clinicalpool and basic biology/physical/engineering sciences. Ingeneral, translational research linking practice, field andlab work should be generously funded and encouraged.The existing regulatory structures make this highlydifficult and this needs serious intervention.The training in the humanities has to be reformulatedso as to provide a sound, but preliminary, theoreticalclassical foundation which is in the end solidly gearedtowards training the student to understand social life asit actually is. It should equip him/her to tackle its vastrange of problems in their full magnitude, reinforcedby solid and practical training in the field. Integratedcourses which allow for a creative and imaginativechoice of subjects should be designed. There could alsobe a component of Management Education withinthe Humanities stream. Integrated Masters programsin the Humanities that initiate a congruence of manycomponents ranging from communication skills,traditional knowledge systems and practices, disastermanagement, community life, local government,international diplomacy, governance and conflict, publicadministration and beyond should be designed. Thesecourses could also be made open to international students,especially from the developing world. The courses shouldrelentlessly focus on the centrality of human living, andrepresent a thorough amalgam of its constituents, withthe first two years devoted to theoretical foundations,the next two years to applied aspects, and the finalyear to practical field work. Such programs would alsoimprove the quality of work at the doctoral level.Industries probably do not have a tangible stake infunding basic research in social sciences. Hence publicfunding is vital to ensure research and progress inthese areas. It should be recognised that knowledgein these areas contributes directly to the wellbeing ofsociety and also in nurturing a sense of pride about ourcultural heritage.Report to the Nation123

Overall, undergraduate and postgraduate courses shouldoffer a wider bouquet of subjects within a credit andsemester system.Recommendation 10: Promote excellence atresearch institutes and universitiesIssues: Research institutions have maintained a lead inresearch activities in the country. However, they needto play a larger role in academic activities by means oflinkages with universities etc.10.1 Research Institutes: To promote better managedinstitutions, it is essential to groom leaders who cantake the institutions forward. Governance of theinstitution should be based on democratic principles.Wider feedback from scientists at all levels shouldbe taken. An independent Board of Governors withrespectable members from academia and civil societyshould be constituted for each institution. Transparencyin recruitment of faculty members is necessary andpromotions based on appraisals should be encouraged.An efficient administration totally devoid of corruptionshould be put in place.The research institute should be nimble and dynamic indeveloping new areas of research. Industrial consultancygroup should be developed in application researchbased institutes. This will bring in funds, ideas andmuch needed efficiency in the system. Better managedinstitutes should be encouraged to lead and mentorothers. Research institutes should be encouraged towork with universities.The interaction between research laboratories anduniversities should be institutionalised. It is importantto work towards aggregating research institutes anduniversities rather than creating new stand-aloneresearch institutes. Possible ways of doing this are toconvert research institutes into small-sized researchuniversities, aggregating various CSIR research labsunder a common university system whose strengthsare interdisciplinary teaching and research, co-locationof teaching institutions and research institutions,as between IISER and NCL in Pune. Some researchinstitutes which have outlived their utility canbe absorbed in regular universities. This will alsogive much needed access to quality research personnelat universities.10.2 Periodical reviews: A good periodical reviewsystem of departments to support centres of excellencecan be undertaken through independent accreditation,out of turn rewards, and conditional grants. Advisorycommittee of Alumni can be constituted for internalreview of the departments.Ph.D thesis, publications, patents, commercialisation ofresearch and peer review can be included as measures ofperformance review. Quality of faculty should be strictlymonitored.Recommendation 11: Establish more centresof excellence for research and teachingfrom the undergraduate level for differentdisciplines across the countryIssues: There is a serious shortage of institutions whichprovide both good undergraduate training and researchenvironment. Currently, in most of the existing centresof excellence where doctoral studies are undertaken, thefocus is largely on the Ph.D and/or Masters program.Sound training at the undergraduate level is vital forstudents wishing to embark on an academic career. Often,students entering a doctoral program at elite institutionsare found to have an inadequate background for researcheven after having completed a Master’s degree. A highquality four year program should be rolled out in selectinstitutions 3 which will enable direct entry to a Ph.Dprogram, thereby effectively reducing the total timespent on doctoral study. A new system of research baseduniversities starting at the undergraduate level focusingboth on teaching and research is essential to create theright environment needed to nurture research. Existinguniversities or research institutes may be transformed intoa smaller research based universities. Smaller universitiesease administrative hurdles. Universities without attachedcolleges have a higher chance of developing a goodresearch culture. Excellent resources and infrastructureshould be created. Also, adequate communicationchannels should be established with existing universitiesto provide holistic (broad based) education. TheGovernment has taken a step in the right direction bystarting Indian Institutions of Science Education andResearch (IISERs) in the field of sciences. Corporatehouses could be involved in starting some of these newuniversities. Research universities for thrust areas can becreated in public-private partnership mode.3See NKC’s Publication on “Attracting More Talented Students to Maths and Science”, Pages 9 and 22,http://www.knowledgecommission.gov.in/downloads/documents/nkc_maths.pdf124 National Knowledge Commission

However, some caution needs to be observed whilesetting up new research universities.• An able director is essential for developing a newinstitute.• These universities should not become isolatedislands of excellence.• Faculty will remain the most serious issue inexpansion and appropriate steps should be taken inthis direction.• Serious investigations into the existing systemshould be undertaken in order to identify the gapsand to ensure that mistakes are not repeated.Simultaneously, a comprehensive process of repair andreforms within the existing system should be initiated.This can take the initial form of identifying selectdepartments/colleges/universities with a potential forsubstantial improvement. Funds should be invested inupgrading and monitoring the progress of these. Vitalcomponents of this exercise are transparency, academicautonomy and establishment of systematic linkages.Colleges within universities which are engaged in qualityteaching and research projects should be encouragedand supported with free access to funds, investmentof infrastructure, more academic and administrativeautonomy. A useful metric for evaluation of collegescould be the placement of its students at research andacademic institutions within and outside of the country.On the whole, there should be an overall empowermentof colleges providing quality undergraduate education.Recommendation 12: Augment availablesources of funding, optimise allocation andprovide greater flexibility towards utilisationIssues: Funding remains a key issue in facilitating qualityresearch in most universities. The low quantum of funds,the cumbersome process of acquiring them and the lackof fund raising capabilities in the university/facultymembers have severely hampered growth of research.Concerted efforts are needed in funding research.Various sources of funding should thus be explored.• Large scale public funding is necessary for nationallyrelevant research projects.• Recruiting companies should contribute towardsuniversity research funds. Industries should beencouraged to sponsor and collaborate on researchprojects. Laboratories named after sponsoringcompanies can be established. Also, SponsoredChairs by industry can increase the number offaculty and researchers without any additional costto the university.• Universities should formulate strategies to convertresearch findings into commercial applications, thusgenerating funds. Alternate means like consultancy,online courses etc. should be explored. Universitiesshould also establish and leverage alumni network.• Government funding agencies should proactivelyencourage and guide faculty members fromuniversities to submit research proposals. A systemof open competition for research grants should bedeveloped.• Collaborative funding between countries anduniversities should be encouraged.To increase research funding in the longer term, alumni/corporate fellowships should be looked at. For instance,NASSCOM has developed a Public Private Partnershipframework under which fellowships could be providedto students. Collaboration with foreign universities inwhich students and co-guides get a chance to attendforeign universities has been worked out as part of theinitiative. Academia should evolve strategies to increasesuch funding avenues substantially. Such initiatives alsohave the merit of wider industry academia interaction.Primarily however, professional financial managementis needed at universities. There should be in-builtflexibility and lenient guidelines for utilisation of funds.It is also important that faculty in research institutes anduniversities are trained in the utilisation of funds.Recommendation 13: Encourage privateparticipation in research activities byfostering industry-academia interactionIssues: The two worlds, academy and industry, areviewed as divergent, because of perceived vested interests,which often leads to mistrust.It is important that there is a change in this mindsetand that new ways of establishing and institutionalisingpermanent linkages are explored. The value of domainknowledge expertise is bound to increase as theeconomy matures and knowledge gets integrated as animportant component of the economy. Industry shouldtake cognizance of this and should support doctoralprograms in both basic and applied research disciplines.Further, social sciences can contribute to innovationin business processes, and in the overall understandingand progress of the society. Industry can participate inacademic research activities by:Report to the Nation125

• Investing in infrastructure building.• Inviting students to spend a semester in industry.• Allowing people from industry to take speciallectures in universities.• Getting involved in monitoring and updatingcurriculum.• Offering research projects to people in academiaeither alone or by collaborating with other industries.• Conducting or participating in science fairs,seminars, workshops and popularisation programsetc.• Sponsoring research in universities directly. As anexample, TCS sponsors research projects in variouscolleges instead of giving one time infrastructuregrant. This ensures more than just monetarysupport and leads to healthier interaction.At the same time, academia should open its doors toindustry. Lateral entry provision should be facilitatedfor those interested in academics with a background inindustry. It should also facilitate continuing educationof industry employees by designing and delivering shortcourses. Appropriate methodologies should be developedto carry out all collaborative efforts. It is essential toclarify issues such as sharing of intellectual propertyrights. Industry associations must facilitate interactionand collaborations between industry and academia.A culture of research in the private sector is essentialto develop more prospects for doctorates and increaseefficiency and diversity in the system. To encourageIndian as well as foreign industries to carry out researchactivities in the country,• Industry should be incentivised to use indigenoustechnology.• New science and technology parks in the privatesector should provide research and developmentfacilities at subsidised rates for all companies.• Knowledge hubs should be created in each state,which should provide space and other facilities likepatent cell, entrepreneurship cell. Multinationalcompanies which aim at creating large researchcentres in India can pilot launch their operations inthe knowledge hubs. Knowledge hubs will facilitatemarket driven research and product development.Part D: Fostering a global outlook inresearchResearch as an activity requires exchange of ideas andsharing of knowledge at a broader level. In today’sglobalising world, there is a pressing need for India toprovide its students and faculty with international andmulti-cultural exposure.Recommendation 14: Attract NRI/PIO Scientists by providing attractiveopportunities in the countryIssues: Researchers often leave India for a betterenvironment that offers variety of choices, opportunitiesand intellectual freedom. Such researchers find it difficultto return back because of the absence of an enabling andnurturing system in the country.Provide flexibility in the system: Currently, the rigidityof entry in the university system repels the scientistswho might otherwise consider coming back to India.• The system should be made more flexible to encouragetalent at all levels. Respect for talent rather than“seniority” should be built into the system. To attractthe best people, it becomes important to offer thempositions that are professionally better than what theycurrently have in their country of residence.• Positions of Research Professors with advancementcapability based on research excellence and not ageshould be created. Young scientists should get equalindependence as their senior counterparts.• Adjunct positions in industry and researchlaboratories should be created for inviting NRIs.• Institutional mechanisms should be created to allowscholars to go back and forth and to freely inviteother researchers and collaborators. In case, thescientist returns back, he/she should be encouragedto continue to maintain contact with the researchersin the lab and guide them.• The system should also enable appointment atthe level of Director, Dean, Vice-Chancellors,and Technical/Scientific advisors to Union and/or State Government. At the same time, thereshould be effective monitoring mechanisms toensure accountability and to prevent misuse of suchpositions.Offer more resources and create nurturing environment:Creating a challenging and excellence-orientedenvironment with appropriate resources is vital.• Substantial amounts of “start-up funds” for settingup labs and hiring post doctoral students should bemade available to the researchers. The researchersshould also be given freedom to generate theirown funds.• A congenial environment to foster independentthinking and working is a must. This requires126 National Knowledge Commission

providing facilitating administration as well asmaintaining best standards in research.Recommendation 15: Formalisecollaboration with foreign institutions andresearchersIssues: Failure to attract foreign students and collaboratewith foreign universities and researchers has led to anabsence of multi-cultural and international exposure forboth Indian students and faculty.Collaborative programs with foreign universities andresearch institutions will encourage faculty and studentsto learn and exchange ideas and practices on latestdevelopments.• Indian scientists should be given generous travelgrants to attend international conferences. Further,they should be given adequate and comprehensivesupport to organise international meetings.• Visa procedures for research exchanges should besimplified. Just as credible business travellers aregranted multiple entry visas valid over a longerperiod, similar facilities for scientific visas can belooked into. The post of Academic Attachés invarious consulates should be created and filled.They can play an important role in facilitatingscientific exchanges between countries. Inaddition, this will also provide an alternativeemployment avenue for people with a researchbackground. Multiple entry provision forforeign researchers would also benefit frequentcollaboration by considerable reduction in thehassles of obtaining visas.• Joint supervision of doctoral thesis is one area whereco-operation should be\ promoted. Length andtype of exchange programs should be so designedthat our faculty as well as research students gainadequate benefits.• Other forms of collaboration which could belooked at are joint degree programs with foreignuniversities.• Initiatives should be taken to invite faculty fromabroad to not only give special guest lectures butalso teach partial or full courses.• A public/private non-profit corporation likeCarnegie, Ford and Rhodes Scholarships of highbrand value can be created to pay for facultyexchanges from both industry and research institutes.Individuals who are capable of mobilising fundingfor such corporations could be chosen to head suchinstitutions.• Indian Institutions should tap the benefits of multiinstitutionnetworks by participating in the goodones that already exist or by creating such platformsthemselves. The McDonnell International ScholarsAcademy and McDonnell Academy Global Energyand Environmental Partnership at WashingtonUniversity in St. Louis are examples of suchnetworks. The two academies collaborate withselect universities from across the world. Theyprovide opportunities to the partners to interact,discuss, and learn from each other by working oncollaborative projects.Many funding agencies from the developed countriesare conscious of the demographic advantage that Indiahas and are keen to participate in joint initiativesin research, training etc. Funding and collaborativeopportunities for the younger people should be widelypublicised and national funding agencies should play apro-active role in directly linking up scientists and suchdiverse international funding agencies. Collaborationsshould be based on win-win models and should facilitatea need-based, two way flow of knowledge. One mustalso ensure the following:• Intellectual property is well-protected.• Collaborations are based on synergy and not brandname alone.• Students are not just made to do repetitive workwithout any meaningful exchange of knowledge.• Students spend considerable amount of time in thehome institutions.To conclude, excellent infrastructure, favourable researchenvironment, reforms in Higher Education - especiallyuniversity reforms - and increased funding withsustained investment are all needed to attract studentsto doctoral programs. In this context, there is an urgentneed to give special attention to the dire situation of thelack of qualified faculty, and to overall spark nationalinterest and attention towards academics. Any initiativeor investment in this direction may not produce tangibleresults in the short term. However, given the enormityof the problem, further procrastination will only leadto greater damage of the system which will renderfuture repairs vastly more expensive, both financiallyand academically. Hence it is imperative that theGovernment acts with a sense of urgency and embarkson the remedial path immediately.Report to the Nation127

Creation ofKnowledgeNational Science and Social Science FoundationLegal Framework for Public Funded ResearchIntellectual Property Rights (IPR)InnovationEntrepreneurship

National Science and SocialScience FoundationNovember 28, 2006Indian scientists made significant contributions to theadvancement of science and technology in the 1950sand 60s. This was possible because of the supportsuccessive governments extended to science education andresearch. Numerous research and development institutionswere established across the country. However, over theyears, in spite of continuing government support, both thequality and quantity of the research output from India hasbeen on the decline. It is necessary to examine the reasonsfor this decline and implement remedial measures.One widening realisation of the last few decades hasbeen that knowledge is a continuum and the boundariesbetween disciplines are increasingly becoming blurred,tenuous and indefinable.The following major causes for the current crisis inIndian research deserve attention:• Lack of interaction: There is very rigidcompartmentalisation of natural and social sciences;as a result, there is little or no interaction betweenresearchers in natural sciences and social sciences.• Lack of long-term vision: Research topics of longterm relevance and importance are not taken upas support tends to be for the duration of three tofive years because of our planning process.• Lack of differential remuneration: The principleof differential remuneration based on performanceand output is not followed to reward those whoperform well and chastise those who do not.• Lack of scientific methods: Current teachingmethodologies at school, college and university levelsdo not inculcate a scientific temper in the students.NKC is aware that the Science Advisory Council hasrecently suggested the establishment of a NationalScience Foundation to address some of these and otherissues confronting research. It supports this suggestion,with some modifications that will make the solutionmore comprehensive and practicable.NKC feels that in view of the disappearing boundariesbetween various disciplines of knowledge and knowledgeemerging as a continuum, India should set up a NationalScience and Social Science Foundation (NSSSF) whichwill look at all knowledge as one seamless entity. Wewill be the first country to set up such an avant gardeorganisation – and rightfully so, given our 5,000 yearoldtradition of broad-based knowledge.The objectives of the proposed NSSSF will be to:a) Suggest policy initiatives to make India a leader inthe creation and use of new knowledge in all areasof natural, physical, agricultural, health, and socialsciences, with emphasis on those areas which cutacross traditional disciplines;b) Ensure that science and technology are maximallyused for betterment of the lives of our people;c) Develop a scientific temperThe Governing Board of the Foundation should havea Chairman, a Vice-Chairman and 8-10 members. TheChairmanship and Vice-Chairmanship of the NSSSFshould rotate between the sciences and the social sciences,ensuring that if the Chairperson is a scientist, the Vice-Chairperson should be a social scientist, and vice-versa.The Chairman, Vice-Chairman and members of theGoverning Board should be appointed by the PrimeMinister and should satisfy the following criteria:• High level of professional competence.• High national and international reputation.• Professional and personal integrity and honesty thatare beyond reproach.• Evidence of absence of any bias or prejudice.• A strong social commitment, loyalty to the country,and concern for others.• Commitment to social, professional and financialaccountability.• Someone who combines erudition with articulation.• Courage of convictions.• Ability to listen to other people’s views and modifyone’s own if reason demands that.The budget of the NSSSF should be Rs 1,250 crores ayear; which will allow it to fund between 200 and 400Report to the Nation131

outstanding, long-term (5-10 years), extremely carefullyselected projects that have the potential of making Indiaa leader. We should expect at least a 20 per cent successrate. The NSSSF should work towards having at leastthree to four Indian scientists and/or social scientistsproduce work in six years which should be worthy of aNobel Prize. The NSSSF will set up a worldwide reviewsystem involving some of the best known scholars aroundthe world for approval of the projects that it supports.The project-funding activity will, however, be only one(though a major one) of the activities of the NSSSF.Some of the major activities and responsibilities of theNSSSF will be to:• Identify major unsolved problems in various areasof science and social sciences and individuals,groups and/or institutions who can work on themto provide India leadership.• Identify and set up studies on (a) relationships ofscience with other areas of human concern such aseconomics, sociology, politics, art and literature,and vice versa, and (b) social, economic, political,legal, moral and ethical implications of advances inscience and technology.• Identify and set up studies on futuristicinterdisciplinary areas in real time.• Recommend steps that would help inculcate ascientific temper amongst the people of the countryas envisioned in the constitution.• Help the Government to set up systems that wouldremove bureaucratic hurdles, increase professional,social and financial accountability; and recognisethat creativity in science and social sciences like inall creative endeavors is non-hierarchical.• Identify and set up studies to find solutions to theproblems of the poor and the underprivileged bytranslating the advances in science and technology.• Recommend strategies (scientific, technological andsocial) that would provide additional employmentin the rural sector and help set up mechanisms fortheir implementation with the co-operation ofGovernment, industry and NGOs.• Recommend steps for optimising the use of ournatural resources (including marine resources).• Help set up systems for documentation,standardisation where necessary, validation anduse of our traditional knowledge. Ensure that thecustodians and providers of such knowledge andwisdom are identified, are involved in the process,and share benefits accruing from the use of suchknowledge.• Set up policies for international co-operation inscience and social sciences.• Serve as a platform for the coming together ofvarious departments, organisations and agencies ofthe Government that are concerned with scientificand social science research and related developmentalwork, to optimally utilise their collective knowledgeand capabilities.• Set up a mechanism for close interactionbetween state-funded scientific and social scienceorganisations, private sector and responsible andeffective NGOs.• Set up a system that would ensure that appropriatecredit comes to India, the Indian institutions andthe Indian scientists and social scientists for theirwork, and that their work is duly publicised inand outside India (e.g. through our embassies andmissions).• Formulate ethical guidelines for administration ofscience, doing science, communicating science, andusing science; and a system of punishment when thoseguidelines are compromised. Set up similar guidelinesfor social sciences.• Recommend setting up of new organisations orinstitutions that would help advance these objectivesand close down existing institutions which haveoutlived their utility or are not functioningsatisfactorily.• Prepare and present to the Government of India,periodic reports on the state of science and socialsciences in India in the global context, and suggeststeps that may be taken to improve it.132 National Knowledge Commission

Legal Framework forPublic Funded ResearchJanuary 16, 2007The National Knowledge Commission whiledeliberating on issues related to the creationand application of knowledge recognises theneed to provide impetus to government funded researchand to translate this knowledge into relevant and usefulapplications to benefit the widest cross-section ofpeople. NKC’s consultation with diverse stakeholdershas revealed that there is a need to provide incentivesto increase innovations, collaborations, licensing andcommercialisation.It is therefore recommended to enact legislation thatcreates a uniform legal framework for the governmentfunded research and gives universities and researchinstitutions ownership and patent rights. This will createan enabling environment for them to commercialisesuch inventions through licensing arrangements whereinventors would also be allowed to receive a share ofthe royalty. Conferring ownership rights on universitiesand linking such ownership with the patent system andthe market, will make research more attractive and inthe process bring about a radical change in the researchlandscape in India. The proposed enactment couldalso incorporate important safeguards for exceptionalcircumstances where the government could be given‘march in rights’ to protect the public good.Uniformity of policy for inventions generated out ofgovernment-funded research will provide incentives tovarious stakeholders as follows:• Government: The government could retain the rightto a non-exclusive, non-transferable, irrevocablepaid up license to practice the invention throughoutthe world. It could also have the responsibility andpower to monitor the implementation of the act bya provision that requires concerned parties to reportto the government on an annual basis on matterspertaining to utilisation of the invention. Since thepatent applications would be filed and owned bythe relevant institutions, the government would bespared from bearing the costs of filing applications.The government could also be given the right toown the invention where the party decides notto retain title or fails to file the requisite patentapplication. Finally, ‘march in rights’ accorded tothe government in certain situations involving thepublic good as well as exceptions for circumstancesinvolving, inter alia, national security and defenceimperatives would help assuage fears on the same.• Universities/R&D: For universities and researchinstitutions, revenue generating incentives lie inownership and control over the fruits of researchgenerated out of government funds. This shouldencourage filing patents in their own name andentering into commercialisation processes withindustry. Further, the inventor, through profit sharingof royalties from licenses, would also get rewardedaccordingly. The proposed enactment could alsoprovide that the balance of any royalties or incomeearned after payment of expenses, be ploughed backfor scientific research and education.• Industry: A higher degree of industry participationin university research will result due to clear legaltitle, a uniform legal regime for all governmentfunded research, commercial gain throughcollaborative arrangements, opportunities to obtainexclusive licenses and new businesses opportunitiesfor the new inventions.• People: Finally, the taxpayer, whose resourcesare used in government funding of research, willalso get the benefit of inventions, in the form ofproducts and services once they are commercialisedand made available in the market.Issues that need special attention in drafting theproposed legislation are:• Calculating exact ratios in which revenues will bedivided and the percentage made available to variousstakeholders including the actual inventor• Understanding national security implicationswhere they arise and carving out exceptions in suchsituations• Identifying specific guidelines, rules and existingprovisions of laws that need to be overridden tobring a uniform legislation in place for inventionsarising out of government funded researchReport to the Nation133

• Establishing the precise nature of various licensingarrangements as well as conditions governing thegrant of exclusive licenses where applicable• Clarifying situations requiring the invocation of‘march in rights’ for government intervention andclarification of exceptional situations to the generalright of ownership• Determining whether plant varieties come underthe scope of ‘inventions’ in light of India’s ownpatent and plant varieties, legislation and analysingthe relationships between the proposed act andIndia’s own patent and plant varieties actsThere are precedents for such legislation such asthe American enactment entitled the Patent andTrademark Law Amendments Act, enacted in 1980and commonly known as the Bayh-Dole Act. It isperhaps significant to note that in the United States,before the Bayh-Dole Act was enacted, the country’sfederal agencies owned about 28,000 patents, outof which only 5 per cent were licensed to industryto develop commercial products. Subsequent to theenactment of the said act, there has been a massiverise in the number of patents filed by and grantedto universities, the number of universities involvedin patenting and licensing of inventions and in thenumber of new companies that have been set up onthe basis of new inventions licensed by universities.There have also been innovative breakthroughs in theform of inventions, technologies and processes, arisingfrom university research. Economic activity of a scalerunning into billions of dollars has been generated,further creating new jobs in the economy.In NKC’s view, introduction of legislation generallyalong the lines of the Bayh-Dole Act, while keepingin mind India’s specific interests, is necessary to helpscientific research develop far reaching innovations,generate employment and function as a vehicle ofsignificant economic growth.134 National Knowledge Commission

IntellectualProperty RightsOctober 15, 2007Anation’s future and its ability to compete inthe global market depend greatly on how itgenerates new ideas and innovates in scienceand technology. Intellectual Property creation andprotection are critical issues in global knowledge basedcompetition. Countries like China, Japan and Koreahave improved their respective IPR systems throughintense capacity building efforts, with a view toachieving greater innovation. It has become imperativefor India to scale up efforts to build a world class IPRinfrastructure and ensure that IPR is used in the bestnational interest for more extensive innovative research,technology transfer, wealth creation and overallbenefit of society. NKC’s consultations with variousstakeholders have helped to identify some key areas thatwill facilitate such systemic reform. Some of these areasinvolve the granting of product and process patents, inwhich both the configuration of the state mechanismfor patent examination and the systematisation of asubstantive perspective of patent examination keepingboth treaty obligations and national interests in mindare crucial issues. Other critical areas involve alternativenon-patent modalities for the creation and sharing ofknowledge and inventions. Below, one area, namely, theconfiguration of the patent examination mechanisms,is discussed, with some reference to allied issues inpatent utilisation.1. Modernisation of IP Offices1.1 The processes in the IP offices need to becomemore accessible and user friendly and therefore, theultimate objective of all efforts to modernise thepatent offices must be to facilitate more transparencyand procedural ease for the inventor as well as thecommon man. NKC is aware of the initiativesproposed by the Ministry of Commerce andIndustry in this regard, especially those pertaining tomodernisation of infrastructure, computerisation,digitisation, e-filing, re-engineering of procedureswith information technology integration, humanresource development, efficiency, transparencyof procedures and creation of an operationalenvironment of global standards. The need to besensitive to the needs of the everyday citizen iscrucial if the IP offices have to transform themselvesinto service providers delivering solutions with thegreatest efficiency and highest quality standards. Inthis respect, some suggestions are as follows:• The patent offices must be adequately e-enabledin real time with adequate search facilities so thatall its transactions are transparent and publiclyaccessible.• The examination procedures, practices anddecisions in the IP offices should be streamlinedand consistent• A new detailed and clear manual of the examinationprocedure and practice, accompanied by full textversions of all the relevant IP laws of the country,should be created, periodically updated and madeavailable to the public, in soft and hard copy.Interested stakeholders, particularly including civilsociety as the major stakeholder, must be involved inits preparation This is particularly important sincenew Indian patent examination procedures willneed to be devised keeping both treaty obligationsand national interests in mind, and the creation ofan adversarial process of patent examination will becrucial in these procedures.• There must be an educational section for publicawareness on IP (including the current status of IPlaw on various topics) made available in the publicdomain in all official languages of the country.• The patent granting procedure must involveadequate web based notification of an applicationwith complete details to give sufficient opportunityfor any pre-grant objections to be filed. It isparticularly essential to provide e-access in real timeto all steps of a patent application, from the detailedpatent description, examination reports at each stageand all amendments introduced at various points,in order to maintain complete transparency.• There is urgent need to develop a comprehensivepatent database that provides the latest informationon patents, including patent applications anddecisions of patent offices. At the same time,Report to the Nation135

the patent offices must have access to relevantinternational databases and search engines,including databases with prior art literature.• To achieve the best global standards in qualityand access, the IP offices should aim to becomeInternational Search Authority (ISA) andInternational Preliminary Examination Authority(IPEA) under the PCT and to this end, aimto conform to the PCT standards in respect ofpossession or access to minimum documentation,number of administrative and technically qualifiedstaff and IT support systems.• Efforts should also be made to develop quantifiableindices for measuring, monitoring and managingquality and efficiency.• To ensure that the services of the IP offices reachthe common people engaged in rural technologies,artisanry, crafts and traditional knowledge, thereshould be special schemes and establishments inthe patent offices to deal with claims involving thecreation and protection of traditional knowledgein its various forms. Since ensuring effective andcompetent legal representation is a critical problemfor such groups, mechanisms should be evolved thatincentivise such representation by the best patentlawyers in the country.• For each sector of highly technical patents, it maybe necessary to constitute specific empoweredcommittees of experts as part of the patentevaluation process in the patent office to decide onthe suitability of granting a patent, in accordancewith the provisions of the law. These committeesmust adhere to strict time bound procedures ofexamination and sufficient safeguards must also bemaintained to ensure confidentiality and preventany subversion of the process.2. Incentive Mechanisms to Attractand Retain Quality Talent2.1 An incentive driven system of human resourcesmanagement, including fast track career structuresfor deserving staff should be developed within theIP offices to attract and retain competent personnel.As the IP Offices will be competing with theprivate industry to attract qualified scientists andengineers, they will need to reach out proactivelyto institutions of eminence. Candidates applyingfor the post of a patent examiner must be tested ona combination of skills, such as scientific/technicalknowledge, practical experience of such knowledge,critical analysis, written and oral communicationskills and problem solving. Further, to ensure theavailability of trained personnel in all technologysectors, the appointment of such personnel shouldbe done periodically in a manner that ensuresadequate proportional representation of each sector,by considering as an illustrative benchmark, thevolume of applications and grants in the sector.2.2 In order to deal with the existing problem ofattrition of trained examiners to scientific/technicalinstitutions and the private sector, FlexibleComplementing Scheme which has been applied toscientific and technical group “A” posts should also beimplemented for the technical staff of the IP Offices.Furthermore, pay scales of patent examiners shouldbe increased for those who successfully undergoIPR training. Additionally, a fast track career shouldbe provided to examiners who consistently performexceptionally better than average. To this end, atransparent annual confidential reporting systemshould be introduced. In this context, it is importantthat performance in IP offices must be measured onthe basis of turnaround time for applications anddecisions as well as the sustainability and tenabilityof the decisions made, and not on the basis of therate of rejection/acceptance of applications.3. Training and Human ResourcesDevelopment for IP Offices3.1 There is need to intensify IPR training efforts in theIP Offices and Intellectual Property Training Institute(IPTI), including induction sessions for new staff,mid career courses and regular exposure to globalbest practices in IPR, wherever available, keepingin mind the best national interest. At the sametime, there must be relevant safeguard proceduresin place to avoid potential conflict of interest issuesbetween trainer and trainee. The overriding aim ofIPR training is to ensure legal and technologicalcompetence consistent with the best internationalstandards. For training of IP Office personnel, anin-house Professional Development Committee(PDC) should also be formed. The PDC shouldidentify training requirements of the IP Officesand collaborate with IPTI to impart up-to-dateIP training. Steps could also be taken to inviteIndian scientists located in India and abroad whohave experience in patent examination processes toparticipate in training initiatives with Indian patentexaminers. However, in-country expertise mustbe urgently developed for training and sensitising136 National Knowledge Commission

IP regulatory staff in the new India-specific treatycompliantpatent examination procedures that willbe required for the new IP offices.3.2 The IPTI should, with active involvement fromstakeholders, prepare a comprehensive inductiontrainingcourse for new patent examiners onvarious IP topics such as patent searches (includinginternational databases), substantive requirementsfor patentability of an application, examinationprocedure as well as drafting of objections to thegrant of a patent, where a list of standard clauses ofobjections could be developed. Such a course couldbe of duration of three/six months. The coursematerial should be standardised and could be madeavailable on the Intranet. Once again, procedures formaintaining the adversarial nature of the new Indiaspecifictreaty-compliant patent examination processmust form a major component of these programs.After the completion of the induction-trainingprogram, a senior patent examiner could be assignedto each examiner as a training officer who would actas a mentor by supervising work, providing furthertraining on a case-by-case basis and eventually reportingon the work of the examiner. Such training could lastfor a period of about six months. The IPTI should alsoprovide advanced level courses in examination andinternational IPR issues after about a year to eighteenmonths, including courses on pre-grant and post-grantopposition procedures.The IPTI should also collaborate with legal associationsand organisations to set up specialised certificate anddiploma courses in IPR and hold qualifying examinationsfor a patent attorney to act before the IP Offices. Thiswould ensure that highest professional standards aremaintained. Appropriate public private partnerships(PPPs) could also be evolved for this purpose.4. IPR Education and Developmentof IPR Cells4.1 Educational efforts on IPR must go beyond theIP offices and reach out to scientists and engineersworking in national research institutes, universities,industry, the Bar, as well as to researchers andstudents, not just in the metropolitan areas but alsoin the smaller towns and rural areas of the country.Law schools throughout the country must alsodesign specialised up-to-date courses and programson IPR and the process of creating faculty chairson the subject must also be intensified throughbetter incentives for academia. Business schoolsalso need to incorporate IPR dimensions in theircurricula.4.2 There is also an urgent need to set up IPR Cells inmajor scientific and educational institutions in thecountry with trained staff, competent in the lawand technical aspects of relevant disciplines.5. Establishment of A NewInstitution for Cutting EdgePolicy Expertise5.1 The sheer complexity and scale of IPR capacitybuilding for the 21 st century require an independentworld-class institute exclusively devoted to thefield of IP. Once established, a National Instituteof Intellectual Property Management (NIIPM),located in New Delhi, would be responsible forimparting training on a regular basis to variousstakeholders, conducting cutting edge research,serving as a think tank to advise the government onIPR issues as well as conducting public awarenesson IPR. Crucial parameters to set up the NIIPMinclude the establishment of an infrastructure ofinternational standards, development of humanresource expertise and aspects relating to finance.Initially, the NIIPM could be funded by thecentral government. Gradually through publicprivate partnerships and other innovative financialmechanisms, the revenue generated from trainingprograms would aim at ensuring self-sufficiency inthe long run. The mandate of such an institutionmust involve policy research on the procedures to beadopted for patent examination so as to yield crucialinput for periodic revision of these procedures. Also,this mandate must transcend the limited purview ofthe patent-oriented process for intellectual propertymanagement and must address itself innovatively tosystematic exploration of other modalities for socialutilisation of knowledge and inventions throughstructures such as copyrights and commons.6. IPR Tribunal, Special Rules ofProcedure and Judicial Training6.1 Efficient enforcement is an indispensable facet of astrong IPR regime. IPR has emerged as a specialisedarea within law with urgent demands for speedy andefficient disposal of cases. It has become necessaryto create a separate tribunal with jurisdictionReport to the Nation137

over disputes in all aspects of IPR and develop apool of competent judges who are trained in thelegal as well as the technical aspects of IPR. TheIPR Tribunal should be designed to deal with theappeals arising from the decisions of IP offices. Incase of appeals where issues to be decided involvetechnical considerations, the tribunal should consistof three judges having considerable experience inlaw, where at least two of them also have technicalqualifications.6.2 To avoid undue delays and legal uncertainties,detailed and streamlined procedures with fixed timelimits should be chalked out for the IPR Tribunalafter consultations with stakeholders, includingcivil society. There should be a strict adherence tothese procedures.6.3 Training of the judiciary in IPR needs to be viewedas an essential IPR enforcement issue. The NationalJudicial Academy is already engaged in trainingjudges on a variety of areas, including IPR. Suchtraining efforts have to be intensified and theestablishment of the NIIPM would be a significantstep in this regard.7. Protection of TraditionalKnowledge (TK) throughTraditional Knowledge DigitalLibrary (TKDL) and PromotingIncentives for Wealth Creationfrom TK7.1 The creation of the TKDL database is a significanteffort to codify and classify traditional knowledgeof the country. While there is increasing recognitionof the important role of the TKDL to preventmisappropriation and grant of ‘wrong patents’ aswell as to provide incentives for innovation andwealth creation, the key challenge here is to ensureits effective utilisation to achieve these objectives.7.2 The Government of India has also already takensteps to allow access of the TKDL database tosome international patent offices under nondisclosureagreements for the purpose of searchand examination. Steps need to be taken for theuse and incorporation of TKDL into the minimumsearch documentation lists of InternationalSearch Authorities and other patent offices,while processing patent applications. Further, toprevent misappropriation and to facilitate moretransparency, it is also necessary to disclose anddeclare all pertinent sources of information relatingto TK in patent applications.7.3 To create incentives for commercialisation of TK,companies should be able to access the TKDL uponpayment of adequate user fees and subject to thecondition that inventions arising out of the TKDLwould require royalty sharing with the government.The government should also take active steps toencourage investments in TK through collaborativeefforts with industry and civil society. Innovativefinancial mechanisms should be evolved so thatthe revenue generated by the government fromcommercialisation of TKDL and other commerciallysynergistic initiatives is used to create a TKDevelopment Fund. The proceeds of the fund wouldbe used to conserve TK generally, conduct researchon TK, expand the TKDL and benefit communitiesthat have contributed to the creation of TK.8. IP and Small and MediumEnterprises (SMEs)8.1 It is crucial at the governmental level to invest inthe IP needs of SMEs. There is need to facilitatebetter awareness on the strategic aspects of creating,managing, protecting and leveraging IP as a tool tofurther business opportunities and enable wealthcreation. SMEs are emerging as crucial players in theglobal knowledge economy and unlike larger firms,they may not have the necessary resources to makethe best use of IP. In this context, it is essential forspecial awareness campaigns for SMEs so that theyare made fully aware of the various implications ofIP and optimally translates such understandingsinto their everyday business practices.9. Global Technology AcquisitionFund9.1 The strategic positioning of India as a technologysuperpower will depend not just on developmentindigenous technological expertise, but also on theability to make crucial technology acquisitions in theglobal market. Countries like Japan and Korea havesuccessfully used such acquisitions to expand theirIP portfolio and some Indian companies, especially138 National Knowledge Commission

in the pharmaceuticals and biotech sectors, havealready been engaged in such acquisitions. However,such examples are sporadic and there is need for anational strategy on technology acquisition, withthe aim of leapfrogging our expertise in key areas.A Global Technology Acquisition Fund, created bythe central government, could be a significant stepforward in facilitating such acquisitions, especiallyfor the SMEs. The funds could be parked with afinancial institution or a special purpose vehicle(SPV) could be created to manage the fund, withmembers of industry and S&T invited as boardmembers. Relevant financial instruments, includingsupport in the form of loans and equity, couldbe evolved, for such technology intensiveacquisition.10. IPR and New Technologies10.1 It has become imperative for technicalinstitutions, scientists, examiners and otherrelevant stakeholders to be fully aware of theIPR dimensions of new and rapidly changingtechnologies, especially in ICT, biotechnology,nano-technology, electronics, engineering, bioinformaticsetc. There is therefore, need for highpowered expert bodies that can help identifyIPR issues arising out of each of such areas,with a view to evolving necessary IPR policiesthat would optimally foster greater globalcompetitiveness for Indian industry as well asensure faster innovation, wealth creation andoverall development.Report to the Nation139

InnovationJuly 4, 2007The National Knowledge Commission identifiedthe role of innovation as one of the key factorsin India’s economic growth. Innovation isa process to achieve measurable value enhancementin any commercial activity, through introduction ofnew or improved goods, services, operational andorganisational processes. It is a significant factor infacilitating competitiveness, improvement in marketshare and quality as well as reduction in costs.NKC conducted a nationwide survey among large firms,as well as small and medium enterprises to explore the rolebeing played by innovation in fuelling India’s economicgrowth. The NKC Survey 1 reveals that Innovation Intensity(i.e. the percentage of revenue derived from products/services which are less than 3 years old) has increased forlarge firms as well as small and medium enterprises. Thestrategic prioritisation of innovation as a factor critical togrowth and competitiveness has also achieved significantprominence since the start of economic liberalisationin India. The NKC Survey further highlights crucialparameters at the firm level that have enabled some firmsto be more innovative than others, including the role ofstructural frameworks and processes. It is expected thatdissemination of the survey results across India’s industrialspectrum will highlight best practices in industry andthereby also generate catalytic impact on a wider scale.However, it is pertinent to point out that the mostcritical external barrier for both large firms and smalland medium enterprises is skill shortage arising out oflack of emphasis on industrial innovation, problemsolving,design, experimentation etc. in the educationcurricula. There is also need for more effectivecollaboration between industry, universities and R&Dinstitutions. Systematic reform of the higher educationsystem (including skill based marketable vocationaleducation) in India is essential to develop the requiredintellectual capital as well as generate effective synergiesamong industry, government, the educational system,the R&D environment and the consumer. Innovation isa complex activity that requires widespread interactionacross the entire economy, from the grassroots to thelarge firm level. NKC recommends a comprehensivecampaign to address these issues and to spur efforts tomake India a global leader in innovation.1For details, see http://knowledgecommission.gov.in/downloads/documents/NKC_Innovation.pdf140 National Knowledge Commission

EntrepreneurshipJune 5, 2008The National Knowledge Commission recognisesthe growing significance and visible impactof Entrepreneurship on wealth-creationand employment-generation in India. Consideringits importance, NKC has undertaken a study onEntrepreneurship to explore factors that have promotedEntrepreneurship in India as well as others which couldfurther encourage and facilitate even greater growth ofEntrepreneurship in the country. This report complimentsearlier NKC studies and recommendations on Innovationand Vocational Education and Training. The NKC studyhas found that Entrepreneurship flourishes as a result ofa combined input of some key ‘triggers’, such as a helpfulbusiness environment, access to early-stage finance,education, individual motivation and some socio-culturalfactors. To accelerate the growth of Entrepreneurshipin the country would require the support of multiplestakeholders such as the government, the financialinstitutions, educational institutions, incubator providers,chambers of commerce, entrepreneurial networks andassociations as well as family and the larger community.Based on the NKC study, some policy recommendationsto further enhance Entrepreneurship are as follows:1. Supportive Business EnvironmentMake it easier to conduct business by consolidatingand simplifying processes, improving delivery time andcurbing corrupt practices. In particular, prioritise theMCA-21 project and ensure the following:• Make Single Window Clearance meaningful.• Introduce a Single Composite Application Formfor all clearances.• Introduce a Single Unique Company Number forcompany, tax and social security registrations.2. New Institutional Mechanisms• Set up commercial courts to deal with commercialdisputes and to speed up contract enforcement.• Introduce Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs)in order to ensure flexibility and low cost ofoperation while limiting personal liability.• Establish a Global Technology Acquisition Fundfor Intellectual Property (IP).3. Facilitate Information Flows• Create ‘one stop shops’, web based portals andinformation handbooks for entrepreneurs. (NKCproposes to set up an all encompassing website onEntrepreneurship as a one-stop portal.)• Widely publicise risk management tools such as theSME Rating Agency (SMERA), Credit Appraisaland Rating Tool (CART), Risk Assessment Model(RAM) and improving information flows through theCredit Information Bureau India Limited (CIBIL).• Increase awareness of the Credit Guarantee FundTrust Scheme (CGTSI). Ensure visibility and accessof the ‘Central Plan Scheme Monitoring System’(CPSMS), which has been proposed in the annualbudget for the year 2008-09.4. Access to Early Stage FinanceBanks, Venture Capitalists, Angel Investors etc. need tobe more proactive in assessing the business opportunitiesgenerated by Indian entrepreneurs.5. Incentives for Seed Capital Funding• Establish a secondary market for smaller companies,which provides exit options to the seed stage investorand value addition for the entrepreneur.• Create new instruments and institutions forstart-up funding, involving multiple stakeholders(public and private).6. Business Incubation forEntrepreneurs (BIE)Develop and put in place a comprehensive BIE policyto increase quantity, enhance quality and increase accessto financing.Report to the Nation141

7. Industry-Academia Synergies• Enact a uniform legislation for publicly fundedresearch which would grant IP rights for successfulresults of research to universities/research centresand also entitle the inventor to a share of theroyalties from commercialisation.• Enable Ph.Ds/researchers to set up commercialentities while engaged in universities or professionalemployment, as well as encourage universities/research organisations to establish commercialenterprises based on their new inventions.8. Entrepreneurship EducationMake Entrepreneurship a core subject in businessschools and explore possibilities of setting up specialisedentrepreneurship schools at the under-graduate andpost-graduate levels.• Incentives to states• Skills in spoken and written English as a priority• A transparent industry based certification system• A transparent rating system for VET institutions10. Promoting EntrepreneurialCulture• Reward and recognise successful entrepreneursranging from the local to the national level andformally recognise entrepreneurial networks andassociations.The Report on Entrepreneurship has concluded that theaforesaid recommendations are critical to significantlyenhance Entrepreneurship in the country and the NKClooks forward to being involved in their implementation,as may be appropriate.9. Vocational Education and Training(VET)/Skill DevelopmentModernise VET by formalising:• Performance based training and assessment• Innovative delivery models142 National Knowledge Commission

KnowledgeApplicationsTraditional Health SystemsAgricultureEnhancing Quality of Life

TraditionalHealth SystemsDecember 12, 2007The current global health sector trendssuggest that medical pluralism, to whichIndian traditional medical systems cancontribute critical components, will shape the futureof healthcare. This shift from singularity to pluralityis taking place because it is becoming increasinglyevident that no single source of health science hasthe capacity to contribute solutions to all of society’shealth needs. India has a comparative advantage andcan be a world leader in the era of medical pluralismbecause it has strong foundations in evidence-basedbiomedical sciences as well as an immensely rich andcomplex indigenous medical heritage of its own. TheGovernment has already undertaken and encouragedseveral initiatives in the area of traditional medicinewithin the country including establishment of theDepartment of AYUSH in the Ministry of Health andcreating support programs in S&T agencies like CSIR,ICMR, DBT & DST. To accelerate this momentum,the National Knowledge Commission consultedextensively with diverse stakeholders within therelated fields and also constituted a Working Groupof researchers, private sector representatives andpolicy-makers. NKC recommendations on strategiesto promote the knowledge systems of traditionalmedicine are as follows:1. Transform Traditional MedicineEducationThe quality of and access to education in traditionalmedicine in the country needs urgent improvement.There are currently 450 poorly endowed colleges(undergraduate and post-graduate) admitting around25,000 students in the country. These colleges are nottraining students to play leadership roles in the emergingera of medical pluralism. The major reason for this lacunais that education in traditional medicine fails to providethe transformational catalysis necessary to link traditionalmedical system sources to evidence-based approaches.This has led to isolation of such education and lack ofits pluralistic integration into mainstream evidencebasedmedicine education, which is essential if India’straditional medical heritage is to find its rightful place inglobal medical pluralism.It is recommended that efforts be made to introduceevidence-based approaches into the current educationalframework, possibly through institutions of thestandard of IISc, IITs and AIIMS with commensuratefinancial outlays.2. Strengthen Research onTraditional Health SystemsInvestments in research and development of traditionalmedicine have been sub-critical and fragmented resultingin scarcity of evidence about the efficacy of TraditionalHealth System (THS). In addition, these efforts havealso been frequently characterised by a lack of rigorousevidence-based approaches. There has also been littleappreciation of the role that social science research mustplay in comprehending the variety of societal perceptionsand responses so critical to ideas of medical pluralism.There is a need to urgently establish a network of worldclassresearch programs in different parts of the countryto address these lacunae, with appropriate institutionaland incentive structures. It is essential for India tomake original, rigorously evidence-based contributionsto the world of medicine in fields such as pharmacogenomics,immunology, drug discovery and cardiologyvia imaginative examination of traditional ideas such asprakriti, rasayana or rasa.3. Strengthen PharmacopoeialStandardsDespite extensive documentation of medicinal plants,there is a strong need for creating internationallyacceptable pharmacopoeias for herbal medications, aswell as eco-system specific, regional pharmacopoeias forvarious bio-geographic regions of India.Report to the Nation145

4. Increase Quality and Quantity ofClinical Trials & CertificationPromotion of traditional medicine goes hand-in-handwith increase in the quality of rigorous, yet sensitivelydesigned clinical trials to support or refute traditionalmedical claims of efficacy. Also, lack of informationon toxicological data/safety studies makes it difficultto evaluate the risk profile of traditional medications.There is a need for greater institutional enabling of suchevaluations and trials. These should be accompaniedby a world-class certification process, which willassist the achievement of internationally acceptablestandards for good manufacturing, laboratory, clinical,agricultural and collection practices. The pre-clinicaland clinical efficacy validation and standardisation often best THS products for global market should besupported as a flagship project. Similarly technologicalup-gradation of the manufacturing units involvedin manufacture of these successful products tointernational standards must be carried out.5. Digitise Traditional KnowledgeThe work underway for creating a comprehensiveTraditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL)should be diversified and expanded. A major programshould be established for digitisation of India’s medicalmanuscripts (located both within India and abroad) andfor making this digital library accessible to teaching andresearch institutions in India. To modernise data-miningfrom the vast corpus of traditional medical literature,an all-India coordinated, “Traditional KnowledgeInformatics Program” should be constructed to createa comprehensive list of available plant material-medica(2,000 species), their products (40,000 formulations)and clinical applications (5,000 conditions).6. Create Suitable Framework ofIntellectual Property RightsEmphasis should be put on creating suitable IntellectualProperty Rights framework in the country for protectionof the sources of traditional medical knowledge. At thesame time sufficient incentives should be created forcommercialisation of traditional medications. Stepsshould be taken for the use and incorporation of TKDL,with all pertinent sources of information, into theminimum search documentation lists of InternationalSearch Authorities and other patent offices whileprocessing patent applications. Lack of clarity regardingthe ‘ownership’ issue for traditional knowledge mustbe addressed in the TKDL. This is especially pressingsince underprivileged communities are commonly theprimary sources of such knowledge. The need is tocreate IPR systems that ensure that such knowledgeremains in the public domain and is "protected" forthe communities of origin through mechanisms such asGeographical Indicators (GIs).An approach to the commercial dissemination oftraditional medications will be to allow companies toaccess TKDL upon payment of adequate user fees andsubject to the condition that invention arising out ofthe TKDL would require royalty sharing. Both user feesand royalty must be shared between government and thecommunities identified as the sources of the knowledge,and innovative modalities will need to be found toadminister such distribution. The revenue generatedby the government from commercialisation of TKDLand other commercially synergistic initiatives shouldbe used to create a ‘Traditional Knowledge DevelopmentFund’ and its proceeds should be used for conservation,evidence-based analysis and research on traditionalknowledge and for the benefit of communities that havecontributed to the creation of traditional knowledge.7. Establish Goals for Conservationof Natural ResourcesNatural populations of around 12 per cent of the 6000species of potentially medicinal plants are currentlyestimated to be under threat due to degradation and lossof habitats alongside unsustainable ways of harvestingand lack of cultivation. The problem of growing scarcityalso leads to the danger of more counterfeit materialbeing marketed. It is therefore necessary to supportconservation and sustainable harvesting efforts in theforestry sector and cultivation in the agricultural sector.Direct support for conservation and cultivation as wellas indirect methods through incentive policies shouldbe pursued for nurturing these plant resources. Thewild gene pool of India’s medicinal plants should besecured, via establishment of a nation wide network of300 “Forest Gene Banks” across the 10 bio-geographicregions of the country.8. Support Non-governmentand Corporate Initiatives forPromotion of THSThe non-government and private sector have playedan important role in building the public image oftraditional health sciences. Non-governmental research146 National Knowledge Commission

and education institutions, NGOs and corporateswith a global vision must be strategically supported inthe interest of enhancing national and internationalawareness of India’s rich health system heritage.9. Promote International CooperationInternational co-operation in exploration of traditionalhealth systems must be given a big boost throughsubstantial initiatives like strategic research collaborationswith reputed research centres and establishing wellnesscentres in countries that offer promising marketopportunities. EXIM bank of India must be supportedto work with industry to open world markets for theseproducts and services.10. Support Primary Healthcare inRural AreasWith 70 per cent of Indian population relying ontraditional medicine for primary health care in theabsence of adequate state primary health care, it becomesnecessary to establish evidence-based guidelines for thisinformal-sector usage. A nation-wide network of HomeHerbal Garden and Community Herbal Gardens (CHG)can be created to support the primary health care needsof rural communities for those plants and medicationsestablished as efficacious by evidence-based research.11. Create A Major Re-brandingExercise of Indian TraditionalMedicineBetter branding of Indian traditional medicines provento be effective in well-designed clinical trials canincrease safe and effective healthcare options. Suchproven medications should be integrated with thenational healthcare system. Such evidence-based, wellvalidatedand uniquely Indian holistic healthcare systemcombinations must be marketed extensively globally.In order to achieve these goals as rapidly and efficientlyas possible, the Government of India may considerestablishing a National Mission on Traditional HealthKnowledge (NMTHK), which would take up thesetasks in an organised way. It should be a relativelysmall body in terms of its own infrastructure withpowers to enable it to recommend targeted fundingin identified areas. It should support initiatives atmany different levels, including state and local levels,and coordinate with Ministries of Health, Science& Technology, Forestry, Agriculture and Commerceas well as with the NGOs and private sector. TheMission leader must be a person with high publiccredibility, have extensive knowledge and experiencein the field with established managerial capabilitiesand experience of dealing with all the concernedstakeholders.Report to the Nation147

AgricultureMarch 2, 2009The National Knowledge Commission isseriously concerned about deep crisis in Indianagriculture which has been in the makingfor some time. There are several dimensions of thisproblem. The proportion of the population employedin agriculture is as much as 52 per cent, yet agriculturecontributes just 18.5 per cent to the national GDP.Thus per capita GDP and average living standards inagriculture are significantly lower than in the nonagriculturesector. Growth in terms of yield per hectareand employment creation has also slowed down in thesector and per capita availability of food grains hasshown no discernible increase for more than threedecades. The recent suicides of farmers are symptomsof a much deeper malaise. Thus, in order to transformIndia into a knowledge economy, it is imperative thatwe focus on agriculture on a priority basis. In thisregard NKC believes that appropriate applicationof knowledge in agriculture can play a major role inboosting the agrarian economy and giving the Indianfarmer a competitive edge in the global market.We note that various Commissions and Working Groupsset up by the Government of India at different timeshave made a number of important and extremely usefulrecommendations. Yet it is a matter of concern that mostof these recommendations have not been implemented.We urge you to consider these recommendations forspeedy implementation. In addition, we would liketo make some further recommendations, based ondiscussions with a variety of stakeholders and theReport of a Working Group representing agriculturalscientists, managers of extension services, independentanalysts and representatives of farmers’ organisationsand of companies linked with commercial farming.We recommend the following concrete steps for therevitalisation of knowledge generation and applicationin agriculture:A. Knowledge Generation1. Modernise and stimulate agriculturalresearch institutions, co-ordinate researchand make research support more flexible• Each State Agricultural University (SAU) and IndianCouncil of Agricultural Research (ICAR) instituteshould create a research policy unit comprisingcore faculty and also including other issue-basedstakeholders.• Based on the research policy and programs, expectedresearch output and linkages to extension and otherstakeholders, each SAU and ICAR institute mustput forward a set of valuation indicators, to be usedfor periodic assessment and public scrutiny.• Both the ICAR and SAUs should assign about50 per cent of their total research resources (largelyPlan funds) to support a competitive grants system,with its deployment focused on priority multidisciplinaryand regional research areas.• Priority problem oriented research in a competitivefunding mode should be promoted, for exampleby identifying a group of scientists reputed forexcellence in an area and encouraging them to forma coalition to work on specific problems in missionmode, with required funding support.• Regional Coordination Units should be initiatedunder the umbrella of the SAUs, and should includerepresentatives of ICAR, relevant line departments,Agricultural Technology Management Agency(ATMA), rural credit agencies, cooperatives,private sector, farmers’ organisations and key civilsociety organisations falling within the particularregion.• Decentralisation of research management andauthority and distribution of accountabilityat different levels in the ICAR and SAUs are148 National Knowledge Commission

equired. Scientists and research teams shouldbe empowered to function in this decentralisedsystem, with administrative and financial support.This will require the amendment of the Model Act(1966) and University Acts binding all SAUs, anda change in the legal status of the ICAR to grantfull administrative and financial autonomy withenhanced funding.• There should be emphasis on ensuring researchrelevant to farmers’ needs, by encouraging andinstitutionalising greater interaction betweenresearch and extension personnel and providingfeedback mechanisms for farmers.2. Improve the organisation of agriculturalresearch• The Research Project File (RPF) system in ICARinstitutes has fossilised and does not assist theconduct or management of relevant research.The lab/project file must be made mandatory inSAUs and ICAR institutes and computerised on apriority basis, preferably by 2009-2010. This willenable the creation of a research database within theorganisation and at the national level.• Based on this lab/project file system, there should bean annual scientific audit of each program/project.3. Direct more research to neglected areas• Much more research activity is required forenhancing productivity in rain-fed agriculture andthe cultivation of traditional staples.• Research into improvements in post-harvesttechnology and storage patterns should be promotedwith special funds allocation.• The possibilities and problems associated with‘jhum’ cultivation must be addressed.• Agriculture and rural livelihoods in the North Easternregion deserve very special attention, including withthe establishment of a sub-cadre of agriculturalgraduates well trained to meet local R&D needs.• While water management has been and remainsa major area of agricultural research, there is needfor more locally specific result-oriented research todevelop techniques that can be easily applied byfarmers.• More research is also required to address themitigation of, and adaptation to, climate change.4. Provide more effective incentives forresearchers• Agricultural research should be made attractive as acareer option for young scientists through appropriaterecruitment and personnel policies, incorporating aflexible system of incentives in career advancementand remuneration.• The ICAR and SAUs should promote and recognisequality and relevant scientific output by promotingresearch publication, establishment and working ofpatents, technology development and transfer. Theseshould be accompanied by strong disincentives forunethical and fraudulent professional practices.• In order to promote team-based research, a system ofequitable incentives for the leader and the membersof the team should be devised.• As in the ICAR, the SAUs should introducesabbatical leave, giving scientists the freedom tochoose any laboratory or relevant institution withinor outside the country for advanced studies duringthe sabbatical period with full pay. In addition, leavemay be given to those scientists who have developeda technology area (including a patent) with highpublic interest value, to work on such developmentin their own capacity, in case the technology is notbeing developed by other parties.5. Change the curricula in agriculturaluniversities to ensure greater relevance• Curricula should be changed with a bottom-upapproach to prepare students for careers in agribusinessesand agri-clinics, and to give them new skillsin entrepreneurship development, communicationskills, computer knowledge, agribusiness,environment science and biotechnology. Thisrequires both the introduction of new courses andmajor reforms in the examination system.• With the increasing feminisation of agriculture, it isvery important that agricultural curriculum shouldbe engendered by introducing basic courses onGender Concerns in Agricultural Development.• The system should be able to provide periodic (andmore frequent) refresher training for extensionworkers to upgrade their technical efficiency.• Non-formal education programs should be initiatedin need-based vocational modules to generatepara-professionals for technological and economicempowerment of the rural youth.Report to the Nation149

6. Exploit the opportunities and meet thechallenges of Intellectual Property Rights• Any licensing of IPR enabled technology by publicresearch must be done without in any mannerexcluding its access by resource-poor farmers.• As the holder of thousands of farmers’ varieties ofplants and animal genetic stocks, the ICAR mustimmediately enunciate the policy and guidelines onthe access to these materials by the private sector andthe IPR related regulations applicable on the geneticmaterial being accessed by these parties.• There should be total transparency on all transferor exchange of genetic material, and clear regulationto prevent private appropriation of farmers’ varietiesand animal stocks by misusing IPRs within oroutside country.• The ICAR and SAUs must lay down clearguidelines to ensure benefit sharing with farmerswho have preserved genetic resources, with respectto themselves and also other commercial parties.7. Encourage and regulate private agriculturalresearch• While private sector presence is rapidly increasingin biotechnology, critical input services and relatedareas, the thrust of private activity is on marketdrivenknowledge and services. Public-privatepartnerships should be leveraged to benefit resourcepoor farmers, who tend to have less access and toensure that private research meets social needs.• In the case of biotechnology and its application tocrop plants and animals, particularly those in thefood and feed chain, research on bio-safety aspectsand processes leading to the release of such plantvarieties in the environment should assume thehighest priority, with transparency and civil societyparticipation.• Systems need to be developed to monitor the resultsof private research so as to avoid the problemsassociated with conflict of interest.B. Knowledge ApplicationThe current system of agricultural extension in thecountry is based on a linear transfer of technologymodel, which needs to be made more responsive tolocal situations and community needs. To improve thescope and efficiency of extension, the focus should shiftto providing an integrated range of services, makinggrass root workers devote more time to location-specificproblems and be more accountable to the community.8. Make knowledge applications inagriculture community-driven andfarmer-led• Both panchayats and community-based organisationsshould be treated as platforms for delivery of anintegrated range of services from production topost-harvest storage to marketing.• New methods of collaboration between scientistsand farmers must be institutionalised in order toidentity their needs, set priorities in work programs,test and refine the technologies and evaluate thefinal results.9. Redesign the existing support systems• Support systems should move from input-centricmodel to output-centric models. This requiresredesigning the support systems and incentivesin the existing centrally sponsored schemes likeRashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), NationalRural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS),National Horticulture Mission, National FoodSecurity Mission, and National WatershedProgram.• The scope of the NREGS should be expandedto support small and marginal farmers in theproduction of food crops like traditional staplessuch as millets, organic soil management, NaturalPest Management, System of Rice Intensification(SRI) etc.10. Document and disseminate successfulexperiences and good practices• The current extension system is based on technologiesgenerated in the formal research institutions. Thiscompletely ignores the successful technologiesgenerated by farmers and civil society organisations,which are based on local knowledge and may bemore locally adaptable and with stronger ecologicalprinciples.• Therefore special initiatives are required to find anddocument the successful experiences of farmers inparticular areas and encourage their disseminationby the formal institutions and support systems.11. Improve the capacities and expertise ofextension workers• Extension workers must be provided with thenecessary resources and facilities to carry outtheir work effectively, including transport and150 National Knowledge Commission

communication facilities such as two-wheelers andmobile phones where necessary.• The present extension staff must be retrained tobe able to provide information and assistance notonly for agriculture and animal husbandry, fisheriesand horticulture, but also with respect to methodsof storage, transport, market access, value addition,credit etc.• The syllabi in agricultural colleges and agriculturalpolytechnics must be restructured to prepare a cadreof extension workers who can broaden extensiondelivery.• Institutional arrangements need to be developed toensure continuing education of those involved inagricultural extension, whether in public institutionsor in private capacity.12. Restructure Agricultural TechnologyManagement Agency (ATMA) to makeit more decentralised, participatory andlocally responsive• The staff of the various line departments connectedwith agricultural development (agriculture,horticulture, animal husbandry, dairying, fisheries)should be placed under the control of ATMA at thedistrict level, with technical support, monitoringand quality control provided by the respectivedepartments at the State level.• This calls for restructuring the line departments atvarious levels and the recruitment of a competentand experienced Project Director in each district,with the exclusive function of management ofthe ATMA.• The district level agricultural sector managementprograms and plans for ATMA need to beprepared with a bottom-up participatory approachemphasising convergence and based on consultationswith all stakeholders at the village level, which canthen be consolidated at block and district level.• The Department of Marketing, Department ofCredit, Agricultural Universities, KVKs, NGOsetc. should be partners in the planning processand provide support to the ATMA, in additionto implementing collaborative activities andprograms. The District Collector as the chairpersonof the governing board of ATMA can play animportant role in ensuring the participation ofthese partners.• The implementation of the district level plansshould be through Result Oriented Management(ROM) rather than the target-oriented managementapproach which is followed at present in ATMA.This process requires that short term managementtraining be provided to all categories of staff andstakeholders engaged in implementation issues.13. Enhance and regulate the role of privateplayers in agricultural extension delivery• The already large involvement of private agenciesin agricultural extension should be recognised andencouraged, and most importantly, integrated withthe public provision through some institutionalisedmechanisms.• At the same time, problems of conflict of interest inprivate provision must be minimised by appropriateregulation, with broad guidelines and a clear code ofconduct.• The existing multi-agency and multi-mediaextension strategies need to be co-ordinated,with some integration and interaction on contentbetween various extension providers such as farmschools, information kiosks, web-based providers,kisan call centres, agri-clinics, mass media etc.• Contract farming has the potential to benefit smallfarmers when practiced appropriately, by providinglarger scales of operation and assured market andprice for the produce. To ensure the positiveeffects while preventing exploitation of farmers,legislative benchmarking of minimal standards inthe conduct and practices of such contracts shouldbe defined by the Central government, leavingflexibility to states for enacting state-specific laws,which could be either at par or above the centralbenchmark.14. Create a web-enabled knowledge bank onall aspects of agriculture• Such a knowledge bank should strive to include alltraditional knowledge that is credible prima facieor validated, all modern knowledge generated byresearch over the years with location-specific featureshighlighted, and appropriate information on postharvest and value addition aspects.• It must also include dynamic data on marketingand market price movements, seasonal agriculturaladvisories, regional meteorological information etc.We believe that these changes are both necessaryand desirable in order to encourage the creation anddissemination of useful and relevant knowledge inagriculture.Report to the Nation151

Enhancing Quality of LifeSetting up Panchayat Gyan KendrasMarch 2, 2009The National Knowledge Commissionconsiders it imperative to ensure that theapplications of knowledge are used for thewell-being of common people, especially in rural areas.Our consultations with a working group of expertsinvolved with grassroots organisations helped identifysome workable ideas and existing projects that havepotential for scaling up. One of the projects identifiedfor implementation after discussions focused on theneed to set up Panchayat Gyan Kendras (PGKs)throughout the country. The findings from this projectform the basis for our policy suggestions in this letter.We believe that it is essential to build capacity inPanchayats to ensure participatory decision making and ahealthier democracy. Building a system that can tap anddevelop locally available knowledge resources throughPanchayats is crucial for the efficient implementation ofinitiatives such as NREGA. Such a system also providescreative outlets for harnessing local knowledge to meet avariety of needs in diverse areas such as health, education,agriculture, forestry, water etc. On a short term basis,NKC, along with the Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan(MKSS) and the School for Democracy, Rajasthan,helped set up a PGK in Rajsamand district in Rajasthanto efficiently implement the NREGA and use the systemsdeveloped to create a more participatory, transparent andaccountable Gram Panchayat. We believe that eventually,if a network of such PGKs is set up across the country, itwill help identify, harness and replicate the tremendoushuman resource and knowledge pool that exists, toimprove the quality of life of India’s people.Panchayat Gyan Kendra in EveryBlockWe recommend that every block in the countryshould have at least one PGK. The PGK can becomea resource centre to demonstrate best practices, evolvelocal solutions and serve as a training institution. Itcan also offer an opportunity to bring together electedrepresentatives (including Panchayat representatives)policy makers and civil society in a creative endeavourof local self government for efficient delivery of basicservices. This system of PGKs can be initiated throughthe broader platform of a Panchayat Knowledge Mission,for maximum scale, commitment and effect. While it isenvisaged that the PGK will eventually develop into acomprehensive resource, it could initially concentrateon areas related to the NREGA. As such, the PGKcan immediately address the following issues in theNREGA by building demonstrable systems of peoplebasedimplementation:1. Peoples planning: Institutionalisation of properplanning mechanisms requires area-specificprocesses, evolved after concentrated effort atthe local level. The PGK could be required tocarry out:• An initial review of existing plans and initiationof the peoples planning process• A tentative revised plan for the first year ofNREGA works to be prepared in 3 months• Institutionalising a long term planning processin a year’s time2. Worksite management: The NREGA can work wellif there is decentralised accountability at every oneof the hundreds of work sites in each district. Anefficient worksite management system will changethe work culture, involve a new set of educatedunemployed youth and bring about skill upgradationin an organised manner. The PGK can serve as theplatform for implementation of the following:• Initial training of NREGA worksite managers(‘upgraded mates’) in 3 months• Facilitating adequate training and competenciesof all worksite managers in the block inone year• Institutionalising worksite management systemsincluding systems for training women masons,appropriate worksite facilities, improved toolsand certified worksite managers. This wouldrequire a period of two years152 National Knowledge Commission

3. Computerisation of the Panchayat Office: Toaddress efficiency and accountability issues, thePGK can assist in computerising the Panchayatoffice. This would involve:• Computerisation of NREGA documents in6 months• A fully computerised and organised Panchayatoffice in 12 months• Institutionalising this process with innovationssuch as information kiosks at the Panchayatlevel, over a period of two years4. Use of ICT: Use of ICT innovations for bettergovernance would involve proper recordmaintenance, enhanced transparency andproactive disclosure, efficient and timely wagepayments and facilities for financial inclusion atthe Gram Panchayat level. This could also includeinnovations to reduce the digital gap by makingthe PGK a public internet point of the Panchayat.To ensure transparency, ICT should also beemployed in bank transactions for wages as wellas to create bank accounts for NREGA workers.This would provide an important system of checksand balances.One such initiative is a live pilot jointly launchedby NIC and India Post in the state of Orissain December 2008. In this pilot, postal agentsin villages have been equipped with mobilephones enhanced with unique secure transactiontechnology, and supported by smart card readersand finger-print sensors, to interact with NREGAworkers and securely deliver payments. Near realtimedata entry from these terminals to the blocklevel system using mobile data connection ensuresminimal latency and enhanced transparency inservicing worker requests. While the first phaseof the live pilot is focused on secure delivery ofpayments to the workers, the larger goal of thisexercise is to create “pseudo-bank accounts” forall the participants, which will be hosted by IndiaPost (and any other treasury authorised by theGovernment of India). A similar pilot project forenabling wage payments through ICT is also underconsideration in Rajsamand district in Rajasthan.5. Disclosure processes: To ensure transparencyin Panchayats, due mechanisms need to beincorporated including an open office, openinspection and an institutionalised system ofproactive disclosure for NREGA, as well asother Panchayat programs and functions. For allPanchayat offices, this would require a year.6. Social audit: To further ensure a system ofaccountability and monitoring, a full social auditof all NREGA works in the Panchayat needs to beconducted twice a year. This would aim to coverneighbouring Panchayats and eventually the blockwithin one year.7. Programs for skill upgradation: Such programs forNREGA workers in the Gram Panchayat could beevolved based on local skills and local employmentopportunities. These could then be institutionalisedin a phased manner in the block and district.Locally appropriate and useful labour intensiveworks could be proposed and tried out, so that theycan be included in the list of permissible worksunder NREGA.8. Effective local designs for labour intensive worksto build rural infrastructure: The NREGA is anemployment generation program which requiresthe use of labour resources on a priority basis.NREGA allows various types of labour intensiveworks to be carried out – such as water harvestingstructures, forestry, roads etc. To increase efficiencyand reduce drudgery, relevant designs have totake into account locally available material, geoclimaticconditions and social factors, includingthe need to optimally use human resources of thearea. This task requires a local centre for innovationand design, which could be facilitated by thePGK. Further, the productive value of these workscould be enhanced with appropriate scientificand technical inputs. In a related letter, we havediscussed the need for ergonomic tools, especiallyamong workers involved in manual labour tasks.9. Design of appropriate worksite facilities: TheNREGA mandates that all workers be providedwith clean drinking water, shade, crèche facilitiesfor small children, and first aid facilities at the worksite. This is crucial to ensure dignity of labour andto make the worksite a safe working environment.This task also requires an appropriate set of localdesigns for management as well as the means ofdelivering these facilities.10. Convergence of different social sector programs:Finally, the NREGA offers huge potential forfacilitating convergence of different social sectorReport to the Nation153

programs as it brings together rural labour at oneplace. This can enable a number of empowermentand awareness generating efforts in health,education, workers rights and understanding ofdemocratic processes. The PGK could function asa platform for organising melas, workshops andtraining, which not only deal with the NREGA,but also enhance participatory processes in all socialsector programs in the Panchayat. The PGK couldthus play a critical role in creating a well-informedcitizenry.11. Establishing a Panchayat Knowledge Mission:The knowledge gathered and generated, and thelessons learnt in different parts of the country inthe PGKs need to be brought together on oneplatform so that a cross fertilisation of ideas cantake place. Also, there is a need for national resourcecentres, to provide technical and appropriatesupport to help PGKs carry out their objectivesand overcome challenges through creativity andinnovation. Such an effort would require flexibilityand support best provided through a missionapproach. The Panchayat Knowledge Mission andits special resource units can enlist technical helpand expertise to meet demands for such supportfrom any part of the country.We believe that building a network of PGKs, backed byICT and transparency mechanisms will create a wealthof innovative, scalable best practices and qualitativelyimprove democratic governance in the country.154 National Knowledge Commission

Enhancing Quality of LifeDesigning Ergonomic ToolsMarch 2, 2009The National Knowledge Commission considersit imperative to ensure that the applicationsof knowledge are used for the well-beingof common people, especially in rural areas. Ourconsultations with a working group of experts involvedwith grassroots organisations helped identify someworkable ideas and existing projects that have potentialfor scaling up. One of the pilot projects selected forimplementation after discussions focused on theurgent requirement for ergonomic tools, especiallyamong NREGA workers. This project recognises theenormous skills involved in manual work and aimsto give workers tools that will help them carry outtheir task in a more specific and less physically taxingmanner. The findings from this project form the basisfor our policy suggestions. In this letter, key issuesdiscussed pertain to designing ergonomic tools as ameans of improving dignity of labour, encouragingenergy efficiency, reducing workloads for women,reducing drudgery, increasing skillful engagement andimproving productivity.MAEER MIT Institute of Design (MITID), Pune incollaboration with Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan(MKSS), Rajasthan were identified by NKC as ‘hostinstitutions’ to conceptualise fresh perspectives in tooldesign. Based on consultations and feedback received,we suggest the following steps to enable a qualitativeimprovement in general working conditions inoccupations involving manual labour:1. Improve Dignity of LabourCreating a people-based development process isessential to improve working conditions and ensuredignity of labour. Large-scale government schemeswhich generate employment opportunities for thoseinvolved in manual labour should incorporate necessaryprocesses and incentives for providing appropriate workenvironment, facilities and ergonomic tools to workers.Dignity of labour will be enhanced if basic facilities forwater, shade, first-aid and child-care are also providedat the work site. Also pertinent here is the need todefine appropriate work hours, productivity norms andmechanisms for grievance redressal to address issues ofharassment and exploitation.2. Modernise Tools and TechnologyRedesigning low-cost tools for greater efficiency andmodernising tool kits needs to take into account Indiaspecificfactors such as the geographical and culturaldiversity of the country. These factors include land,terrain, clothing, social conditions, traditional practicesin tool-use and significantly, specific problems facedby women workers. There is also an urgent need torecognise that the tools currently used are of a verybasic nature and involve low appropriate technology,minimum production complexity and local production.Also, these tools are often multi-purpose in nature andtherefore unable to deliver efficiency in specialised tasks.For example, it is recognised that digging trenches forirrigation and digging for road development have becomevery specialised tasks, requiring special energy efficienttools. While traditionally single tools have served thepurpose of multiple tasks, there is increasing realisationnow on the need to design a variety of specialised tools.The following suggestions will help address such issues:• Explore co-creation and a participatory designapproach and process• Involve the beneficiaries during testing andvalidation• Engage social mobilisation mechanisms extensively• Carry out strategic grouping of tools based onfunctionality and tasks• Articulate strategies and norms for maintenanceand up-keep of tools• Identify and analyse areas of mechanised and semimechanisedtools/equipment, keeping in mindefficiency and employment opportunities• Identify and partner with manufacturing clustersand manufacturers, including small and mediumenterprises• Alter the weight of tools keeping needs of womenworkers in mind. Weight reduction of tools makesthe task easier and less intenseReport to the Nation155

• To optimise the weight of the tool, bring aboutchanges in the profile as well as the angle of the bladeused, specific to the type of operation (e.g. ‘angulardigging edge’ to dig better, ‘multiple digging edge’,‘dimensioned digging edge’ etc)• By optimising on materials (eg. use of mediumcarbon steel) weight can be reduced while keepingthe digging quality unchanged• Use mechanical traction devices to enable loadcarrying from one point to the other (both verticallyand horizontally) to overcome drudgery and ensuredignity of labour• Provide necessary tools in the form of a ‘tool kit’ tothe beneficiaries as another means of upgrading skills.The tool kits must be available at work sites andcarrying them from home to the work place shouldbe discouraged. Such modern tool kits must beevolved for not just field labour but other works suchas plumbing, masonry, carpentry and electrification• Aid heavy labour intensive tasks by semi-mechanisedor mechanical traction devices to overcome drudgeryand increase efficiency. This would also ensure thatlabour displacing machines do not take away thelivelihood of workers.3. Funding Mechanisms forDevelopment of Toolkits andProvisions for LoansTo ensure financial and operational sustainability as wellas to achieve scale, it is necessary to create appropriatefunding mechanisms that catalyse the task of creatingrelevant R&D. This will also encourage variousindustrial, academic and research institutions andengage young minds in a critical, if often overlookedpart of the development process. From the pointof view of the beneficiaries, the incorporation ofredesigned tools and related R&D within the structureof an employment scheme (such as NREGA), wouldfacilitate easy access and also encourage R&D providers.Within a program like the NREGA, there is a need forappropriate designs of tools for women, as well as forthose who are physically weak and caught in a viciouscycle of low nutrition and reduced physical efficiency.The proposed Skill Development Mission could alsocreate mechanisms to encourage the redesigning ofsuch tools. Further, in this respect, it is necessary toincentivise private sector producers and importers oflow-cost cutting-edge, human dignity-enhancing toolsand implements. Incentives such as tax and duty policiesfavourable to local production as well as low-cost loansfor buying such tools should also be considered.4. Training and UpskillingManpowerIn order to harness the true potential of India’sdemographic dividend, we have highlighted the urgentneed to produce skilled manpower and upgrade humanresources. In this respect, as a means of encouragingthe use of ergonomic tools and skill development,schemes for lifelong skill upgradation through trainingprograms must also be available for workers engaged inmanual labour. Further, such training must be availablelocally to enhance access, taking into account contextbasedtechnical and planning specifics.5. Portals and Guilds for WorkersCreating portals and guilds for workers will enable easyaccess of information on the availability of jobs andalso facilitate transactions such as purchase of relevantmaterial and ergonomic tools. In this respect, a keyobjective of the proposed Skill Development Missionis to develop employment exchanges as outreach pointsfor storing and providing information on employmentand skill development as well as enabling them tofunction as career counselling centres. At the local level,institutions such as the Panchayats should be involvedto manage such portals or kiosks.We believe that implementation of these suggestionswill better the working conditions of people engaged inmanual and other tasks in the country. This will also helpin heralding a change in mind sets, which is essential toimprove human capital and dignity.156 National Knowledge Commission

Delivery ofServicesE-governance

E-governanceJanuary 26, 2006After a series of discussions and reviews of variousE-governance efforts at the Centre and Statelevels, NKC formed a special group, underthe chairmanship of Nandan Nilekani, to study E-governance. The report of this group was discussed atthe Planning Commission and presented to the Ministerfor Communications and Information Technology.Thereafter, several discussions were held with otherstakeholders including the Administrative ReformsCommission. Based on these discussions, NKC isconvinced that E-governance is more about an opportunityfor administrative reforms than merely about electronicsand information technology and infrastructure. NKC’srecommendations on E-governance which broadly relateto Processes & Standards, Infrastructure and Organisationare as follows:1. Government ProcessRe-engineering Before AnyComputerisationAt present the E-governance efforts are primarily basedon computerising age-old processes left behind byBritish Raj and compounded by a plethora of new layersand silos by Indian bureaucracy, each working withindepartmental boundaries and pet-priorities. As a result weare computerising cumbersome processes and hence notcommensurately benefiting from it. Simply digitising theexisting government processes merely adds an additionallayer of expense, complexity, delay and confusion. NKCfeels that there is now a unique opportunity in the historyof India to leave behind the British Raj and re-engineerand modernise government processes to build a newIndia of the 21 st century. Hence it is essential to firstredesign the government processes keeping the citizenat the centre, providing for the enablement of citizens,businesses, producers and consumers, replacing the oldmistrust and control regime of the colonial past. Thisredesigning of government processes will drasticallyreduce the numbers and duration of successive stepsrequired to obtain services. It will also provide traceablerecords, enable enforcement of individual performance,accountability, efficiency and productivity, as well astransparency of policies and processes.2. Ten to Twenty ImportantProcesses and ServicesTo make an immediate impact on citizens it iscritical to identify and simplify important processes andservices, say 10 to 20 to begin with, which are currentlycumbersome, bureaucratic and prone to unnecessarydelays and even corruption. These processes can besimplified and made available as web-based services.Initially, these services could include birth certificate,death certificate, proof of residence, and ration/IDcards. Other processes can be added over a period oftime. This approach will require each state to implementthese processes in concert and learn from each other.3. Common StandardsAt present, various State Governments are choosing theirown ways of selectively computerising their processesand provide E-governance. Many of these programs arevendor-driven and not scalable. It is critical to developand enforce citizen/business entitlement standardsuniformly over all states and central ministries andfunctions, spanning from voting, taxes, certificates,financial products, law-enforcement and welfare forindividuals, properties of land, institutions, businessesetc. These standards should not be hardware-centric andvendor dependent but should enable easy participationby any State, Panchayat Institution, business, NGO orcitizen, whenever they decide. These standards, templatesand data formats must be designed carefully by teamsof experts drawn from government, IT companies,academia, R&D institutions and users or stakeholderswho understand latest trends, technology, software,user interfaces and interoperability requirements. NKCrecommends that all State Governments follow thesestandards. At the same time, it is also conscious of theneed to incorporate some of the standards followed byState Governments.Report to the Nation159

4. Best Practices and Lessons fromthe PastA great deal of work has already been done in variouscentral ministries and in State Governments. The keyis to learn from these and design best practices thatare affordable and applicable nationwide to ensureease of use and interoperability. NKC notes that theGovernment’s own offices, laboratories, and directorateshave an immense amount of useful and relevant data[e.g. the seven centres of the National Bureau of SoilScience and Land Use Planning (NBSSLUP)], whichneeds to be digitised and made publicly accessible foruse and analysis. Data collected by one agency shouldbe made available across all agencies as well as to thepublic, subject to national security considerations.5. National InfrastructureIt is important to provide secure broadband infrastructureand associated hardware, software and hostingfacilities nationwide with easy access at all levels. Thisinfrastructure should be based on a ‘user pays’ principleand public-private partnership in investments andmutual accountability and efficiency. This infrastructurecreation should be led by the Central Government toenforce a high level of security, uniformity and standardsat every interface, regardless of state language, culture,legacy and financial health.6. Web-based ServicesTo enforce standards and to keep the governanceuniformly responsive and transparent, it is recommendedthat State Governments use templates created by theCentral Government to offer localised data and servicesin Indian languages. In this model, the private sector caninvest in creation of access-infrastructure and buildingrelevant business models for user-fee collection and itssharing across all stakeholders, to ensure sustainabilityand adaptation for future needs. This also implies thatall public institutions will make sure that all public datais available on the web.7. Open Source SoftwareBecause of the enormous size and scope of the E-governance effort in India and because of the availabilityof globally recognised software talent of Indians,we must actively encourage open source softwareimplementations and open standards wherever possible.This will allow us to have cost-effective solutions andhelp develop open software products and standards. Itwill also help improve scaling up and minimise delayscaused by repeat tendering.8. Specialist CITO (ChiefInformation Technology Officer)Each State and major Central Government departmentsmust create an empowered chief informationtechnology officer, with relevant expertise and skills inthe domain subject and IT usage. These posts must befilled on open recruitment and draw the best and thebrightest from India’s technologically qualified talent.These officers should be paid market salaries and havea three-year contract with the Government, which canbe renewed depending on performance.9. New National ProgramsAs government plans to spend hundreds of thousandsof crores on Bharat Nirman, Rural EmploymentGuarantee Scheme, and urban development initiatives,it is recommended that we mandate that each of theseprograms begin with well engineered E-governanceimplementation and web-interface that ensures speedydelivery, productivity and efficiency. It is recommendedto invest one to two per cent of the national programbudget in establishing new processes and associatedE-governance infrastructure to improve delivery andreduce leakages.10. Focused OrganisationFor national E-governance to succeed, it is critical tocreate an appropriate central organisation with structuresthat can operate in a mission mode, with full autonomyand accountability. NKC recommends creation of anorganisation with a Chief Executive Officer (CEO),with board members drawn from the IT industry andgovernment to redesign processes and procedures, torepresent a multiplicity of stakeholders and diversity indomain expertise, and to drive the national E-governanceplan with facilitation from the CIT Ministry.The task of this organisation shall include but not belimited to:a) administrative reforms related to processre-engineeringb) providing and maintaining common national ICTinfrastructure for E-governance160 National Knowledge Commission

c) providing leadership and framework forimplementation, with immediate focus on selectedmission mode projects ; andd) providing a neutral consulting framework andstandards for E-governance with the help of CITOsThere is a need to re-engineer our processes first tochange our basic governance pattern for simplicity,transparency, productivity and efficiency, to select 10to 20 important services that make a critical difference,to offer web-based services, develop common standardsand deploy a common platform or infrastructure forE-governance to make it citizen-centric.As a next step, NKC recommends focusing onthe organisational issues related to re-engineeringgovernment processes with strong committedleadership, autonomy, flexibility, clarity of purpose,predefined deliverables, measurable milestones andperiodic monitoring in order to implement the nationalE-governance program within three to five years.Report to the Nation161

NKC: ImpactReport to the Nation163

Knowledge Initiatives inthe Eleventh Five Year PlanIn view of the critical role that knowledgeinstitutions would play in making India a globalleader in the 21st Century and in meeting thegrowing aspirations of the large component of theyoung in India’s population, there was little doubtthat education and related sectors would merit largeinfusion of resources in the XI Plan. It was alsoapparent that institutional reform would need tosupplement this infusion. NKC was envisaged by theGovernment as one of the key concurrent processesfor the XI Plan: 2007-12. Recommendations of NKChave been key inputs in formulating broad contoursof the XI Plan. Some of these are highlighted below.XI Plan 2007-2012The XI Plan, approved at the meeting of the NationalDevelopment Council on 19 December 2007, places thehighest priority on education as a central instrument forachieving rapid and inclusive growth. This is reflectedin the four fold increase in resources allocation. AtRs. 2.70 lakh crore, it constitutes 20 per cent of the Plan,representing a credible progress towards the target of6 per cent of GDP. The following paragraphs summarisethe major components of the XI Plan relating to therecommendations made by NKC. They appear in thesame order as in the Plan.E-governance for better service delivery(Volume I: Inclusive Growth)• Process re-engineering to be the most crucialelement of the agenda to make delivery of servicescitizen centric.• Creation of a common service delivery platformincluding State Wide Networks, Common ServiceCentres and Last Mile Connectivity.• A body with PM as Chair to prescribe deliverablesand milestones for the National e-Governance Plan.• Make use of e-governance in implementation of allmajor flagship programs.Vocational training & skill development(Volume I: Inclusive Growth)Launch a National Skill Development Mission with anoutlay of Rs 31,200 crore to increase capacity from 2.5million to 10 million per annum. The National SkillDevelopment Mission would:• Encourage Ministries to expand existing publicsector skill development infrastructure and itsutilisation by five fold.• Modernise existing public sector infrastructure toget into PPP mode with functional and governanceautonomy, establish a credible accreditation systemand a guidance framework for all accreditingagencies, encourage agencies to rate institutions onstandardised outcomes, and establish a “NationalSkill Inventory” and a “National Database for SkillDeficiency Mapping” on a national web portal.• Set up a National Qualifications Framework, whichestablishes equivalence and provides horizontalmobility between various Vocational, Technicaland Academic streams at more than one careerpoints and a Trainee Placement and TrackingSystem for effective evaluation and future policyplanning.• Enlarge the coverage of skill spectrum to 1000trades, with relevance to our emerging needswhile making a distinction between structural,interventional and last mile unemployability andcorrespondingly set up programs for 24 months,12 months and 6 months duration. “FinishingSchools” will be encouraged to take care of lastmile unemployability.• Create a “National Skill Development Fund”imposing a universal skill development obligationon industry to invest in skill development ofSCs/STs/OBCs/Minorities/other candidates fromBPL families – as their contribution to affirmativeaction combined with matching governmentcontribution.Report to the Nation165

• Facilitate repositioning of employment exchangesas outreach points of the Mission for storing andproviding information on employment and skilldevelopment and to function as career counsellingcentres.• Enlarge the 50,000 Skill Development Centresprogram eventually into a “Virtual SkillDevelopment Resource Network’ for web basedlearning.Innovation (Volume I: Inclusive Growth)• Put in place a National Innovation Policy whichencourages competition among enterprises, greaterdiffusion of knowledge and increased support toearly stage technology development initiatives andgrassroot level innovators.• Foster increased collaboration among the R&Dinstitutes, Universities and private sector enterprisesand leverage upon their cumulative strengths indesigning and implementing various innovationprograms.• Create new interface structures to forge partnershipsbetween academia and industry.School education (Volume II: Social Sector)• Reorient Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan bringing in astrong rights focus to make Right to Education areality: ensure basic learning conditions, specialfocus on Math, Science & English, common syllabiand curriculum and pedagogy.• Gradually reduce Central Government’s fundingover the Plan period rather than move immediatelyto 50:50.• Ensure minimum standards and norms forpublic and private schools and address systemicissues of accountability and decentralisation ofdecision making, teacher recruitment, teachertraining, learning outcome measurement, teachermotivation.• Recognise and encourage the role of privateproviders.• Special focus on disadvantaged groups andeducationally backward areas.• Scheme for Universal Access and Quality at theSecondary Stage; set up 6000 Model Schools onein each Block, upgrade 15000 primary schoolsto secondary level, additional infrastructure andadditional teachers, hundred per cent trainedteachers.• Use ICT based pedagogy and learning aids, providebroadband connectivity to all the Government andGovernment aided secondary schools.• Strengthen teacher training and professionaldevelopment.Higher & technical education(Volume II: Social Sector)• Expansion, inclusion and rapid movement in qualityby enhancing public spending, encouraging privateinitiatives and initiating the long overdue majorinstitutional and policy reforms, will form the coreof the XI Plan effort.• Improve quality: work on a detailed reformsagenda including: a) admission, curriculum andassessment; b) accreditation & ratings; c) teacherscompetence and motivation; and d) restructureaffiliated colleges and research for policyformulation.• An apex Independent regulatory mechanismaccompanied by greater autonomy and internalaccountability; establish a high level committee tosuggest specific reforms• Quantitative expansion through establishment ofnew government and private funded institutionsand increased intake in existing institutions.• Reduce disparities based on gender, caste, region etc.through differential support.• Establish 30 new Central Universities, 16 in Stateswhere they do not exist and 14 as World ClassUniversities (all India admissions, course credits,regular syllabi revision, incentives for faculty, stronglinkage with industry and research institutions,no affiliated colleges, outsource non teachingfunctions).• Establish 8 new IITs, 7 new IIMs, 10 new NITs,3 IISERs, 20 IIITs and 2 new SPAs.• Provide flexibility to universities to raise feesaccompanied by scholarships, fellowships andstudent loans.• Establish a National Science & Engineering ResearchBoard for rejuvenation of research in Universities.• Launch a national Mission in education throughICT coverage in all the Universities and colleges;broadband connectivity through NationalKnowledge Network and requisite nodes withininstitutions; to be implemented through anEmpowered Committee.• Revitalise and reform polytechnics through industrylinkage and teacher development, establish 210community colleges and 700 polytechnics.• Strengthen Open Universities and reform statutory166 National Knowledge Commission

odies, scale up SAKSHAT as the education portalfor 50 crore people.Libraries (Volume II: Social Sector)• Develop Public Libraries including Rural PublicLibraries.• Special collections and technological support forvisually challenged and hearing impaired.Translation (Volume II: Social Sector)• A National Translation Mission for promotingTranslator education including specialised coursesin translation technology.• Translate at least five good literary works in everylanguage into all other major languages.Legislative framework for public fundedresearch (Volume II: Social Sector)There is a need for an appropriate legislative frameworkfor incentivising innovators and commercialisationof public funded R&D where the Government, therecipients of funds, the inventor as well as the publicbenefit from the protection and commercialisationof IP.Traditional health systems(Volume II: Social Sector)The Plan recognises that no single system of health carehas the capacity to solve all of the society’s health needs.It lays special thrust on strengthening professionaleducation, strategic research programs, promotion of bestclinical practices, technology upgradation in industry,setting internationally acceptable pharmacopeialstandards, conserving medicinal flora, fauna, metals andminerals, utilising human resources of AYUSH in theNational health programs and strengthening IPRs withthe ultimate aim of enhancing the outreach of AYUSHhealth care in an accessible, acceptable, affordable andqualitative manner.Intellectual property rights(Volume III: Economic Sector)• Undertake the second phase of modernisation ofIP offices to address the needs of human resourcesdevelopment, training and awareness and alsoinfrastructure besides regular updating of the ITfacilities.• Indian IPO would be made an InternationalSearching Authority and an InternationalPreliminary Examining Authority under the PatentCo-operation Treaty of WIPO.Report to the Nation167

Follow Up on NKCRecommendationsHighlightsThe Government has been committedto implementing the Commission’srecommendations. The action taken includes:Right to education• The Right of Children to Free and CompulsoryEducation Bill, 2008 has been introduced in theParliament.School education• Under the Scheme for Universal Access and Qualityat the Secondary Stage, 6000 high quality ModelSchools are being set up, with at least one schoolin each Block. The first stream will consist of 2500public funded schools (2000 in KVs and 500 inNVs template) in the Educationally BackwardBlocks which have a significant SC, ST, OBC andminority population. The second stream of about2500 schools would be set up through PublicPrivate Partnership in other Blocks with emphasison geographical, demographic, gender and socialequity. Modalities for the remaining 1000 schoolshave yet not been finalised.English language teaching• Twenty five states have already introduced Englishas a subject from Class I. With the help of NCERTand CIEFL, the MHRD is guiding EnglishTeaching in schools in the states/UTs by developingappropriate curriculum, materials and training ofteachers with skills in English.Vocational Education and Training (VET)• For expansion, redesign and quality enhancement ofVET in the country a three tier structure has beenconstituted in July 2008 under the National SkillDevelopment Mission (NSDM) consisting of:a) National Council on Skill Development: Thefunctions of the Council under the Prime Minister wouldbe to lay down policy objectives, strategies, financing anda governance model to promote skill development.b) National Skill Development Coordination Board:The Board will enumerate strategies to implementdecisions of the Prime Minister’s National Councilon Skill Development. It would develop operationalguidelines and instructions for meeting larger objectivesof skill development needs of the country and alsomake appropriate practical solutions and strategies tobe adopted by the Union and State Governments.c) National Skill Development Corporation: Itwill develop a system of institutionalising measures tothis end.Higher and technical education• To expand capacity and improve quality of highereducation, the Government has sanctioned thesetting up of 15 new Central Universities and 14new Universities based on world-class standards.• The Government is in the process of setting upeight Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), 10National Institutes of Technology (NIT), 20 IndianInstitutes of Information Technology (IIITs) asfar as possible in the Public-Private Partnershipmode, three Indian Institutes of Science Educationand Research (IISERs), seven Indian Institutes ofManagement (IIMs) and two Schools of Planningand Architecture (SPA).• The Committee for Rejuvenation and Renovationof Higher Education, set up for the review ofUGC/AICTE has submitted its report.• The Science and Engineering Research Board Bill2008 has been introduced in the Parliament.• The National Mission on Education throughInformation and Communication Technology(ICT) has been launched to leverage the potentialof ICT in the teaching learning process with anaim to enhance the GER in Higher Education168 National Knowledge Commission

y 5 percentage points by the end of the XIPlan. Under this Mission 20,000 institutions ofHigher Education and nearly 10,000 UniversityDepartments will be provided connectivity,beginning with a minimum of 5 Mbps for each oneof them. The Central Government will bear 75 percent of the connectivity charges for 5 years, even forinstitutions not belonging to it. The estimated costof the Mission is Rs. 4612 crore.Integrated National Knowledge Network• During 2008-09 Rs. 100 crore has been allocatedfor the National Knowledge Network (NKN)which proposes interconnecting all knowledgeinstitutions in the country with gigabit capabilities,for sharing resources and research. A high levelcommittee (HLC) constituted by the Departmentof Information and Technology (DIT), under thechairmanship of the Principal Scientific Adviser,was set up to operationalise the network. Thedesign of NKN was prepared by a TechnicalAdvisory Committee set up by the HLC, and theinitial implementation is being managed by NIC(under DIT).• The network is ready for roll out and is awaiting aformal launch. The network would be operationalisedin two phases. The core and distribution networkcovering 1000 nodes with gigabit capacity would beset up in the first phase and this process has alreadystarted. The network is scalable and coverage cangrow up to 10,000 nodes/institutions.Translation• The Government has approved the setting up of aNational Translation Mission (NTM) with an outlay ofRs. 75 crore. The CIIL, Mysore is the nodal agencyimplementing the Mission.Libraries• Based on the recommendations of NKC, theDepartment of Culture (DoC) proposed setting upa National Mission for Libraries (NML) in the XIPlan as a Central Sector Scheme. The EFC memo isunder revision by the DoC and is being restricted toRs. 180 crore earmarked for the same during the XIPlan. The NML will cover libraries under the DoCand the activities under it will include: NationalCensus of Libraries; Modernisation includingnetworking of Libraries under DoC; establishingKnowledge Centres and Digital Libraries.E-governance• The XI Plan envisages the creation of coreinfrastructure such as SWAN (State Wide AreaNetwork), Common Service Centres (CSCs)and State Data Centres (SDCs) for creation of acommon service delivery platform• SWAN has been implemented in6 states/ UTs till date and in 18 states implementationis in process.• Till date SDCs have been approved for 26 states bythe Government.• Under the approved CSC scheme which envisagesestablishing over 100000 CSCs across India, 20,558CSCs have been rolled out. The process for roll outfor another 250968 CSCs has also been initiated.Legal framework for public funded research• The Protection and Utilisation of Public FundedIntellectual Property Bill 2008 has been introducedin the ParliamentLegal education• Ministry of Law and Justice has conveyed in-principleapproval for new Standing Committee on legaleducation under IRAHE and consequent changes inthe role of BCI, curriculum development, developingresearch tradition in law schools/ universities.• Proposal for setting up Centre for Advanced LegalStudies and Research (CALSAR) for the northernregion at Manesar (Gurgaon) was submitted bythe Department of Legal Affairs to PlanningCommission. The Department has been advised tomake budget provisions for the scheme of CALSARsin the XI Plan by the Planning Commission.Intellectual Property Rights• The IP Office has put the relevant acts, rules,manuals on its website and there is no restrictionon access to these materials.• Digitisation of all patent records is underway.Forty-five thousand patent records are already onthe website.• National Institute of Intellectual PropertyManagement (NIIPM) to be set up at Nagpur.• An IP Appellate Board has been set up fortrademarks, geographical indications and patents.• DIPP is examining the issue of sui-generic legislationfor protection of traditional knowledge.Report to the Nation169

NKC: State LevelInitiativesMany of the subjects on which the NationalKnowledge Commission has submittedrecommendations fall within the purview ofthe State Governments. Implementation of most of therecommendations, be it reform of existing Universities,revitalising libraries in the region, introduction ofEnglish in schools, are all initiatives that need to beundertaken at the state and district level. In light ofthis, NKC has successfully engaged with several StateGovernments to formulate knowledge initiatives at thestate level. It is working with 26 States and 3 UnionTerritories for implementation of its recommendations.Key highlights include:• All States have appointed nodal officers anddepartments for implementation of NKCrecommendations.• Many State Governments are preparing blueprintsfor reform based on NKC recommendations. Theseinclude Rajasthan, Orissa and Andhra Pradesh.The Delhi Government has already approvedan action plan for implementation of NKC’srecommendations.• Several states are evaluating setting up a StateBoard of Undergraduate Education to reducethe burden of affiliating colleges on Universities.These Boards would aim to separate the academicfunctions from the administrative functions andprovide quality benchmark.• Karnataka has started a Knowledge Commission tolay the groundwork for reforms in the knowledgesector in the state. Rajasthan has set up a RajasthanKnowledge Corporation Limited for promoting ITeducation and application of IT systems for processimprovement and knowledge delivery.• As part of the National e-Governance Project(NeGP), six state governments – Haryana,Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Chandigarh, Delhiand Tripura have implemented State Wide AreaNetwork (SWAN) and in 18 states implementationis in process.170 National Knowledge Commission

Annexure I: BaselineReport to the Nation171

LibrariesIntroductionLibraries play a pivotal role in the disseminationof knowledge and are extremely important inbuilding a knowledge economy. There is a need toformulate and create mechanisms and institutions whichwill bring about a paradigm shift in the libraries andinformation system (LIS) scenario. In today’s context,libraries have to play two distinct roles - to serve as alocal centre of information and knowledge, and be a localgateway to national and global knowledge. To fulfill thispotential, the entire LIS needs to be revamped – existinglibraries must modernise their collection, services andfacilities, become more pro-active and collaborate withother institutions and agencies.Current ScenarioData: There is no authentic information about thenumber of libraries actually functioning in India. Allstatistical information seems to be estimated on thebasis of pure guesswork. Further, there are institutionsoperating as libraries without following any benchmarkor standard. Therefore, there is a need to prepare anational census of libraries through a nationwide survey.Census data of libraries and their present situation willprovide primary data for future planning.Table 1: Libraries covered by the Raja Ram MohanFoundationLevelNumberState Central Libraries 28Divisional and District Libraries 451Sub-divisional/Taluka/Tehsil Libraries 501Town & Rural Libraries 30134Nehru Yuvak Kendras 272Jawahar Bal Bhavans 49Others 128Total 31563Source: Raja Ram Mohan Library FoundationManagement and quality: To provide access to knowledgeand resources, each library must provide a range ofservices to meet the needs of a diverse user community.It must also have a well-rounded collection relevant to itsuser community. In the changed context, it is necessaryto assess the manpower requirements for different typesof libraries and departments of library and informationscience and adequately train the library staff.Education and research: Library and informationscience education and research has been in existencesince pre-independence days. There are approximately135 universities and institutions of higher learningin this field. But presently most universities andinstitutions have not kept abreast with the changes inthe LIS sector.Funding: Out of the Tenth Plan outlay of Rs.131.05crore, an expenditure of Rs.121.23 crore was incurred– indicating a shortfall of 7 per cent. There is a needto set up a central library fund to not only upgradeexisting libraries within the specified period of timebut to facilitate libraries to overcome the financialstringencies which presently exist. Further, publicprivatepartnerships could be encouraged in developinglibrary and information services in different partsof India.Table 2: Number of libraries in India (estimatedfigure 1996-97)Public libraries 54845University/Deemed to be University267LibrariesCollege Libraries 8000Science and Technology Libraries 1200Social Science Libraries 450Government Department Libraries 800Art, Culture and Humanities Libraries 500School Libraries (Higher secondary/ 404128secondary/primary and upper primary)Source: Librarians in Society: An Insider’s View, P.R. GoswamiReport to the Nation173

Table 3: Existing library consortia in IndiaIndian National Digital Library in Engineering Science andTechnology (INDEST) ConsortiumCouncil for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)e-Journals ConsortiumUniversity Grants Commission (UGC) e-JournalsConsortiumDAE e-Journals ConsortiumSource: Higher Education in India, Pawan Aggarwal, ICRIER, 2006Membership of 164 institutions – 38 core institutionsfunded by the Ministry of Human Resource Development,Government of India, 44 institutions by the AllIndia Council of Technical Education (AICTE) and 82 selfsupportinginstitutions)Funded by the CSIR for its all its 44 labsFunded by the UGC for 100 universities and being extendedto other universities and collegesFor 36 institutions under Department of Atomic EnergyFigure 1: Libraries: Outlay and expenditure of Tenth Five Year Plan140001200010000Approved outlayAccumulated expenditureRs. in lakh80006000400020000TotalRajaRammohanRoy LibraryFoundationNationalLibraryCentralSectt.LibraryDelhiPublicLibraryNationalPolicy onLibrary andInformationSystemCentralLibrary,BombayConnemaraLibraryCentralReferenceLibrarySource: Working Group on Art and Culture, Eleventh Five Year Plan, Planning Commission174 National Knowledge Commission

School EducationIntroductionReforms in school education are pivotal forcreating an edifice on which a knowledgesociety can be structured. While India haswitnessed significant progress in school education,the goal of universal access to elementary educationhas yet not been achieved. There are also widedisparities in access to school education betweenstates, rural and urban areas, gender as well as differenteconomic classes. In addition, issues of quality such asteacher training, curriculum, pedagogy, schoolinfrastructure and learning outcomes need to beaddressed on an immediate basis. There is also anurgent need to increase the resource allocation toschool education.Current ScenarioLiteracy: According to the 2001 Census, the literacyrate in India was 64.8 per cent and as per the NSS 61stRound Survey Report, the literacy rate was 67.3 percent during 2004-05. Further, the gender gap in literacyis estimated to be roughly 20 per cent.Schools: The number of primary schools in the countryincreased from 6.64 lakh in 2001-02 to 7.7 lakh in2005-06. In the same period, the number of upperprimary schools increased at a faster rate from 2.20 lakhto 2.9 lakh.Table 4: Number of schools (in lakh) 2005-06Primary 7.7Upper primary 2.9Secondary/Senior Secondary 1.6Total 12.2Source: Educational Statistics at a Glance, 2005-06, MHRDEnrolment: The total enrolment at the primary stagehas increased 7 times, from 19.2 million in 1950-51to 130.8 million in 2004-05. In case of upper primarystage, it increased 17 times, from 3.1 million in 1950-51 to 51.2 million in 2004-05. The enrolment at thesecondary/senior secondary increased by 25 times,from 1.5 million in 1950-51 to 37.1 million in 2004-05. However about 180 out of 581 districts in theDISE study (2004-05) reported a decline in primaryenrolment.Enrolment rates are particularly low in Bihar, ArunachalPradesh, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan andMadhya Pradesh, with overall enrolment rates below80 per cent. There are wide rural-urban disparities,Figure 2: Number of schools per 1000 students in the relevant age group54.4943.543.78321.712.552.062.69 2.6910Kerala Bihar Pondicherry Jharkhand West Bengal Tamil Nadu Karnataka Andhra PradeshSource: Elementary Education in India, Analytical Report NUEPA, 2005-06Report to the Nation175

Figure 3: Stage wise enrolment (2005-06)BoysGirls141210(in crore)86420I-V VI - VIII IX - X XI - XIIClassesSource: National Level Statistics 2005-06, MHRDFigure 4: Percentage of students in the relevant age-group not enrolled in school4035302534.827.923.322.522201512.4 11.71053.92.4 2.10BiharArunachalPradeshJharkhandUttarPradeshRajasthanAndhraPradeshKarnataka Tamil Nadu Kerala PondicherrySource: Elementary Education in India, Analytical Report, NUEPA, 2005-06except in the Union Territories, North-eastern states,Kerala and to some extent Tamil Nadu. Genderdisparities tend to be sharpest in states with lowaggregate attendance rates.The total Scheduled Castes enrolment at the primary(I-V), upper primary (VI-VIII) and secondary/seniorsecondary (IX-XII) stages of school education from 1980-81 to 2004-2005 increased by 2.25, 3.91 and 4.52 timesrespectively. The total Scheduled Tribes enrolment at theprimary, upper primary and secondary/senior secondarystages of school education from 1980-81 to 2004-2005,increased by 2.94, 5.62 and 6.33 times respectively.Further, the average of 604 districts in 2005-06 indicatesa gender parity index (GPI) of 0.92 in primary classesand 0.84 in case of enrolment in upper primary classescompared to 0.91 and 0.83 in 2004-05. In 2003-04,GPI in primary and upper primary enrolment was 0.90and 0.82 respectively. The social composition of outof elementary school children indicates that 9.97 percent of Muslim children, 9.54 per cent of STs, 8.17 percent of SCs and 6.97 per cent of OBC children wereout of school and an overwhelming majority (68.7 percent) was concentrated in five States viz. Bihar (23.6per cent), Uttar Pradesh (22.2 per cent), West Bengal (9per cent), Madhya Pradesh (8 per cent) and Rajasthan(5.9 per cent).Drop Outs: The drop-out rates represent percentageof pupils who drop out from a given grade or level ofeducation in a given school year. The rate of drop outshas decreased from 64.9 per cent in 1960-61 to 29.00per cent in 2004-2005 in primary classes. The rate ofdropout which was 78.3 per cent in 1960-61, has comedown to 50.84 per cent in 2004-2005 in the upperprimary classes. Similarly, the dropout rate which was82.5 per cent in 1980-81, has decreased to 61.92 percent in 2004-2005 in the secondary classes, implying animprovement in retention rates. The drop-out rates atprimary levels for SCs (34.2 per cent) and STs (42.3 percent) are substantially higher than the national average(29 per cent).176 National Knowledge Commission

Table 5: Number of teachers by type of schools and pupil:teacher ratioType of SchoolNo. of teachers(in lakh)Percentage of trainedteachersFemale teachers per100 male teachersPupil teacher ratioPrimary 21.8 86 65 46Upper primary 16.7 87 67 34High schools 11.2 89 61 32Higher/ Senior secondary 10.3 90 62 34Source: National Level Statistics 2005-06, MHRDTeachers: The total number of teachers in primaryschools increased from 5.38 lakh in 1950-51 to 21.6lakh in 2004-2005 i.e. by more than four times.However, the number of teachers is still not adequate tomeet the needs of the bourgeoning student populationas is evident from the teacher pupil ratio.During the year 1950-51 the pupil teacher ratio inprimary schools was 1:24, in middle schools it was1:20 and in higher/higher secondary schools, the pupilteacher ratio was 1:21. By 2004-2005 this ratio hadincreased to 1:46 in primary schools; 1:35 in upperprimary schools and 1:33 in secondary/senior secondaryschools. Though the number of educational institutionshas considerably increased after Independence and alsothe number of teachers, the higher pupil teacher ratioindicates that the increase in enrolment at each levelis comparatively more than the increase in number ofteachers. The increased enrolment at various levels alsounderscores the need for opening of a greater numberof educational institutions as well as employing moreteachers for improving the quality of education.Teacher training programs: Teacher training has beenidentified as a crucial input for quality school education.However, the status of teacher training in India is amatter of great concern. According to DISE data, only33 per cent of the teachers received in-service trainingin 2005-06. In 2002, 65467 men and 67096 womenenrolled into teacher training courses in India. There areat present, about 571 DIETs, and DRCs, 104 Collegesof Advanced Teaching and 31 Institutes of AdvancedStudies in Education, for pre-service and in-servicetraining, functioning in the country.Teacher Absenteeism: Teacher absenteeism has beenidentified as a major impediment to improvement inquality of school education. The PROBE survey in 242villages across 5 north Indian states found that in abouthalf the schools, there was no teaching activity at the timeof the investigators’ visit. It is significant that this patternoccurred even in cases where the school infrastructure(in terms of number of class rooms, teaching aids andeven teacher-pupil ratio) was relatively good.Infrastructure: There is a severe lack of basicinfrastructure in schools in India. The PROBE (1999)survey, for instance, found the following with respectto government schools: (a) only a fourth of the sampleschools had at least two teachers, two all-weatherclassrooms, and some teaching aids; (b) at the time ofthe investigator’s visit, one-third of the headmasterswere absent, one-third of the schools had a singleteacher present, and about half of the schools had noteaching activity; (c) in many schools class students weresystematically neglected. Similarly, the DISE surveyfound that only about 50 per cent of the schools hadboundary walls, 33 per cent had electricity connections,and 52 per cent had playgrounds. These representserious flaws in the schooling process.Management: At present, government and localbodies own more than 90 per cent of the primaryschools, 72 per cent of the upper primary schoolsand 39 per cent of the secondary schools. Thereare indications of a rise in the number of privateunrecognised schools in India. According to theDISE Analytical Report as many as 63,411 and1,26,110 schools in 2005-06 were being managed bythe private aided and private unaided managementsrespectively. Together, they run a total of 1,89,521schools (16.86 per cent). There is evidence to suggestthat private schools are concentrated in areas wheregovernment funded schools are dysfunctional.Although the student profile of private schools is moreeconomically advantaged, the rate of enrolment frompoor families has also increased steadily. Findingsfrom the MIMAP survey in India show that, of allschool-enrolled children aged 5-10 years old livingbelow the poverty line, 14.8 per cent attended privateschools (8 per cent in rural and 36 per cent in urbanIndia). The corresponding figures for ages 11-14Report to the Nation177

years and 15-17 years were 13.8 per cent and 7 percent respectively (Pradhan and Subramaniam, 2000).Further, amongst the students from poor backgroundsin private schools, the majority are male.Curriculum, pedagogy and learning outcomes: An allIndia study Annual Status of Education Report (ASER)conducted by PRATHAM in 2006 found the levelsin arithmetic and reading amongst primary schoolchildren to be surprisingly low. Close to 35 per centof children in the 7-14 age group could not read asimple paragraph (grade 1 level difficulty) and almost60 per cent of children could not read a simple story(grade 2 level). In Government Schools, 49.6 percent of classes II-IV could not subtract (level 1), and77.8 per cent could not complete sums in division. Inprivate schools, 37.9 could not subtract (level 1) and66.7 per cent could not finish division sums (level 2).The situation in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Gujarat(where the schools function and where all provisionrelated indicators are good) are far worse than in Biharand Chhattisgarh (where indicators like teacher-pupilratio, drop out rates are extremely high, and thereare fewer schooling facilities). The high failure rates,especially among the rural, economically weaker andsocially deprived children, forces one to critically reviewthe whole system of evaluation and examination.It is widely recognised that there is a need to shiftfocus from rote learning from textbooks to developingbasic skills and the ability of students to apply theirlearning to real situations. Also creativity, problemsolvingability and encouragement for constructionof knowledge based on students’ own experiencesneeds to be promoted. Introducing accountabilityand developing other measures to improve teachingFigure 5: Percentage of schools with basic facilities9080706050403020100 Boundarywall(in %)Drinkingwater facilityCommontoilet facilityGirls toiletfacilityElectricityconnectionComputers Ramp Book bank Playground Medicalcheck upSource: Elementary Education in India, Analytical Report 2006-07Figure 6: Management-wise percentage of schools120Govt. Local body Private aided Private unaided10080(in %)6040200Primary Upper primary Secondary/SeniorSecondarySource: National Level Statistics 2005-06, MHRD178 National Knowledge Commission

Figure 7: Percentage of children (Class I to VIII) who cannot706050(in %)403020100Read Letter Read Word Read Level 1(Std 1) textRead Level 2(Std 2) textRecognisenumbersSubtractDivideSource: Annual Status of Education Report (Rural) 2006Figure 8: Expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP2.5ElementarySecondary/Higher secondary21.5(in %)10.501990-911991-921992-931993-941994-951995-961996-971997-981998-991999-20002000-012000-022000-032000-042000-05Source: MHRDquality at the primary level needs to be thought of.The National Policy on Education (NPE), 1986postulated that the examination system should berecast so as to ensure a method of assessment that isa valid and reliable measure of student developmentand a powerful instrument for improving teaching andlearning be developed.Government funding: The share of public expenditureon education has been declining steadily and was 3.5 percent in 2004-05. The share of elementary education wasRs. 40,000 crores out of almost 100,000 crores allottedto education. This amount is insufficient to provideuniversal elementary education of eight years for everychild in the age group 6 – 14 years. It is also less thanthe proportion of GDP invested in education in manyother developing countries. India’s total expenditureon school education for the year 2005-06, elementaryand secondary combined was around Rs. 78,661 crores,amounting to only 2.46 per cent of GDP. The TenthPlan outlay for Elementary Education and Literacy wasRs. 30,000 crore. The actual expenditure has been Rs.48,201 crore, out of which SSA (Rs. 28,077 crore) andMDM (Rs. 13,827 crore) account for 88 per cent. Thegraph below shows public expenditure on educationfrom year 1992-93 to 2005-06 in 1993-94 constantprices. The percentage allocation for education wasaround 3.5 per cent of GDP until the late 1990s, roseto more than 4 per cent at the turn of the decade but hassince declined to 3.75 per cent of GDP.Report to the Nation179

Vocational Educationand TrainingIntroductionThe transition of India into a knowledge-basedeconomy requires a skilled workforce, andtherefore a renewed focus on the vocationaleducation and training (VET) system. Moreover, thecurrent and expected demographic composition of thecountry’s population (See Figure) makes it imperativethat the issue of employability and skills be addressedimmediately. A third of India’s population was below 15years of age in 2000 and close to 20 per cent were youngpeople in the 15-24 years age group. If this demographicdividend is not optimally utilised through skilldevelopment, we run the risk of growing unemploymentamong high skilled “formally trained” personnel andshortages of low level skilled and vocationally trainedpeople in the labour market.Current ScenarioIn India, skill acquisition takes place through two basicstructural streams – a small formal one and a largeinformal one. Some of the major formal sources arelisted in Table 6:Status of vocational training received/being received:In the NSS 61 st round, among persons of age 15-29Figure 9: Demographic Composition of India’spopulationPopulation age-wise (in %)10080604020060 years 15-60 years 0-15 years2006 2026YearSource: Based on the Report of the Technical group on population projectionsconstituted by the National Commission on Population, May 2006years, only about 2 per cent reported to have receivedformal vocational training and another 8 per centreported to have received non formal vocationaltraining.Age specific rate for formal vocational trainingreceived: The proportion of persons who receivedformal vocational training generally increases withage of persons. In fact, the proportion increased from0.6 per cent for the age group 15-19 years to 1.8 percent for the age group 20-24 years and then, to 1.9 percent for the age group 25- 29 years in the rural areas.Table 6: Vocational education and training in IndiaType of Source Institute Capacity QuantityMainstream educationsystemTraining institutionsoutside the schooland universitysystemsCentrally Sponsored Schemeof Vocationalisation ofSecondary Education runby the Ministry of HumanResource DevelopmentIndustrial Training Institutes(ITIs) and Industrial TrainingCentres (ITCs)Enrolling less than three percent of students at the uppersecondary levelTotal seating capacity of 7.85lakhDiploma level Polytechnics 1,244 polytechnics run byMHRD with a capacity ofover 2.95 lakhs9,583 schools offering about150 educational courses of twoyears duration5488 public (ITI) and private(ITC) institutions impartingVET, of which 1922 are ITIsand 3566 are ITCs.1,747 AICTE approveddiploma programs with294,370 seats180 National Knowledge Commission

Formal vocational training and broadactivity status: The proportion of persons(15-29 years) who received formalvocational training was the highest amongthe unemployed. The proportion wasaround 3 per cent for the employed, 11 percent for the unemployed and 2 per cent forpersons not in the labour forceFigure 10: Status of Vocational Education and Training (VET)No VET Receiving formal VET Received formal VET Received non formal VET1% 2% 8%Issues in the CurrentFramework1. Participation: The Kothari Commissionon Educational Reforms, 1966 had visualisedthat 25 per cent of the students at thesecondary stage would go for the vocationalstream. At present only about 5 per cent ofthe children of the 16 to 18 age group arein the vocational stream. This is despite thefact that in urban areas, only about 19.6 percent of male and 11.2 per cent of femaleworkers possessed marketable skills, whereas,in rural areas only about 10 per cent of maleand 6.3 per cent of female workers possessedmarketable skills. This figure is far higher indeveloped even developing countries2. Capacity utilisation: There is littlecapacity in vocational education and eventhat is under-utilised. Only 6,800 schoolshave received grants and the total enrolmentreported is only about 5 per cent at most.More recent information suggests that theenrolment figure is less than three per centof the students attending Grades 11-12.The weighted average capacity utilisation ofthe schools receiving grants is about 42 percent. This implies that between 350,000 to400,000 students are enrolled in vocationaleducation, which works out to less thanthree per cent of the 14 million studentsor more in Grades 11 and 12, implyingthat less than one per cent of students whohad entered Grade 1 over the last decadeor so would have eventually participatedin vocational education. It is also widelyrecognised that existing student capacity inITIs/ITCs largely goes unutilised.3. Flexibility: The current frameworkrequires minimum qualifications, varyingSource: Status of Education and Vocational Training in India, 2004-05, NSS 61 st RoundFigure 11: Urban-rural break up of VocationalEducation and Training% who received formal VET87654321015-19Source: Status of Education and Vocational Training in India, 2004-05, NSS 61 st Round% who received formal vocational training161412108642089%Rural Urban Total20-24 25-29Figure 12: Activity status of persons receiving vocational trainingEmployedUnemployedRural Urban TotalNot in labour forceSource: Status of Education and Vocational Training in India, 2004-05, NSS 61 st RoundReport to the Nation181

Table 7: International comparisons on size of vocational-secondary educationCountry Secondary enrolment ratio Number of students(thousands)Vocational-technical share(per cent of total secondaryenrolments)Russia 88 6277 60China 52 15300 55Chile 70 652 40Indonesia 43 4109 33Korea 93 2060 31Mexico 58 - 12Malaysia 59 533 11South Africa 77 - 1Source: World Bank, 2006Table 8: All India seats utilisation in respect of technician, trade and graduate apprenticesSeats located Seats utilised Per cent utilisationTechnician apprentices 39004 22837 59 per centTrade apprentices 182046 127741 70 per centGraduate apprentices 20420 6084 22 per centSource: Annual Report 2002-03, Ministry of Labour, Govt. of IndiaFigure 13: Seat utilisation against sanctioned strength6051%50Percentage of ITIs403024% 25%20100Under utilisation Full utilisation Over utilisationSource: FICCI Survey, 2006from Class VIII – Class XII, for participation in formalvocational training. While this may be necessary forcertain trades, it is unnecessarily restrictive in others.Also, once an individual leaves mainstream educationfor vocational training, there is no provision for him/her to return to the former at a later stage. Not onlydoes this encourage a general view of work and studybeing mutually exclusive options, it also increasesthe perceived risk of taking up vocational training.The system is also not responsive to labour marketdemand conditions. The inflexibilities in the course/curriculum set-up, lead to over supply in some tradesand shortages in others. Moreover, there is not enoughemphasis on short training course designed to impartspecific skills. Vocational education and trainingin India relies exclusively on a few training courseswith long duration (2 to 3 years) covering around 100skills. In China, on the other hand, there exist about4000 short duration modular courses which provide skillsmore closely tailored to employment requirements.182 National Knowledge Commission

4. Impact: Of the trained candidates, the labour marketoutcomes as seen from placement/ absorption ratesare reportedly very low. Although countrywide figureson the labour market success of ITI/ITC graduatesare difficult to come by, an ILO study reports that inthe states of Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra,the percentages of graduates found to be in wageemployment/self-employment upon graduation fromITIs were 16.2 per cent, 41 per cent and 35 per centrespectively. The corresponding percentages for thosegraduating from ITCs were 21.3 per cent, 22.8 per centand 35.6 per cent respectively5. Industry linkages: Although provisions exist for theparticipation of industry representatives/experts in thesetting of curriculum and hiring of apprentices, there is asignificant mismatch between industry skill requirementsand the talent pool emerging from ITIs/ITCs. This isone of the factors contributing to low success in thelabour market for VET graduates. The private sectordoes undertake in-house training programs and to avery limited extent also trains ‘outsiders’. However, suchprograms are limited to catering to their own felt needs,in the nature of captive skill development. Low payingcapacity of learners and the reluctance of industries totrain workers for fear of losing them to competition hasresulted in chronic deficiency in private investment inthis area.6. Quality and accreditation: The quality of the trainingimparted is also a matter of concern, as the toolkits,faculty, and curriculum are reportedly sub-standard. Theexisting institutions also lack financial and administrativeautonomy. The testing, certification & accreditationsystem is reportedly weak, and since the deliverablesare not precisely defined, there is no effort at evaluatingoutcomes and tracking placements. The problemis further complicated with lack of industry-facultyinteraction on course curricula and other factors. Thesystem of vocational training is currently characterised bya lack of ongoing monitoring for quality in institutionsimparting VET. Although a system of inspections byState governments is in place, this is sub-optimal becauseit permits the proliferation of rent-seeking practices anddoes not achieve its stated objectives. An autonomoussystem of accreditation is missing in the VET sector.Figure 14: Employment status of ITI/ITC graduatesITIITC45% of graduates employed in organised sector4035302520151050Orissa Andhra Pradesh MaharashtraSource: Industrial Training Institutes of India: The Efficiency Study Report, ILO, 2003Table 9: Internal efficiency of ITIs and ITCs in 3 statesIndicator Orissa Andhra Pradesh MaharashtraITIs ITCs ITIs ITCs ITIs ITCsStudent retention 80.9 94.9 68.3 84.8 85.6 89Graduation rate 88.3 95.6 62.9 62.7 77.5 79.4Capacity utilisation 102.1 101 77.4 83.3 92.2 91Student:Teacher ratio 9.3 5.4 5.5 9.6 - -Overall internal efficiency 73.8 90.9 31.8 45.7 62.6 61.1Source: Industrial Training Institutes of India: The Efficiency Study Report, ILO, 2003Report to the Nation183

Higher EducationIntroductionAdemographic explosion in the youngpopulation of the country means that highereducation needs to keep apace with thegrowth in the relevant population. As per the 2001Census, 31.2 per cent of the country or 337 millionwere below the age of 15. Providing higher educationfor this group is imperative and has to be provided onan unprecedented scale to meet the challenges of thisunique demographic trend. The higher educationsector currently faces major challenges of quality andexcellence, and of improving access with inclusiveness.The proportion of our population, in the relevant agegroup, that enters the world of higher education isonly about 10 per cent (2004-05). Access to highereducation in terms of the available number of seats inuniversities is simply not adequate in relation to thecurrent demand. There are also large disparities inenrolment rates across states, urban and rural areas,sex, caste and poor-non-poor.Current ScenarioInstitutions: As in 2006, the Indian higher educationsystem consisted of 355 universities and 18,064colleges - there exist 20 Central Universities, 216 StateUniversities, 101 Deemed Universities, 5 Institutionsestablished through State Legislation and 13 Institutionsof National Importance.Enrolment: Around 110 lakh students were estimatedto be currently enrolled in the Indian higher educationsystem in 2005-06. The growth of student enrolmentin higher education in India has been uneven and slow.For instance, while the enrolment grew by 6.7 per centin 2001-2002, in 2005-06 it grew by 5.2 per cent.Teachers: The total number of teachers in the highereducation system is 4.88 lakhs. Out of the total teachingfaculty, 84 per cent were employed in affiliated collegesand only 16 per cent in the universities and universitycolleges. The student-teacher ratio works out to 18 inthe university departments and colleges and 23 in theaffiliated colleges.Issues in the Current FrameworkExpansion: The current enrolment in higher educationstands at about 11 million. While there has been aconsistent growth in enrolment in higher education overthe last few years, this is not enough when comparedFigure 15: Growth of higher education systemUniversitiesColleges4003503002502001501005001950-51 1955-56 1960-61 1965-66 1970-71 1975-76 1980-81 1985-86 1990-91 1995-96 2000-01 2005-0620000180001600014000120001000080006000400020000Source: UGC184 National Knowledge Commission

Figure 16: Growth of student enrolment in higher education in India(1950-51 to 2005-06)Annual growth rateTotal Enrolment25120000002010000000(in %)151080000006000000400000052000000001950-51 1955-56 1960-61 1965-66 1970-71 1975-76 1980-81 1985-86 1990-91 1995-96 2000-01 2005-06Source: UGCTable 10: Number of teachers in institutions of higher education, 2005-06InstitutionEnrolment(in thousands)Teachers(in thousands)Student:TeacherratioUniversity Departments & University Colleges 1427 79 18Affiliated Colleges 9601 409 23Total 11028 488 22Source: UGC Annual Report, 2005-06to other countries. The gross enrolment ratio (GER)for higher education currently is around 10 per centwhereas it is 25 per cent for many other developingcountries. Even South-east Asian countries show muchhigher enrolment: Philippines (31 per cent), Thailand(19 per cent), Malaysia (27 per cent) and China (13 percent). The enrolment figure for the USA is 81 per cent,54 per cent in the UK and 49 per cent in Japan. Variouscommittees that have examined the higher educationscenario in India have recommended an increasein the GER to at least 20 per cent. For instance, theCABE Committee on Financing of Higher Educationconcluded on the basis of international experience thatan enrolment rate of 20 per cent or more is consistentwith a turnaround in economic performance. If Indiahas to achieve the target soon, it would imply morethan doubling the scale and size of the higher educationsystem within the next 5 to 7 years.Table 11: Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) for18-24 years (in percentage)YearHigher Education2001-02 8.072002-03 8.972003-04 9.212004-05 9.97Source: MHRDAccess: With high disparities, inclusive education hasremained an elusive target. Inter-caste, male-female andregional disparities in enrolment still remain prominent.For example, while the gross enrolment ratio for peopleliving in urban areas was almost 20 per cent, it was only6 per cent for rural areas. Further, the gross enrolmentration for Scheduled Tribes (STs), Scheduled CastesReport to the Nation185

(SCs) and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) was 6.57,6.52 and 8.77 respectively, much lower than the all-India figure of 11.Regulation: The regulatory structures in the currenthigher education system are cumbersome. Entry throughlegislation alone, at present, is a formidable barrier. Itrequires an Act of Legislature of Parliament to set upa university. The deemed university route is much toodifficult for new institutions. The consequence is a steadyincrease in the average size of existing universities witha steady deterioration in their quality. The absence ofcompetition only compounds problems. A vast majorityof the colleges are not recognised by UGC undersection 2(f) of UGC Act. This poses a great challengefor the UGC in respect of maintenance of standard ofteaching and examination in higher education. Also thecurrent system of affiliated colleges for undergraduatecolleges is not adequate. These are affiliated to largeunwieldy universities, making it difficult to monitorthe standard of education being imparted. Currentlyabout 90 per cent of the undergraduate enrolment and67 per cent of the postgraduate enrolment is in theaffiliated colleges. There are a large number of institutionsthat are technically under the purview of the UGC butare not provided financial support by it because they failto fulfill the minimum eligibility norms.Faculty: Shortage of quality faculty is one of the mainproblems afflicting higher education in India today.Teacher shortages often occur due to non availabilityof suitably qualified people. Further, the academicprofession has seen a steady decline in popularity –possibly as a result of lack of incentives here and morelucrative opportunities in other professions. Apart fromincreasing compensation of teachers, there is also a needto introduce performance-based incentives in order toensure teaching of superior quality.Funding: Public expenditure (Centre and States)on education is only around 3.6 per cent of GDP.Government funding of higher education is still below1 per cent of GDP. The percentage expenditure onUniversity and Higher Education to GDP, which was0.77 per cent in 1990-91 showed a gradual decreaseto 0.66 per cent in 2004-2005. Various committeeshave unanimously recommended that state fundingbe increased to 6 per cent. While the Central AdvisoryBoard for Education (CABE) recommends spending1 per cent to higher education and 0.5 per cent totechnical education, the proportions in 2004-05 were0.34 per cent for higher education and 0.03 per cent fortechnical education.India also has one of the lowest public expenditure onhigher education per student at 406 US Dollars, whichcompares unfavourably with Malaysia (11,790 dollars),China (2728 dollars), Brazil (3986 dollars), Indonesia(666 dollars) and the Philippines (625 dollars). Innominal terms the public expenditure per student inhigher education stood at Rs. 12518 respectively in 2003-04. The trend analysis shows that the increase is not thatmarked if we consider the growth in enrolment, withthe nominal public expenditure per student in highereducation going up by only 40 per cent from 1993-94to 2003-04. In fact, in real terms, public expenditureper student in higher education has declined fromRs. 8961 in 1993-94 to Rs. 7117 in 2003-04.Figure 17: Disparities in enrolment in higher education (2004-05)2520Gross Enrolment Ratio151050Source: UGCRuralUrban Male Female SCs STs OBCs Others All India186 National Knowledge Commission

Figure 18: Sector-wise plan & non-plan budgeted expenditure for educationdepartments of State & Centre (Revenue Account)ElementarySecondary Higher Technical4500040000(Rs. thousand crore)350003000025000200001500010000500001993-941994-951995-961996-971997-981998-991999-20002000-012001-022002-032003-04(R)2004-05(B)Source: MHRDFigure 19: Public expenditure per student in higher education - nominal and realNominalReal140001200010000800060004000200001993-941994-951995-961996-971997-981998-991999-20002000-012001-022002-032003-04Source: Analysis of Budgeted Expenditure on Education, MHRD, Govt. of IndiaPrivate institutions: The share of private unaidedhigher education institutions increased from 42.6 percent in 2001 to 63.21 per cent in 2006. Their shareof enrolments also increased from 32.89 per cent to51.53 per cent in the same period. This trend is likelyto continue and therefore, it is reasonable to expectthat about half of incremental enrolment targeted forhigher education will come from private providers.There is a need for the state to recognise the role ofthe private sector and encourage their participation.There has already been a de-facto privatisation of theprofessional education sector, with more than 80 percent of the engineering colleges being privately fundedand managed. While there are strict entry barriers forthe private sector, there is not enough regulation on theproducts and outputs of the private sector.Accreditation: Accreditation in higher educationpertains to determining the quality of an institution.The criteria on which institutions are judged typicallyinvolve expected student achievement, quality ofcurriculum, faculty, academic support and services forstudents, and financial capacity. In India accreditation(unlike in other countries such as the USA and the UK)is performed by government agencies. The NationalAssessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) wasset up by the UGC in 1994 to accredit institutionsof higher education. The NAAC’s assessment is basedon pre-determined criteria that combine self-studyand peer review. NAAC accredits and certifies foreducational quality in institutions based on sevencriteria with different weights for each criterion, andfor different types of institutions. NAAC has so farReport to the Nation187

completed accreditation of only 140 out of the 355universities and 3,492 out of the 18,064 colleges. Thiscovered just over 10 per cent of all institutions, andbarely any private colleges and universities. The resultsof the accreditation process thus far indicate seriousquality problems. Only 9 per cent of the colleges and31 per cent of the universities are rated as ‘A’ grade andthe rest fall in ‘B’ and ‘C’ categories. Accreditation byNAAC is voluntary and valid for five years. However,very few institutions have applied for accreditationby NAAC.Quality: There are concerns about the quality ofhigher education provided in India currently. There isan annual outflow of more than 1,50,000 students toinstitutes in the west every year – driving out nearly2-3 billion dollars in foreign exchange per annum. Itmakes India the second-largest target market globallyfor education institutes in the west. Though theproblem of reaching world class standards is not aspressing as meeting the larger needs of the population,India’s standing in this regard is indicative perhapsof the generally low standards. In a London TimesHigher Education Supplement ranking of the top200 universities, only 1 Indian institution waslisted, while the Shanghai University ranking of500 world-class universities featured only 3 Indianuniversities.Figure 20: Country wise Number of Universities in Times Top 100 Universities353031252015131050654321USA UK Australia France China Canada Singapore IndiaSource: Times Higher Education Supplement, LondonTable 12: Current Quality Status in Colleges of Higher Education in India (2005)DetailsNumberTotal number of colleges 17,625Number of colleges under UGC purview 14,000Number of colleges recognised under Section 2(f) of UGC Act5,589 (40 per cent)Number of colleges recognised under Section 12(B) of UGC Act5,273 (38 per cent)Number of colleges actually funded by the UGC4,870 (35 per cent)Number of colleges accredited by the NAAC2,780 (20 per cent)Number of colleges accredited by the NAAC and scoring above 60 per cent 2,506 (17.9)Source: MHRD188 National Knowledge Commission

More Talented Studentsin Maths and ScienceIntroductionAs India seeks to establish itself as a knowledgesuperpower, it is essential for it to build onits science and technology base. Pure scienceshas a critical role to play in this – a strong foundationin science helps in building excellence in technology,propelling economic growth and prosperity, andconsequently raising living standards. While India hashad a rich heritage in abstract thinking and scientificdiscoveries, of late the progress in this field has beenon the decline. It is increasingly felt that with thepopularity of arts, commerce and professional courses,and more lucrative opportunities in related professions,there has been a decline in students studying puremathematics and science. In order to create a criticalbase of scientific professionals in the country it isnecessary that immediate steps be taken to attractmore quality students in mathematics and science.Current ScenarioSchool level: While science dominates as the mostpreferred subject at the middle school level (class 6-8), itbecomes less popular at the higher secondary level (class11-12). In a science survey conducted by the NCAER,22 per cent of the class 6-8 students said they wouldlike to study pure science in the future. Yet, at the levelof class 11 and 12, only 13.4 per cent of the surveyedstudents wanted to study pure sciences at the graduate/postgraduate level. This percentage is lower than thefigure for other disciplines – engineering, medicine, artsand commerce.Further, the number of students opting for scienceafter the secondary school stage has dropped from 32per cent in the early 1950s to 19.7 per cent in recentyears. More significantly, while in the 1950s, thebrightest students entered science, the current sciencestudents often take it as a last resort. This indicatesthat young students, particularly the brighter ones, aredrifting away from science. For instance, as reportedby Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education(HBCSE), very few students selected for Olympiadsin Physics, Chemistry or Biology went on to opt forhigher education in basic sciences. The choice of theNational Talent Search awardees also reflects this trendin recent years. Of the 750 awardees, only about 100Figure 21: Preferred subject for higher education by level of students (2004)Science Engineering Medicine Arts Commerce Others10080% of students60402006th - 8th 9th 10th 11th - 12thClassSource: India Science Report, National Council of Applied Economic ResearchReport to the Nation189

opted for science and only 15 to 20 of the awardeespursued science to the post-graduation level.Further analysis of the reasons behind why students takescience or choose not to take science at higher secondarylevel reveals that passion for science is the primary decisionfactor. Not surprisingly, ‘better job opportunities’ is thesecond most important reason for taking up scienceat higher secondary level. Peer pressure, the changingsocio-economic situation, and market mechanisms haveresulted in the drift of students away from basic sciencesto professional courses which lure the student pool withhigh salaries. (See Tables 13 and 14)Table 13: Reasons for taking admission in scienceReasonPercentage of sciencestudents(Class 11 & 12)Interested in science subjects 66.6Better job opportunities 20.4Parents’ desire 3.3Interested in doing research1.8in scienceInfluenced by the work of1.3scientistsQuality of science teachers0.8is very goodInfluence of peer group 0.7Intend to go abroad 0.2Others 4.8Source: India Science Report, National Council of Applied EconomicResearchTable 14: Reasons for not taking admission inscienceReasonPercentage of nonsciencestudents(Class 11 & 12)Not interested in science subjects 44.5Difficult subject 20.4Higher studies are costly 9.9Interested in commerce 5.4Like art subjects 4.8No future opportunities 2.1No science college nearby 2Difficult to get through1.1competitive examinationPoor quality of teaching at school 1.1Others 8.9Source: India Science Report, National Council of Applied EconomicResearchHigher education: Approximately 2.25 millionstudents were enrolled in science in 2005-06 (UGC)– accounting for 19 per cent of the total enrolmentin higher education. The number in absolute termsis not small. The stock situation in 2004 was alsogood. About a fourth of those qualified to the levelof graduate and above had a background of scienceeducation. There are 8.74 million graduates in all (22.3per cent of total graduates), 1.8 million postgraduates(19.4 per cent of total post graduates), and 0.1 milliondoctorates (one-third of total doctorates) in science.However enrolments in pure science and mathematicshave not grown as much as in professional fields. Eventhe number of students from India going abroad toFigure 22: Gross enrolment in higher educationArtsScienceCommerce/Management60000005000000400000030000002000000100000001995-96 2000-01 2005-06Source: UGC190 National Knowledge Commission

Figure 23: State-wise enrolment in science (2000-01)300000250000200000150000100000500000Andhra PradeshTamil NaduUttar PradeshMaharashtraGujaratWest BengalMadhya PradeshKeralaKarnatakaGujaratOrissaRajasthanJharkhandChhattisgarhPunjabAssamHaryanaJ&KSource: University Development in India, 1995-95 to 2000-01, UGCFigure 24: Science and engineering doctoral degrees as a percentage of all doctoraldegrees in selected countries706560555045403530France Mexico China USA Brazil UK Russia Germany India Korea JapanSource: NSF, Science and Engineering Indicators 2004, Appendix table 2-36pursue maths and science has fallen. According toMHRD figures, there has been an absolute decreaseof 33 per cent in the number of students going abroadin the science stream (between 1991 and 1998) whilethe numbers in banking, technology, commerceand management have increased considerably. Thiscould be a result of shift in student interest to pursuecourses which have better career options than science.There is also a striking regional imbalance inenrolment in science with Andhra Pradesh and TamilNadu having much larger students taking up sciencethan in the other states.Research: While research in all areas requires attention,the condition of science is particularly dismal. Theabsolute number of science graduates is not smallbut the number of doctorates in science streamleaves much to be desired. According to 2005-06UGC figures, science doctoral students formed only1.1 per cent of the graduate enrolment in science. Whilemost advanced countries have more than 60 per centof total doctoral degrees in science and engineeringfields, India has only 46 per cent doctorates in scienceand engineering (See Figure 24).The declining interest in science and mathematicsneeds to be addressed comprehensively. Issues relatingto pedagogy, evaluation, curriculum, careers, andinfrastructure need to be tackled effectively. Large scalescience popularisation programs could also re-establishthe passion science once generated.Report to the Nation191

Legal EducationIntroductionLegal Education as an aspect of professionaleducation has assumed considerable significance,not only in terms of the historical utility of law insociety but also in the current context of globalisation.Legal education is a vital link in the creation ofknowledge concepts as well as in the application of suchconcepts in society. The need for trained law personnelin academia, litigation, corporate practice, governmentand civil society has increased significantly over thelast few years and it is estimated that the demands forsuch trained personnel will rise far more exponentiallyin the years to come. There is therefore a need toarticulate a clear long term vision on legal educationin India.Current ScenarioInstitutions: As in 2006, there were roughly 750institutions in India imparting legal education.Of these, 153 were government institutionsand 586 were private institutions. There were atotal number of 11 National Law School Universities(NLSUs).Enrolment: In 2005-06, there were 3.36 lakh studentsenrolled in legal education in India, accounting for 3.05 percent of the total enrolment in higher education. Further,a total of 936 students were admitted to the NLSUs in2006.Figure 25: Number of institutions teaching law (2006)8007497006005865004003002001000Total153Government Private NLSU11Source: Bar Council of India192 National Knowledge Commission

Figure 26: Total enrolment in lawPercentage of total enrolment in higher educationTotal enrolment in law4.543.532.521.510.501995-96 1996-97 1997-98 1998-99 1999-2000 2000-01272000270000268000266000264000262000260000258000256000Source: University Development in India, 1995-96 to 2000-01, UGCFigure 27: Total number of law graduates admitted to the Bar50,00045,00046,43840,00035,00033,65730,00028,26825,00020,00015,00010,0005,00002002 2003 2004Source: Bar Council of IndiaReport to the Nation193

Medical EducationIntroductionAssuring a minimal level of health care to thepopulation is a critical constituent of thedevelopment process. As a result, the goal andobjectives of medical education, its quality and quantityhas wide ramifications for human development, healthservices and build up of intellectual capital for thewelfare of the whole country. While medical educationin India has expanded in the last 60 years, it continuesto remain inadequate given the needs of the country.This is reflected in the shortage of health professionalsand health services, with wide disparities betweenrural and urban areas and also between various states.There is thus an urgent need to expand India’s medicaleducation system while keeping issues of quality inconsideration.Current ScenarioEnrolment: The number of students enrolled in medicaleducation has increased by around 85 per cent in thelast ten years, from 1,88,187 in 1995-96 to 3,48,485in 2005-06. However, enrolment in medicine as aproportion to total enrolment in higher education hasbarely increased – it has changed from 2.9 per cent in1995-96 to 3.1 per cent in 2005-06.Institutions: The total number of medical colleges(allopathy, ayurveda, homeopathy, unani, dental,nursing and pharmacy) put together stood at 2092in 2005-06. This was a sharp increase from just 817medical colleges in 2004-05.Allopathic Medical Colleges: As of 2006, there were 262allopathic medical colleges in the country, out of which174 medical colleges were recognised under Section 11(2)of the IMC Act, 1956 by Medical Council of India. Theremaining 88 colleges are permitted under Section 10Aof the IMC Act, 1956 for starting MBBS courses. Out ofthe 262 medical colleges, 131 were government medicalcolleges, and remaining 131 were private medical colleges.The admission capacity in these colleges is approximately29,172 students per year. The increase in private medicalcolleges has been sharp – they grew from 47 in 1995 to131 in 2006. In the same period, government run medicalcolleges have increased only from 109 to 131.AYUSH Medical Colleges: Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy,Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (AYUSH) colleges haveseen a gradual increase in the last five years. (See Figure 31)It is a matter of concern that a large number of medicalcolleges are concentrated in six states (Maharashtra,Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala andFigure 28: Growth in enrolment in medicine4000003500003000002500002000001500001000005000001995-96 2000-01 2005-06Source: UGC194 National Knowledge Commission

Figure 29: Growth in medical colleges25002092200015001000759 78381750002002-03 2003-04 2004-052005-06Source: MHRD, Selected Statistics 2005-06Figure 30: Growth in medical colleges – government and privateGovernmentPrivate1401201008060402001993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006Source: Medical Council of IndiaGujarat). These states cover about 63 per cent of the totalnumber of medical colleges and 67 per cent of the numberof seats. In contrast to this, a disproportionately smallnumber of colleges/seats are located in the other states– 20 per cent of the aggregate number of colleges and 18per cent of the seats in the case of the Empowered ActionGroup states; and 3 per cent of the aggregate number ofcolleges and 3 per cent of the seats in the North Eastern/Hilly states. There is also a rural urban divide with only30 per cent of the population in the urban areas with96 per cent of educational institutes here, whereas wheremore than 70 per cent of the population lives, availabilityof educational facilities is meager.Regulation: A plethora of bodies exist to controlmedical education. Authorities involved includeMinistry of Health, Medical Council of India(MCI), UGC, State Medical Education Departmentsand Councils, Medical Colleges/Institutes, NAMSand NBE (National Board of Examinations). TheMedical Council of India (MCI) was established in1933 and as per Indian Medical Council Act 1933is the statutory recommending body. The MCI onlyrecognises institutions to start a course and expand itaccording to laid down criteria under the MCI Act of1956. With the prior permission of the Governmentof India, it has no regulatory powers; it is only arecommendatory body. Over the years it has failedto serve the purpose and led to a progressive declinein medical education. The State Medical EducationDepartments and Councils grant licenses to practicewithout assessment. Medical colleges largely followReport to the Nation195

the MCI with no attempt to upgrade or evaluatestudents or courses.Quality: There is lack of consistent and regulatedstandards in medical education with many of thecolleges having questionable training capacities and noaccreditation system. Medical graduates are often notassessed for clinical skills in accordance with nationaland international standards. There is lack of appropriateregulation and that further compounds the problem.State governments can grant license to practice generalspecialty, sub-specialty or super-specialty medicine withno assessment of clinical skills. With roughly 26000graduates passing out from MBBS every year and only11-12 thousand postgraduate seats, about 14-15 thousandgraduates get into medical practice with theoreticalknowledge but no application of knowledge. MCI hasneither the power nor the infrastructure to continuouslymonitor and standards. Major reforms at each levelare needed in order to elevate the present condition ofmedical education in India to international standards.Curriculum: The graduate course is 4½ years withassessments in the 1 st year and 2 nd year and 2½ years later,by internal and external examiners assessing theoreticalknowledge acquired. Skill assessment is limited to acase discussion. Internship is of 1 year duration with nofaculty supervision or system of assessment. The graduateacquires unsupervised clinical skills after leaving medicalschool and before entering general practice. Only aboutfive thousand can get a postgraduate seat and then gothrough a graded clinical responsibility. It is thereforenot surprising that a series of studies conducted byAIIMS and a consortium of 16 medical colleges duringFigure 31: Growth of AYUSH colleges in India460440420431 4314444003803603743883403202000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05Source: Medical Council of IndiaFigure 32: State wise distribution of medical colleges (2005)MaharashtraKarnatakaAndhra PradeshTamil NaduKeralaUttar PradeshGujaratWest BengalRajasthanMadhya PradeshBiharPunjabDelhiJammu & KashmirOrissaJharkhandHaryanaAssamUttaranchalHimachal PradeshChhattisgarhTripuraGoa0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45Source: Medical Council of India196 National Knowledge Commission

1989-1995 concluded that our medical graduates lackclinical skills. As a follow up to these studies, WHOSEARO conducted a study General Practice in India,Nepal & Sri Lanka- a status report (1998) which found themedical care delivered by a sample of general practitionersto be of questionable quality.Funding: The Central Budget allocation for healthwhich includes medical education has declined from1.3 per cent of the GDP in 1999 to about 0.9 percent today. As a percentage share of the Total CentralBudget, it has been stagnant at 1.3 per cent, while inthe states, it has declined from 7 per cent to 5.5 per cent(National Health Policy 2002). The results from theNational Health Account (NHA) for the year 2001-02showed that total health expenditure in the country wasRs. 1,05,734 crore, accounting for 4.6 per cent of itsGDP. Out of this, public health expenditure constitutedRs. 21,439 crore (0.94 per cent), private healthexpenditure constituted Rs. 81,810 crore (3.58 per cent)and external support Rs. 2,485 crore (0.11 per cent).In nominal terms, the per capita public healthexpenditure increased from Rs. 89 in 1993-94 toRs. 214 in 2003-04, which in real terms is Rs. 122.Given these statistics, it is no surprise that the reachand quality of public health services has been below thedesirable standard.Health Services and Medical Personnel: While Indiahas seen considerable improvements in health standardsin the last six decades, problems of access to qualityhealthcare and shortages of skilled medical personnelstill persist. As per 2007 figures, India had 6.9 lakhregistered allopathic doctors, 7.2 lakh AYUSH doctors,15 lakh nurses and 6.8 lakh pharmacists. While theabsolute number is not very low for a developingcountry, the numbers prove inadequate in view ofIndia’s large population.Figure 33: Growth of per capital health expenditure by Centre and StatesNominalReal2502001501005001993-94 1994-95 1995-96 1996-97 1997-98 1998-99 1999-2000 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04Figure 34: Number of doctors per 1000 populationGreeceItalyFranceGermanyAustraliaUSUKJapanIndia0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5Source: Journal of Royal Society of Medicine Vol. 99, June 2006Report to the Nation197

Management EducationIntroductionIn recent years there has been an unprecedentednumber of technical and management institutionsbeing set up, mostly through private capital. Inthe field of management education, India has around1200 institutions providing undergraduate andpost-graduate level courses. Since the managementgraduates and post-graduates produced by theseinstitutions are primarily absorbed by industry,there is a growing need to match the curriculum andstructure of management education to better fit theneeds of India and to the changes in the industrialand services sectors within the country. Moreover,it is important to properly assess the quality ofmanagement education imparted to the students ofvarious institutions.Current ScenarioAs in 2006-07, there were over 1100 business schools inthe country. Of these, 5 were private aided institutions,903 were private unaided and 149 were governmentinstitutions.In the last decade, the country has witnessed aphenomenal growth in enrolment in managementeducation. The current intake stands at roughly 92,000,with the majority of the students enrolled in privatemanagement colleges.The distribution of management institutions shows aregional imbalance, with 86 per cent of the collegesconcentrated in north and south India. There appearsto be a correlation between the number of schools ina state and its economic and industrial development.The regional imbalances in development and thecreation of capacity for management education in thestate are probably related.A large proportion of the capacity is filled through all-India examinations conducted at a number of locationsthroughout the country. Therefore, a high per capita seatcapacity for a state does not necessarily mean a higherFigure 35: Number of management institutions(2006-07)1200Figure 36: Intake in management colleges(2006-07)1000001000800800006000060040000400200200000Government Private Total0Government Private TotalSource: MHRDSource: MHRD198 National Knowledge Commission

Figure 37: Regional distribution of managementcolleges (2006-07)7%17%46%North South East West30%opportunities in education. The imbalance betweendemand and supply for management graduates has ledto an overly commercial and exploitative environmentin management education. It is not clear how many ofthe recently started institutions are merely speculativeand how many are seriously committed to the cause ofmanagement education. It is not also clear how manyactually meet the norms and standards establishedby the All India Council for Technical Education.The regulatory framework and implementation hasbeen unable to link the entrepreneurial initiative toperformance in terms of educational quality. It has acontrol perspective focusing on inputs such as land,faculty, and other infrastructure rather than on theoutcomes such as quality of education, research,access, cost effectiveness or relevance.Source: MHRDlevel of opportunity for aspirants from that state. Theper capita seats per lakh of population may be partlya reflection of the state’s capacity to absorb a higherpercentage of management graduates.Growth in the number of business schools hasaccelerated over the last two decades. This acceleration,propelled by the increase in the rate of growth of theIndian economy, speaks also for the entrepreneurialinitiative of promoters to seize commercialTable 15: Growth of business schools in Indiaduring 1950-2006PeriodNo. ofBusinessschools addedAverageannualaddition1950-80 (30 years) 118 41980-1995 (15 years) 304 201995-2000 (5 years) 322 642000-2006 (6 years) 1017 169Source: Adapted from Dayal, I., “Developing Management Education inIndia”, Journal of Management Research, 2(2), August 2002, page: 101.Figure 38: State-wise MBA/PGDBM seats per lakh population (2006)2520151050DelhiAndhra PradeshMaharashtraTamil NaduGoaKarnatakaPunjabHaryanaUttaranchalOrissaUttar PradeshKeralaMadhya PradeshGujaratJ&KJharkhandWest BengalNagalandHimachal PradeshTripuraChhattisgarhManipurAssamBiharSource: Report of the Working Group on Management Education, National Knowledge CommissionReport to the Nation199

Engineering EducationIntroductionWith economic growth and the spread oftechnology, the demand for engineers hasincreased manifold. This has been matchedby an increase in enrolments in engineering as well as risein number of engineering institutes in India. Howeverkeeping in mind the growing opportunities for engineers,particularly in the field of information technology andbusiness process outsourcing, there is scope for furtherexpansion. A NASSCOM report foresees a shortageof 500,000 knowledge workers by 2010, 70 percent of which would be in the BPO industry. At thesame time, the quality of engineering institutes andengineering graduates needs to be improved. Apart froma few elite institutes, engineering education in India isoften seen as outdated and irrelevant. Most graduates donot possess the requisite skills, and industries have beenfacing a consistent deficit of quality trained engineers.Also, most institutes, including premier institutes, failto attract and retain quality faculty. These deficiencies inengineering education need to be tackled immediatelyto ensure that India does not miss out on significantopportunities.Current ScenarioEnrolment: Enrolment in engineering education has seena rapid increase in the last decade. The total enrolmentin 2005-06 stood at 795120 – accounting for 7.21 percent of the total enrolment in higher education.Institutions: There has been a phenomenal growth inthe number of engineering institutions at the graduatelevel, from 158 in 1980-81 to 1512 in 2006-07. A majorreason for this explosive growth in the last decade hasbeen the entry of private (aided as well as self financing)institutions. With the growth in demand, the averagesanctioned intake per institution has also increasedwith time.The investment from private sector has had a large role toplay in the growth of institutions. However, the qualityof these many of these private institutions is suspect.This has also been a major reason for the creation of aregional imbalance in the country.Regional imbalance: Although the number ofengineering institutions is more than 1500 at present,Figure 39: Time series trend in engineering enrolmentsAs percentage of total enrolment in higher educationEnrolment in engineering(in %)76.86.66.46.265.85.67000006000005000004000003000002000001000005.41995-96 1996-97 1997-98 1998-99 1999-2000 2000-010Source: University Development in India, 1995-96 to 2001-01, UGC200 National Knowledge Commission

Figure 40: Growth in engineering institutions1600151214001200100080077660040033720001581980 1990 2000 2006Source: UGCdata on the region-wise distribution ofinstitutions and sanctioned intake ofstudents indicates regional disparity. Onone hand, where there are around 268institutions in the southern region, there areonly 9 institutions in the eastern region. Atthe extreme end of the spectrum, Nagaland,Andaman and Nicobar, Daman & Diu haveno engineering institutions at all. Out of theseven Indian Institutes of Technology, three(Delhi, Kanpur and Roorkee) are located inthe North, two in the East (Kharagpur andGuwahati) and two in the South (Chennaiand Mumbai).Faculty: The rapid growth of engineeringinstitutions and the inadequate supply ofteachers together have created a shortage offaculty across engineering disciplines andinstitutions. India has a faculty strength ofaround 67,000 in engineering. Accordingto the AICTE Review Committee Report2003, the increase in the sanctionednumber of student intake has led to anescalation of faculty requirements of about95,924. This indicates a shortfall of over26,000 engineering doctorates and 30,000engineering postgraduates for meeting theteaching requirements.Figure 41: Average sanctioned intake per institutionAverage Sanctioned Intake3803603403203002802602402202002000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07Source: AICTEFigure 42: Share of institutions by intake (2006-07)10%3%Private aidedPrivate unaidedGovt. institutionsQuality: Engineering education in Indiahas a pyramidal structure, with a fewelite institutions at the peak and a largeproportion of institutions at the bottom ofthis pyramid. Flexible institutions, worldSource: AICTE87%Report to the Nation201

Figure 43: Region-wise distribution of engineeringinstitutions in 2006-0714%Source: AICTE11% 9%37%8%9%12%CentralEasternNorthernNorth-westSouthernSouth-westWesternclass infrastructure, relevant curriculum, good facultyand industry linkages are crucial inputs needed toenhance quality of engineering education in India.Current engineering graduates are often found to beill-equipped to meet the skill demands of the industry– a survey by the McKinsey Global Institute showedthat multinationals found only 25 per cent of Indianengineers employable.Research: Postgraduate education in engineeringand technology had a late start in our country. Atthe time of India’s independence only 6 institutionsoffered postgraduate programs in engineering andtechnology to just about 70 students. In 2003, 1552postgraduate engineering programs were recognised inengineering, offered by 321 institutions with a totalsanctioned intake of over 26,000. In 2004-05, only968 doctorate degrees were awarded in engineering,the majority of which came either from the IndianInstitutes of Technology or the Indian Institute ofScience, Bangalore.202 National Knowledge Commission

Open and Distance EducationIntroductionDistance education is provided by openuniversities and correspondence coursesoffered by Distance Education Institutions(DEIs) of conventional universities. Almost onefifthstudents enrolled in higher education in Indiaare receiving education through the distance mode,i.e. through the open universities or though thecorrespondence courses of traditional universities.Given the rapid expansion required in highereducation in India, open and distance educationcan play an extremely significant role in meetingthe increased demand for higher education.Moreover, there is an unprecedented opportunitywith regard to technology especially in the formof open courseware. However, problems relatingto quality as well as brand equity of distanceeducation persist.Current ScenarioEnrolment: In 2004-05, around eleven millionpeople were enrolled in higher education inIndia, of which the open and distance educationsystem (including correspondence courses offeredby distance educational institutions (DEIs) ofconventional colleges) served roughly 20 per cent.Within this, open universities served 10 per centof the higher education need. The figure belowillustrates the growth in enrolment in highereducation and open and distance educationfrom 1996 to 2004. In 2000-01, only 4 percent of the higher education need was served byopen universities, but in 2003-04 the figure wasaround 10 per cent, while the overall distanceeducation contribution is around nineteen percent. The figure below also shows the contributionto distance education by open universities andby correspondence courses of conventionaluniversities.Figure 44: Contribution of Open and DistanceEducation (ODE)Figure 45: Enrolment in open universities andcorrespondence coursesThousandsThousands120010008006004002000120001000080006000400020000Source: MHRDSource: MHRDTotal enrolment in higher educationEnrolment in open universities and correspondenceEnrolment in ODE as a percentage of total highereducation251996-97 1997-98 1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04Enrolment in open universitiesEnrolment in correspondenceEnrolment in open universities as a percentage of total higher educationEnrolment in correspondence as a percentage of total higher education1996-97 1997-98 1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-042015105014121086420Report to the Nation203

Institutions: In India there are 14 open universities– 13 state open universities and one national OpenUniversity – Indira Gandhi National Open University(IGNOU). IGNOU now has a cumulative enrolmentof about 15 lakh, offers a total of 126 programs and hasa teaching staff of 325 and 1157. Distance educationthrough correspondence courses is provided byother regular universities as well. As on date there are119 Correspondence Course Institutes (CCIs) inconventional Universities. In 2003, open universitiesserved only eight per cent of the total higher educationenrolment, while correspondence courses constitutednearly one fifth of the total higher education enrolment.Quality: The quality and delivery mechanisms ofdistance education provided by correspondence coursesare relatively poor. Most correspondence courses areinstituted as a mode of resource generation in view ofthe unmet demand for higher education. Further, theresources thus earned are not used for the improvementof the correspondence programs. Therefore, qualityconcerns become secondary to those of numbers andincome. Due to inadequate mechanisms of qualitycontrol and regulation, students graduating from bothregular courses and correspondence courses get the samedegree, despite sharp differences in quality of pedagogicalprocess and achievement. Substantial investments inTable 16: Enrolment in open universities and correspondence courses (1996 to 2003)YearTotal enrolment inhigher educationEnrolment inopen universitiesEnrolment inopen universities(% of total)Enrolment incorrespondenceTotal enrolmentin open & distanceeducation1996-97 6842598 294947 4.31 819110 11140571997-98 7260418 316089 4.35 959228 12753171998-99 7705520 247168 3.21 868459 11156271999-00 8050607 381862 4.74 971991 13538532000-01 8399443 379286 4.52 1055317 14346032001-02 8821095 632214 7.17 1123344 17555582002-03 9516773 765489 8.04 1012779 1778268Source: Department of Secondary & Higher Education, MHRDTable 17: Enrolment and teachers in open universities in India (2003-2004)Open University Enrolment Studentson RollTeachers Budget # RevenueReceipts*Indira Gandhi National Open University, New Delhi 334315 1187100 307 21170 13950Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Open University, Hyderabad 190320 - 89 3320 2730Vardhaman Mahaveer Open University, Kota 5999 - 30 355 390.5Nalanda Open University, Patna 1805 8484 6 948 95.95Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University, 102642 800587 39 2189 1600NashikDr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University, Ahmedabad 13824 68865 39 - -Madhya Pradesh Bhoj Open University, Bhopal 192230 192230 36 121.5 1129.04Netaji Subhas Open University, Kolkata 14734 225244 4 310 175Uttar Pradesh Rajarshi8025 22172 11 - -Tandon Open UniversityKarnataka State Open University, Mysore 19580 33172 63 46 1156Tamil Nadu Open University, Chennai 9361 9361 20 192.9 192.9#Budget plan + non plan * in Rs LakhSource: Distance Education Council204 National Knowledge Commission

correspondence courses must be made by universities toimprove resources, delivery and modes of pedagogicalassistance and assessment.International comparisons: Most of the developingcountries worldwide have realised the need for openuniversities. Developed countries such as France andUK have pioneered open and distance education. UnitedStates remains the undisputed leader in online education.Table 18 below lists mega open universities of the world,along with enrolments and budget.Issues in the Current Framework1. The same form and structure of degree programs:Open and distance education imparted in openuniversities system has evolved alternative deliverymodes with a lot of flexibility. However, it has retainedthe same form and structure, eventually culminating in adegree or diploma certification. Though this is followedto retain recognition from employers and acceptancefrom society, it has not made the system responsive tothe dynamic developmental needs of the people.2. Limited linkages with the workplace: The emphasison people’s education with a focus on work relatedskills and productivity as expected in the Report ofEducation Commission (1964-66) on Educationand Development is yet to be achieved and built intothe open and distance education system. Linkingeducation with productivity demands linking learningwith workplace based training and education for valueaddition.3. Limited coverage and access: Although the existingsize and the share of the open and distance educationsystem in higher education is significant, it is still toosmall to support life-long learning for the citizens of thecountry.4. Lack of access to media: Study texts form themain study materials for a large majority of students.Pedagogical use of various electronic media is yet verylimited.5. Lack of coordination: There is an overlap of targetgroups to be covered by the open schooling and open anddistance higher education. The latter is for mature adultsand many open universities have reduced the age criteriafrom 21 years to 18 years to enable open admissionfor preparatory courses essential for admission to opendegree programs, for those who have not class twelvegraduates. Since open schools also cater to mature adults,it is essential to have coordination amongst the schooland higher education programs to cater to diverse needsof mature adults.Table 18: Open and distance education in other countries - mega universitiesCountry Institution Enrolment ~Budget in Million US$ Unit Cost*Pakistan AIOU 456,126Turkey Anadolu 1,187,100 32.4 budget for 2000 10China CCRTVU 2,300,000 40France CNED 184,614 56.0 1995 figure 50India IGNOU 1,187,100 47.0 budget for 2004 35Korea KNOU 196,402 > 79.0 1995 figure 5UK OU 203,744 > 300.0 1995 figure 50Thailand STOU 181,372 > 46.0 1995 figure 30Indonesia UT 222,068 > 21.0 1995 figure 15* Unit cost per student as a percentage of the average for other universities in the countryReport to the Nation205

More Quality Ph.DsIntroductionAs India seeks to transform itself into aknowledge society, reviving the culture ofresearch and innovation becomes all the moreimportant. High quality research in all frontiers ofknowledge is essential to achieve long term competitiveadvantage. However, the growth in higher educationin India has not been accompanied by an equivalentgrowth in doctoral students. The declining quality ofresearch work and deteriorating research standards andinfrastructure in the country are a cause of concern.Inadequate infrastructure and lack of strong incentivesto practice quality research are major causes of declinein interest towards research work. Administrativehurdles add to the already unfavourable environmentfor research.Current ScenarioThe current quantum of research happening in Indiais insufficient. Of the 11 million students enrolled inhigher education in 2005-06, only 0.64 per cent wereenrolled in research programs. Further, out of the 17898of doctorate degrees awarded in 2004-05, the Faculty ofArts awarded 7532 degrees and the Faculty of Scienceshad 5549 degrees. Thus, these two faculties togetheraccounted for 73 per cent of the total number of researchdegrees awarded. There are also wide disparities withinstates in the number of doctoral degrees granted.India’s poor performance in research is also highlightedby comparisons with other countries. In 2002, USA had4373, Japan had 5084, Germany had 3208 and evenFigure 46: Growth of doctorates: Faculty-wise number of doctorate degrees awarded20000Arts Science Engg. Med. Vet Others1800017853 178981600015418140001200011544 1189910000800060004000200002000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05Source: Annual Report, 2005-06, University Grants Commission206 National Knowledge Commission

Figure 47: State-wise distribution of Ph.D degrees awardedUttar PradeshMaharashtraMadhya PradeshKarnatakaRajasthanKeralaTamil NaduWest BengalDelhiOrissaAndhra PradeshGujaratPunjabHaryanaChhattisgarhAssamUttaranchalChandigarhBiharHimachalJharkhandManipurMeghalayaJ & KGoaArunachalNagalandTripuraSikkim0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400Source: MHRD, Selected Statistics, 2004-05.Figure 48: Growth in number of doctorates compared to other countriesIndia USA China Germany UK Japan45,00040,00035,00030,00025,00020,00015,00010,0005,00001983 1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003Source: NSF, Science and Engineering Indicators 2006, Appendix Tables 2.42 and 2.43China had 633 researchers per million inhabitants whileIndia had only 112. Similarly, while the number ofdoctorates increased by only 20 per cent in India, Chinashowed a spectacular growth of 85 per cent in Ph.Ds,Taiwan 57 per cent and Japan 48 per cent between 1991and 2001.Further, according to National Science Foundation,USA, the number of Indians who received USdoctorate degrees in 2003 in science and engineeringis approximately 14000, a figure roughly doublefor Indian science and engineering doctorates whoreceived degrees in India. Indians also earned byfar the largest number of U.S. doctoral degreesawarded to any foreign group in computerand information sciences. This points out to theabsence of a conducive research environment inIndia.Report to the Nation207

Intellectual Property RightsIntroductionIntellectual property rights (IPR) have emergedas an indispensable strategic tool in today’sknowledge economies and societies, particularlyin the context of economic globalisation. An entity’sability to compete in the global market depends toa large extent on its capacity to generate new ideasthrough innovation in science and technology. IPR, byconferring exclusive monopoly rights to its owner fora limited duration, has emerged as a significant factorin creating incentives for innovation and generationof economic value. An effective IPR system is also aconstituent of a reliable legal environment, which inturn becomes an important factor for decisions onforeign investment and technology transfer.Current ScenarioPatent trends: India has witnessed a markedrise in the number of patent applications filed.While in 1992, 3467 applications were filed, in2006-07, almost 29000 applications were filed.Similarly, number of patents granted has increased– although less rapidly. In the past five years,patent grants have shown a more than five-foldincrease.Further, of the total of 28940 applications in 2006-07,only 18 per cent were filed by Indian residents – theremaining were filed by foreign applicants. This insharp contrast with countries such as USA, China,France, Germany, Korea and UK, where domesticpatent application filing is much higher than foreignapplications.A sector-wise analysis of patents filed in India showthat the chemical, mechanical and computer fieldsrank the highest in terms of number of applicationsfiled. However, the food, biotechnology and electricalindustries have seen the highest growth in the lastthree years.International comparisons: India figures in the top 20patent offices, both by patent filings and patent grants.Its ranking further improves if one takes into accountFigure 52: Comparative Trend of Patents Filed and Granted35000FiledGranted3000025000200001500010000500001992-931993-941994-951995-961996-971997-981998-991999-20002000-012001-022002-032003-042004-052005-062006-07Source: Annual Report of the Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs, Trademarks, Geographical Indications,Intellectual Property Training Institute, and Patent Information System, 2006-07208 National Knowledge Commission

Figure 53: Applications filed by Indians and ForeignersIndiansForeigners25000200001500010000500001992-931993-941994-951995-961996-971997-981998-991999-20002000-012001-022002-032003-042004-052005-062006-07Source: Annual Report of the Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs, Trademarks, Geographical Indications,Intellectual Property Training Institute, and Patent Information System, 2006-07Figure 54: Number of patent applications filed under various fields of inventions70002004-05 2005-06 2006-076000500040003000200010000Chemical Drug Food Electrical Mechanical Computer/ElectronicsBiotechnologyGeneralSource: Annual Report of the Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs, Trademarks, Geographical Indications,Intellectual Property Training Institute, and Patent Information System, 2006-07Figure 55: India patent figures (2005)30,000Patent filings25,00020,00015,000Patent grantsthe data for the year 2006 (WIPO rankings shown beloware based on 2005 figures for India and 2006 figures forthe other countries). Yet, when one takes into accountpatent filings as a proportion of population, GDP andR&D expenditure – a better index for innovation –India fares badly.10,0005,0000By patent officeBy country of originSource: WIPO Statistics DatabaseReport to the Nation209

Table 21: Patent filings by patent office: Top20 offices, 200620061 United States of America 4259662 Japan 4086743 China 2105014 Republic of Korea 1661895 European Patent Office 1352316 Germany 605857 Canada 420388 Russian Federation 376919 Australia 2600310 United Kingdom 2574511 India (2005) 2450512 Brazil 2407413 France 1724914 Mexico 1550515 Hong Kong (SAR), China 1379016 Singapore 916317 Israel 749618 New Zealand 736519 Thailand 624820 Norway 6076Source: WIPO Statistics DatabaseTable 22: Patent grants by patent office:Top 20 offices, 200620061 United States of America 1737702 Japan 1413993 Republic of Korea 1207904 European Patent Office 627805 China 577866 Russian Federation 232997 Germany 210348 Canada 149729 France 1378810 Mexico 963211 Australia 942612 United Kingdom 790713 Singapore 739314 Hong Kong (SAR), China 514615 India (2005) 432016 Ukraine 370517 New Zealand 341218 Poland 268619 Israel 258420 Brazil 2465Source: WIPO Statistics DatabaseFigure 56: Resident patent filings per million population (2006)JapanKoreaUSGermanyFinlandUKFranceRussiaCanadaSingaporeAustraliaChinaBrazilThailandMexicoIndia500.00 1,000.00 1,500.00 2,000.00 2,500.00 3,000.00Source: WIPO Statistics Database210 National Knowledge Commission

Figure 57: Resident patent filings per $Billion GDP (2006)KoreaJapanRussiaChinaUSAGermanyFinlandUKFranceCanadaAustraliaBrazilSingaporeIndiaThailandMexico20.00 40.00 60.00 80.00 100.00 120.00 140.00Source: WIPO Statistics DatabaseFigure 58: Resident patent filings per $Million R&D expenditures (2006)6.005.004.003.002.001.000KoreaRussiaJapanSource: WIPO Statistics DatabaseChinaThailandGermanyUSAUKBrazilFranceIndiaFinlandCanadaAustraliaMexicoSingaporeReport to the Nation211

EntrepreneurshipIntroductionEntrepreneurship is considered to be a significantdeterminant of economic development. Newentrepreneurial activities play a vital part in theprocess of creative destruction that fosters innovation,employment, and growth. While India has traditionallybeen an entrepreneurial country, it fares poorly innumerous global studies exploring the entrepreneurialand business potential of countries. For instance, inthe World Bank Doing Business report (2008) whichinvestigates regulations that enhance business activity,India is ranked 120 out of 178 economies. Similarly, inthe World Economic Forum’s Global CompetitivenessIndex (2007), India ranks 48 th among 131 countries.Current ScenarioAccording to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor(2007) report, India’s High-Growth ExpectationEarly-Stage Entrepreneurship (HEA) rate is only onefifthof that of China. Further, among medium andlow income countries, while China’s nascent and newentrepreneurs appear to be the most growth-oriented,with more than 10 per cent of them anticipatinghigh growth. Early-stage entrepreneurial activity inIndia is marked by low levels of growth expectation.This is despite the extremely high levels of potentialentrepreneurial activity as perceived by the nonentrepreneuriallyactive population in the country(See Figure 60).While data on entrepreneurship is hard to come by,the following numbers are telling. According to theNSS 62 nd round, in rural India, almost 50 per centof all workers are self-employed – 57 per cent amongmales and nearly 62 per cent among females, whilethe corresponding figures in urban India are 42 formales and 44 for females. The NSSO defines a selfemployedperson as one who has worked in householdenterprises as own-account worker; worked inhousehold enterprises as an employer or worked inhousehold enterprises as helper. The essential feature ofthe self-employed is that they have autonomy (decidehow, where and when to produce) and economicindependence (in respect of choice of market, scaleof operation and finance) for carrying out theiroperation. According to the 5 th Economic CensusFigure 59: Ease of doing business – Global Rank140120100806040200Singapore Japan Mexico Pakistan China Russia India BrazilSource: Doing Business, 2008212 National Knowledge Commission

Figure 60: Overall and potential entrepreneurial activity60Overall entrepreneurial activityPotential entrepreneurial activity5040( in %)3020100Thailand Brazil China Hong Kong USA India Japan UK RussiaSource: Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, 2007conducted by the Central Statistical Organisation(CSO), there are 41.83 million establishments inthe country engaged in different economic activitiesother than crop production and plantation. Fivestates viz. Tamil Nadu (10.60 per cent), Maharashtra(10.10 per cent), West Bengal (10.05 per cent),Uttar Pradesh (9.61 per cent) and Andhra Pradesh(9.56 per cent) together account for about 50 percent of the total establishments in the country. Thesame five states also have the combined share of about50 per cent of total employment.Issues in the Current FrameworkFinance: Access to credit is considered to be one ofthe key problems faced by entrepreneurs in India.This problem is particularly acute at the start-upstage, where bank finance is hard to obtain. Despitenew sources of finance such as venture capital, angelfunding and private equity becoming increasinglypopular, institutional finance is still not able to meetthe current entrepreneurial demands.Regulation and governance: An entrepreneur has todeal with a host of regulatory and compliance issues.These include registering one’s business, obtaininggovernment clearances and licenses, paying taxes andcomplying with labour regulations. Cumbersomepaperwork, long delays and red tapism involved insuch transactions create unnecessary burdens forentrepreneurs, constraining their productivity andtheir ability to do business. As seen in the DoingBusiness 2008 rankings, India performs poorly inthese indicators. A study investigating the effect ofregulation on entrepreneurship using the GEM datasetshows India to be having one of the worst regulatoryindices. (See Figure 61). Moreover, lack of clarity oninformation relating to legal and procedural aspectsof starting an enterprise, as well as those relating toclearances, licenses and government schemes furtheraggravates the problem.Table 23: India’s Ranking in Doing Business 2008Starting a Business 111Dealing with Licenses 134Employing Workers 85Registering Property 112Paying Taxes 165Trading Across Borders 79Enforcing Contracts 177Closing a Business 137Source: Doing Business, World Bank, 2008Manpower: Availability of skilled manpower is anothercrucial issue for entrepreneurs. For example, in a surveyof entrepreneurs conducted by KPMG and TiE in2008, skilled manpower emerged as the second mostimportant factor for fostering entrepreneurial growth.Further parameters reflecting labour market efficiencyand flexibility are dismal. In the Global CompetitivenessIndex, India ranks 102 nd in hiring and firing practicesand 85 th in employing workers in the Doing Business2008 report.Report to the Nation213

Figure 61: Regulatory indices0.9Entry Contract Labour0.80.70.60.50.40.30.20.10Singapore US UK Germany Korea China Brazil IndiaSource: Explaining International Differences in Entrepreneurship: The Role of Individual Characteristics and RegulatoryConstraints, Silvia Ardagna and Annamaria Lusardi, 2008Figure 62: Relative importance of factors on a scale of 1-32.82.72.722.67 2.662.62.52.522.42.32.28 2.272.22.12.0Infrastructure Manpower issues Finance Local environmentand ecosystemGovernance issuesRegulatory issuesSource: Entrepreneurial India, KPMG-TiE Report, 2008Infrastructure: India’s physical infrastructure – roads,rail, ports, power, and telecom – is also considered to bea bottleneck to the smooth operation of entrepreneurialactivity. The high transport and supply chain costs thatpoor infrastructure entails can be affect competitivenessto a great extent, particularly for a small and mediumenterprise. Enterprises surveyed in the GlobalCompetitiveness Report 2007-08, rated inadequateinfrastructure as ‘the most problematic factor’ for doingbusiness in India.Education: While the influence of educationon entrepreneurship is considered debatable,increasingly education is being seen as part of thelarger ecosystem that impacts entrepreneurshipand entrepreneurial motivations. Greater practicalexposure, critical analysis, entrepreneurshipcurriculum, incubation and mentoring,industry-research linkages can help in fosteringentrepreneurship.214 National Knowledge Commission

AgricultureIntroductionAgriculture is the principal means of livelihood forover 60 per cent of India’s population. Despitea steady decline of its share in the GDP (from36.4 per cent in 1982-83 to 18.5 per cent in 2006-07), it remains the largest economic sector in India.Low and volatile growth rates plaguing agriculture aresymptomatic of agrarian crises in several parts of theIndian countryside. Public investment in agriculture hasdeclined and this sector has also not been able to attractprivate investment because of lower/unattractive returns.A well thought-out strategy for promoting agriculturalgrowth is essential for both alleviating poverty andachieving food-security at the national level. Generationand application of knowledge – through agriculturalresearch and extension services can play a crucial role inmeeting the above objectives.Current ScenarioResearch: The Department of Agricultural Researchand Education (DARE) is responsible for addressingagricultural research and education needs in the country.This responsibility is discharged through the IndianCouncil of Agricultural Research (ICAR), an apexand autonomous organisation for agricultural researchand education. The DARE has an extensive networkcomprising 48 Central Institutes, 5 National Bureau,12 Project Directorates, 32 National Research Centresand 62 All-India Coordinated Research Projects.Education: The Indian agricultural education systemcomprises of 40 State Agricultural Universities (SAUs),four ICAR Institutes (IARI, IVRI, NDRI, CIFE),Allahabad Agricultural Institute, one Central AgriculturalUniversity and four Central Universities which have astrong agricultural faculty. There are also a large numberof private colleges both affiliated and non-affiliated toSAUs. According to UGC, there are currently 63962students enrolled in agriculture education in India,accounting for just 0.58 per cent of the total enrolment inhigher education. There is a striking regional imbalancein enrolment with Uttar Pradesh accounting for almost30 per cent of the all-India student enrolment. Further,agricultural studies are not an attractive option anymoreFigure 49: Average GDP growth rates of agriculture and other sectors at1999-2000 pricesNon-agriculture Total economy Agriculture & allied108Average growth rates (%)6420Pre-Green Revolution(1951-52 to 1967-68)Green Revolution period(1968-69 to 1980-81)Wider technologydissemination period(1981-82 to 1990-91)Early Reforms period(1991-92 to 1996-97)Ninth and Tenth Plan(1997-98 to 2006-07)Source: Economic Survey, 2007-08Report to the Nation215

Figure 50: Investment in agriculture: Gross capital formation in agriculture as apercentage of GDP from agriculturePublic SectorPrivate Sector1210Average growth rates (%)864201980-85 1985-90 1990-95 1995-2000 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07Source: Eleventh Five Year Plan, Planning CommissionFigure 51: Enrolment in agriculture education (2001)1600014000120001000080006000400020000Uttar PradeshSource: University Development in India, 1995-96 to 2000-01, UGC– it is looked upon as an inferior science to be taken upwhen all else fails.Extension: The Department of Agriculture and Cooperation(DAC) is the central agency coordinatingagricultural extension. In addition, the National Instituteof Agricultural Marketing (NIAM) and the NationalInstitute of Agricultural Extension Management(MANAGE) are autonomous bodies established forproviding the government further assistance, especiallyin facilitating the acquisition of managerial andtechnical skills by personnel involved in the agriculturaleconomy.Various structures, projects and initiatives have beenput in place in order to promote agriculture extensionin the country. These include Agricultural TechnologyManagement Agency (ATMA), Krishi Vigyan KendrasMaharashtraKarnatakaTamil NaduAndhra PradeshRajasthanMadhya PradeshGujaratWest BengalUttarakhandPunjabHimachal PradeshHaryanaAssamOrissaKeralaChhattisgarhBihar(KVKs), Agri-clinic and agri-business centres, KisanCall Centre Scheme etc. ATMAs have been set upin various districts to decentralise, integrate andcoordinate R&D activities, using modern informationand communication technology to improve linkagesbetween the various extension agencies. KVKs havebeen initiated by ICAR to identify the technologicalgaps, critical needs and requirements of the farmers,and impart skill through various programs. Inaddition to the demonstration of latest technologicaldevelopment, assessment and refinement at farmers’fields, the KVKs also provide farm informationservices through literature, exhibitions, field days,farmers tours, crop seminars, kisan melas, radioand television programs, correspondence services,telephone consultancy and helpline services etc. Sofar over 554 KVKs (as on August 2007) have beenestablished.216 National Knowledge Commission

Table 19: Global extension practicesCountryUnited Statesof America,Canada, Australia,DenmarkCosta RicaEnglandHollandAlbaniaUgandaIsraelIndonesiaLao People’sDemocraticRepublic, Vietnamand MaliExtension PracticesStrong extension services – first public, and now public and/or private. None of these very developedcountries has ever considered the discipline of extension as inferior to other agricultural disciplinesat the time of resource allocation. Several developed countries have fully or partially privatised theiragricultural extension services in a variety of ways.The government provides farmers with extension vouchers which can be used for getting extensionadvice from private specialists.The public extension service has evolved over time into a private consulting practice. The positiveresult is enhanced efficiency of staff, and the negative effect is the deprivation of small farmers ofextension services as the result of their inability or unwillingness to pay.About 60 per cent of the extension budget comes from farmers, while the remaining 40 per centis provided by the government. The benefits include increased efficiency, improved quality, clientorientation,job satisfaction for staff, and expanded marketing opportunities for farmers.Private sector entrepreneurial initiatives to create a long-term relationship with farmers have proved tobe successful.Privatisation of extension through the creation of a pool of private extension specialists out of itsexisting public extension service. Registered farmers’ associations could call upon this pool throughbidding for providing services related to selected enterprises, and pay for the services from the fundsgiven to them by the donors through decentralised government units.The government is still responsible for providing extension advice, but encourages privatisation throughthe standing practice of growers to contribute portion of their income to research and developmentincluding extension, public and private partnership in financing and operating units within theextension service, payment for services by commodity production and marketing boards beyond a basicextension package, the provision of more intensive extension activities at the request of needy growers,special agreements with commodity farmers’ organisations, extension staff working on their day off inexchange for direct payment from farmers, provision of equipment like mobile phones to extensionadvisers by growers associations, and direct payment by farmers for participation in training activities.Some projects have not only encouraged NGOs and the private sector, but also agricultural researchinstitutes, agricultural universities and farmers’ associations, to participate in the delivery of extensionservices. Indonesia has successfully established new institutions called Agricultural TechnologyAssessment Institutes at provincial level, bringing together farmers, researchers and extension specialists.Experimenting with tele-centres, which have already exhibited their benefits in several Western Europeancountries. Virtual linkages are being established for bringing research and extension together, andone example is the VERCON (virtual extension, research and communication network) tool, whichFAO has introduced in Egypt and Bhutan. Under an FAO project in the Philippines, the Internetand interactive e-mail facilities have been established at municipality level for supporting decentralisedextension staff. Expert systems are also being developed to compensate, to some extent, for the too-rarevisits of subject-matter specialists to farmers’ fields. Over 30 per cent of extension staff in Estonia use theInternet. One can find programs like “virtual gardens” and “virtual farms” on the Internet.Source: ‘Modernising National Agricultural Extension Systems, A Practical Guide for Policy-Makers of Developing Countries’, FAO, 2005.Issues within the research and extensionframeworkFunding: The current allocation to agricultural R&D,which stands at is 0.7 per cent of agriculture GDP, isgrossly inadequate. This funds crunch is the main factorbehind the disintegration of public systems of agriculturalR&D in several places. Today almost in all SAUs about80-85 per cent of the budget goes towards salary and otherestablishment costs. The ICAR share also has dwindledand varied from 33 per cent in the Fifth Plan to almost9 per cent in the Eighth Plan. In all SAUs, 25 to 30 percent posts are not filled on account of squeeze in budgetand this has seriously impacted quality of instruction.Allocations to this sector must be significantly increasedboth at the Centre (to at least 1 per cent of GDP) andin states.Infrastructure and human resources: The financial crunchcoupled with bureaucratic rigidities has caused colossalgaps both in basic infrastructure and human resources.Lack of water, power, basic equipment like cell phonesReport to the Nation217

and vans, vacancies in the scientific posts in agriculturaluniversities and understaffing of extension providingbodies by underpaid workers are just some of the problemsplaguing public research and extension units.Service providers outside the public sector: TheFarmers Commission Report testified that in the 40 percent of farmer households at an all-India level who didaccess modern technology, “other progressive farmers”emerged as the most popular source (16.7 per cent);followed by “input dealers” (13.1 per cent) and “radio”(13 per cent). Private R&D institutes and demanddrivenextension service providers have entered theagricultural economy in a big way. As R&D providersby proxy, they may well be motivated by vested interestsand thus pose a real threat to the farmer who has no otheroption. Alternatively, service providers in the privatesector may fulfill an important function efficiently,in the absence of a more reliable mechanism.Research-Extension linkages: There is often disconnectbetween the research done by agricultural scientistsand the on-farm practices of farmers. (See Table 20)The structure of the present public extension system islinear and compartmentalised, thus propagating a topdownapproach that does not encourage interaction andco-operation amongst the several actors. Mostimportantly, it does not incorporate a mechanism forfeedback. Therefore, extension workers continue todisseminate technology that may not only be irrelevant,but also harmful for the farming community.Information and Communication Technology (ICT):The availability and convergence of ICTs – computers,digital networks, telecommunication etc. – has beensignificant in the dissemination of knowledge andinformation to the rural population in recent years.The village knowledge centres established by the MSSwaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) inPondicherry, and the village internet kiosks establishedby ITC under the “e-chaupal” program are examplesof highly successful ICT deployment for research andextension and market access in agriculture.Agricultural universities: In order to meet the systemicchallenges in the R&D arena, the syllabus and curriculumin agricultural universities need to be more flexible andinterdisciplinary. Incorporation of social sciences andmanagement techniques, primacy accorded to fieldworkand regular training and refresher courses for extensionworkers must be added to the curriculum in order toaddress the disconnect between the lab and the land.Incentives and schemes must be established to attract thebest minds to stimulate R&D activities in universities.Table 20: State-wise performance and potential yield of selected cropsStateImprovedpractice (I)Farmerpractice (F)Actual yield2003-04 (A)Gap (%)Wheat (Yield: Kg/ha - 2002-03 to 2004-05)I and FI and ABihar 3651 2905 1783 25.7 104.8Madhya Pradesh 3297 2472 1789 33.4 84.3Uttar Pradesh 4206 3324 2794 26.5 50.5Rice (irrigated) (Yield: Kg/ha - 2003-04 to 2004-05)Uttar Pradesh 7050 5200 2187 35.6 222.4Bihar 4883 4158 1516 17.4 222.1Chhattisgarh 3919 3137 1455 24.9 169.4SugarcaneMaharashtra 127440 99520 51297 28.1 148.4Karnataka 147390 128000 66667 15.1 121.2Bihar 74420 49440 40990 50.5 81.6Source: Economic Survey 2007-08Note:The data and statistics provided in the baseline section, unless stated otherwise, have been taken from Ministry of HumanResource Development (MHRD), Planning Commission, University Grants Commission (UGC) and District InformationSystem for Education (DISE).218 National Knowledge Commission

Annexure II: Consultations

Working GroupsLanguage1. Prof. Meenakshi MukherjeeHyderabad University2. Dr. Partha GhoshS.N. Bose National Centre for Basic SciencesKolkata3. Dr. M.P. ParameswaranKSSP Kerala4. Mr. K.K. KrishnakumarBGVS Kerala5. Mrs. Shesha PrasadKendriya Vidyalaya Picket, Secunderabad6. Prof. U.N. SinghCentral Institute of Indian Languages, Mysore7. Prof. Jacob TharuCIEFLLibraries1. Smt. Kalpana DasguptaCentral Secretariat Library, New Delhi2. Dr. S. ArunachalamM.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation,Chennai3. Mr. K.K. BanerjeeRaja Rammohan Roy Library Foundation,Kolkata4. Mr. K. JayakumarMinistry of Culture, New Delhi5. Dr. H.K. KaulDELNET, New Delhi6. Mr. K.K. KochukoshyCentral Reference Library, Kolkata7. Mr. Manoj Kumar K.INFLIBNET, Ahmedabad8. Prof. S. MandalNational Library, Kolkata9. Prof. P.B. ManglaDept. of Library and Information ScienceUniversity of Delhi10. Dr. T.A.V. MurthyCIEFL, Hyderabad11. Dr. Harsha ParekhSNDT Women’s UniversityMumbai12. Dr. A.R.D. PrasadDocumentation Research and TrainingCentre, ISI, BangaloreHealth Information Network1. Prof. N.K. Ganguly, ChairmanIndian Council of Medical Research2. Dr. B.S. BediAdviser, CDAC & Media Lab Asia, FormerSenior Director & Head Med. Electronics andTelemedicineDept. of IT, Govt. of India3. Mr. Partha ChattopadhyaCD (DRS), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare4. Dr. Shiban GanjuConvener, I HIND5. Dr. Shiva KumarMember, National Advisory Council6. Dr. RamakrishnanDirector General, CDAC7. Prof. K. Srinath Reddy, PresidentPublic Health Foundation of India8. Mr. Rajdeep SahrawatVice President, NASSCOM9. Mr. Raj ShahCEO, Capital Technology Information Services(CTIS)10. Dr. Y.K. SharmaDeputy Director General, NIC ConsultationsReport to the Nation221

Higher Education1. Dr. Kiran DatarDelhi University2. Dr. S.K. GargDeen Dayal Upadhyaya College, Delhi3. Dr. Meenakshi GopinathLady Sri Ram College, Delhi4. Dr. Fraser MascarenhasSt. Xavier’s College, Mumbai5. Dr. B.K. MishraScience College, Patna6. Prof. Prasanta RayPresidency College, Kolkata7. Dr. Anil WilsonSt. Stephen’s College, New DelhiMore Talented Students in Mathsand Science1. Prof. J. Sashidhara PrasadEx-vice-Chancellor, University of Mysore2. Mr. Ramji RaghavanChairman, Agastya International Foundation3. Prof. Dipankar ChatterjiConvener, KVPY Program, IISc4. Dr. Savithri SinghPrincipal, Acharya Narendra Dev College5. Prof. L.K. MaheshwariDirector, Birla Institute ofTechnology and Science6. Dr. M. VidyasagarExecutive Vice President, Tata Consultancy Services7. Prof. S.C. LakhotiaBanaras Hindu UniversityLegal Education1. Justice M. Jagannadha Rao, ChairpersonFormer Judge, Supreme Court of India FormerChairperson, Law Commission of India2. Justice Leila Seth, MemberFormer Judge, Delhi High Court Former ChiefJustice, High Court of Himachal Pradesh3. Prof. N.R. Madhava Menon, MemberFormer Vice Chancellor, National Law Schoolof India University (NLSIU), Bangalore FormerVice Chancellor, West Bengal National Universityof Juridical Sciences (NUJS) Kolkata FormerDirector, National Judicial Academy, Bhopal4. Mr. P.P. Rao, Member Senior Advocate, SupremeCourt of India5. Prof. B.S. Chimni, MemberFormer Vice Chancellor, NUJS, Kolkata Professor,Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi6. Mr. Nishith Desai, MemberManaging Partner, Nishith Desai Associates, Mumbai7. Dr. Mohan Gopal, MemberFormer Vice Chancellor, NLSIU, BangaloreDirector, National Judicial Academy, BhopalMedical Education1. Dr. Sneh BhargavaAIIMS, New Delhi2. Dr. N.G. DesaiIHBAS, Delhi3. Dr. N.K. GangulyICMR, New Delhi4. Dr. V.I. MathanCMC, Vellore5. Dr. G.N. RaoLVP Eye Institute, Hyderabad6. Dr. S.K. ReddyAIIMS, New Delhi7. Dr. S.K. SarinG.B. Pant Hospital, New Delhi8. Dr. D. ShettyNarayana Hrudayalaya, Bangalore9. Dr. K.K. TalwarPGIMER, Chandigarh10. Dr. P.N. TandonNational Brain Research Centre, Haryana11. Dr. M.S. ValiathanINSAManagement Education1. Mr. P.M. SinhaPepsi India2. Prof. Amitava BoseIIM, Kolkata3. Prof. Jahar SahaIIM, Ahmedabad222 National Knowledge Commission

4. Prof. K.R.S. MurthyIIM, Bangalore5. Dr. Nachiket MorDy. Managing Director, ICICI Bank, Mumbai6. Mr. R. GopalkrishnanExecutive Director, Tata Sons, MumbaiEngineering Education1. Professor M.S. AnanthDirector, Indian Institute of Technology Madras2. Professor Anil MaratheIndian Institute of Technology Bombay3. Professor Ashok ThakurVice Chancellor, West BengalTechnical University4. Professor GokhaleDirector, National Institute of Technology Nagpur5. Professor S.N. MaheshwariIndian Institute of Technology Delhi6. Professor N. SatyamurthyIndian Institute of Technology Kanpur7. Professor Vijay GuptaVice-Chancellor, Lovely Professional University8. Dr. M.P. RavindraVice President, Education, Infosys, Bangalore9. Dr. Y.S. RajanPrincipal Adviser, Confederation of Indian Industries10. Dr. Sandhya Chintala representingDr. Kiran Karnik, Chairman, NASSCOM11. Mr. Baba KalyaniChairman and MD, Bharat Forge12. Prof. M.V. KrishnamurthyDirector (Academic Research), VIT University13. Prof. H.P. KhinchaVice-Chancellor, Visvesarya Technology UniversityOpen and Distance Education1. Prof. Ram Takwale (Chairman)Former Vice-Chancellor,Indira Gandhi National Open University,Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra OpenUniversity2. Prof. Badrinath KoulFormer Pro-Vice-Chancellor, IGNOU3. Prof. Salil MishraReader of History, School of Social SciencesIGNOU4. Prof. Parvin SinclairDirector, School of Sciences, IGNOU5. Dr. Vijay KumarAssistant Provost and Director of AcademicComputing, MIT6. Prof. V.S. PrasadDirector, National Assessment and AccreditationCouncil (NAAC), Bangalore FormerVice-Chancellor, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar OpenUniversity, Hyderabad7. Dr. B.S. BhatiaFormer Director, Development and EducationComputing Unit (DECU) Space ApplicationsCentre (SAC), Ahmedabad8. Mr. Rajendra Pawar, Chairman, NIIT9. Dr. Surabhi Banerjee Vice ChancellorNetaji Subhas Open University (NSOU)KolkataOpen Educational Resources1. Dr. V. BalajiHead, KMS (Knowledge Management andSharing) Group, ICRISAT (International CropsResearch Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics)2. Dr. K. Mangala SunderWebcourses Coordinator, NPTEL (NationalProgram on Technology Enhanced Learning),Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras3. Dr. Rajan WelukarVice Chancellor, Yashwantrao ChavanMaharashtra Open University4. Dr. H.P. DikshitNBHM Professor, PDPM, Indian Institute ofInformation Technology5. Anand PatwardhanExecutive Director, Technology InformationForecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC)6. Dr. Subbiah ArunachalamMS Swaminathan Foundation7. Dr. Vijay Kumar, Co-convenerAsst. Provost and Director of AcademicComputing, MIT8. Dr. A.S. Kolaskar, ConvenerAdvisor, National Knowledge CommissionReport to the Nation223

Traditional Health Systems1. Mr. Ravi PrasadHimalaya Drugs2. Mr. Amit Agarwal, DirectorNatural Remedies, Bangalore3. Mr. S.R. RaoEXIM Bank, Mumbai4. Dr. B.G. KrishnaswamyArya Vaidya Pharmacy, Coimbatore5. Dr. Narendra BhattZANDU Pharmaceutical Works Ltd., Mumbai6. Dr. Bhushan PatwardhanInterdisciplinary School of Health Sciences,University of Pune7. Dr. G.G. GangadharanFRLHT, Bangalore8. Dr. Padma VenkatFRLHT, Bangalore Vaidya Vilas Nanal, Pune9. Dr. Urmila ThatteTN Medical College & BYL Nair Hospital, Mumbai10. Mr. B.S. SajwanNMPB, GoI, New Delhi11. Dr. Vasantha MuthuswamyICMR, New Delhi12. Mr. Verghese SamuelJS, AYUSH13. Dr. P.M. BhargavaNKC14. Dr. Darshan ShankarFRLHTAgriculture1. Dr. Bala RaviAdvisor, M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation2. Dr. Suman SahaiConvener, Gene Campaign3. Dr. Rajeswari RainaSenior Research Fellow, Centre for Policy Research4. Dr. Rasheed Sulaiman VDirector, Centre for Research on Innovation andScience Policy5. Dr. Ramanjaneyulu G.V.Executive Director, Centre for SustainableAgriculture6. Mr. Debashish MitraFounder and Managing Director,Calypso Foods7. Dr. Vijay JawandhiaShetkari Sanghatana Paik8. Dr. P. Geethakutty,Head, Centre for Gender Studies, NationalInstitute of Rural Development9. Prof. S. Venku ReddyExecutive Director, Participatory RuralDevelopment Initiatives10. Dr. N.K. SanghiAdviser, Watershed Support Services and ActivitiesNetwork (WASSAN)11. Mr. R. Kevichusa (retd.)Former Official Department of AgricultureGovernment of NagalandQuality of Life1. Mr. Bunker RoyBarefoot College, Tilonia, Convenor2. Ms. Renana JhabvalaCoordinator and Member, Executive CommitteeSelf-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) inAhmedabad3. Mr. Vijay MahajanBasix, Hyderabad4. Mr. Nikhil DeyMazdoor Kisan Shakti SangathanRajasthan5. Mr. Joe MadiathExecutive Director, Gram Vikas, Orissa6. Mr. Ashok KhoslaPresident, Development AlternativesDelhi7. Dr. Mira ShivaCoordinator, Initiative for Health Equity& Society8. Mr. Ashok ChatterjeeFormer Director, National Institute of DesignAhmedabad224 National Knowledge Commission

WorkshopsTranslation1. Mr. K.P.R.NairKonark Publishers2. Mr. Keshav DesairajuJoint SecretaryDepartment of Secondary and Higher EducationMinistry of HRD3. Dr. M. SridharDept of EnglishUniversity of Hyderabad4. Prof. Alok BhallaDept of EnglishCentral Institute of English and Foreign Languages(CIEFL)5. Dr. D.S. NavinNational Book Trust6. Prof. G. Uma Maheshwar RaoCentre for Applied Linguistics & TranslationStudies,CALTS, University of Hyderabad7. Prof. Vanamala ViswanathDept. of English JnanabharathiBangalore University8. Dr. Neeti BadweProfessor of GermanDepartment of Foreign LanguagesUniversity of Poona9. Prof. Harish TrivediDepartment of EnglishDelhi University10. Prof. Pushpak BhattacharyaProfessor of Computer ScienceDepartment of Computer Science &Engineering, Indian Institute of TechnologyMumbai11. Mr. Benny KurianNational Book Trust12. Ms. Kamini MahadevanPearson Education India13. Dr. Sujata RoyJoint DirectorHindi Medium Implementation CommitteeUniversity of Delhi14. Mr. Abhijit DuttaGlobalisation SpecialistIBM Global Services India Pvt. Ltd.15. Ms. Geeta DharmarajanKATHA16. Ms. Mini KrishnanOxford University Press17. Prof. Udaya Narayana SinghDirector, Central Institute of Indian Languages18. Ms. Radhika MenonTulika19. Dr. S.N. OjhaVisva-Bharati Computer CentreSantiniketan20. Mr. Rubin D’CruzNational Book Trust21. Prof. Bijay Kumar, ChairmanCSTT (Commission for Scientific andTechnical Terminology)22. Mr. N.V. SathyanarayanaChairman and Managing Director Informatics(India) Ltd.23. Dr. Shalini R.UrsExecutive DirectoriSIM - International School of InformationManagement,University of Mysore24. Dr. Sukrita P. Kumar25. Dr. Apoorvanand26. Dr. Sanjay SharmaDept. of HistoryDelhi UniversityReport to the Nation225

27. Abhay DubeEditor, English Language ProgramCentre for the Study of Developing Societies28. Ravi Kant, Editor, Deevan-E-Sarai, Sarai ProgramCentre for the Study of Developing Societies29. Arvind MohanEx-Associate EditorHindustan Times30. Dr. Hemant DarbariCentre for Development of Advanced Computing31. Mahmood FarooquiCentre for the Study of Developing SocietiesKnowledge Network1. Mr. Pankaj AgrawalaJoint Secretary, Director of Grievances &Nodal Officer (RTI)E-Infrastructure/E-LearningMinistry of Communication & InformationTechnology (C&IT), Government of India2. Mr. Shailendra AgarwalData Networks CircleBharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd. (BSNL)3. Dr. Alhad G. ApteHead, Computer Division, Bhabha AtomicResearch Centre (BARC)4. Mr. N. ArjunCEO, Bharti Airtel Limited5. Prof. N. BalakrishnanProfessor, MultimediaComputational ElectromagneticsComputer and Network SecurityNatural Language ProcessingIndian Institute of Science, IISc.6. Mr. Subhash BhargavaChairman, VSNL Broadband Ltd.7. Mr. R. ChandrashekharAdditional SecretaryMinistry of C& ITGovernment of India8. Dr. R. ChidambaramPrincipal Scientific Advisor to the Governmentof India9. Mr. Vipin DhaundiyalHead-Government and PSU Business RelianceInfocomm Ltd.10. Prof. P.S. DhekneyVisiting Professor and Head Computer Division,Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC)11. Dr. B.K. Gairola, Director General, NationalInformatics Centre (NIC) Government of India12. Mr. J.R .GuptaDirector (O)Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL)13. Mr. Lav GuptaCorporate OfficeBharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL)14. Prof B.N. JainProfessor, Computer Networking, Multimedia,Communication Systems, IIT, Delhi15. Mr. Puneet JhinganHead- Business Development Reliance InfocommLimited16. Mr. Ashok JhunjhunwalaProfessor, IIT Chennai17. Dr. H.K KaulDirector, DelNet18. Mr. A. KrishnanGeneral Manager & Head Business SolutionsGroupBharti Tele-Ventures Limited19. Mr. Pradeep KumarRailTel Corporation of India Ltd.20. Dr. S.N Ragu KumarAll India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS)21. Mr. Sandeep MathurPresident Tata Indicom Enterprise Business UnitVidesh Sanchar Nigam Ltd. (VSNL)22. Dr. K. Madhu MurthyAdvisor, All India Council for Technical Education(AICTE)23. Mr. Sri NathExecutive DirectorVidesh Sanchar Nigam Ltd. (VSNL)24. Mr. V. Ponraj, ICT Adviser to President of IndiaPresident’s SecretariatGovernment of India25. Mr. C.R. PrasadCMD, Gas Authority of India (GAIL)26. Mr. Rajshri PurkayasthaSolution Architect, TATA Indicom EnterpriseBusiness Unit226 National Knowledge Commission

27. Prof S.V. RaghavanProfessor, Department of Computer Science andEngineering IIT, Chennai28. Dr. Gulshan RaiExecutive Director, ERNET India, Ministry ofCommunication and Information Technology(C&IT) Government of India29. Dr. S. RamakrishnanDirector General, Centre for Development ofAdvanced Computing (C-DAC)30. Dr. D.P.S SethFormer member Telecom Regulatory Authority ofIndia (TRAI)31. Mr. Devinder SinghReliance Infocomm Ltd.32. Dr. Neeraj SinhaScientist ‘E’ Office of the Principal ScientificAdviser to the Governmentof India33. Mr. Rajiv SinhaExecutive DirectorRailTel Corporation of India Ltd.34. Dr. SitaramDistinguished Scientist, CC R&D (ECS)DRDO, Ministry of DefenceGovernment of India35. Mr. Anil SrivastavaChief Strategy Advisor, Capital TechnologyInformation ServicesInc U.S.A.36. Dr. N. SubramanianCentre for Development of Advanced Computing(C-DAC)37. Dr. M.S. SwaminathanChairman, M.S. Swaminathan ResearchFoundation.38. Mr. Shilesh TiwariRailTel Corporation of India Ltd.39. Mr. Sharad TrivediDGM, Data Networks, BSNL40. Dr. R.S. TyagiDeputy Director, Head Computer FacultyAll India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS)41. Mr. T.K. WaliGM (Telecom, LD&C)M/S Power Grid Authority of India Ltd.School EducationNational WorkshopsNational Seminar on School Education at NKC, NewDelhi 29th July 20061. Prof. R. GovindaHead, School and Non-formal Education UnitNational Institute of Educational Planning andAdministration (NIEPA)2. Dr. Vimla Ramachandran3. Mr. Vinod RainaHoshangabad Science Teaching Program4. Parth ShahCentre for Civil Society5. Dr. Madan M. JhaSecretary, Deptt. of Human ResourceDevelopment6. Dr. Vasanthi V. DeviKalvi Alliance for EducationTamil Nadu7. Dr. V.P. NiranjanaradhyaSenior Research OfficerCentre for Child and the LawNational Law School of India University8. Ms. Madhu PrasadReader, Deptt. of PhilosophyZakir Husain CollegeDelhi University9. Ambarish RaiPeople’s Campaign for CommonSchool System10. Dinesh AbrolNISTADS, India11. Subhash KuntiaJoint Secretary, Dept of School Educationand LiteracyMHRD12. Champak ChaterjeeJT Secretary, MHRD13. Manju BharatramPrincipal, Shri Ram School14. Anita RampalDepartment of Education, Delhi University15. Vrinda SwaroopJoint secretary, MHRDReport to the Nation227

National Seminar on School Education at NKC,New Delhi 20th November 20071. Ms. Shikha PalDeepalaya Foundation2. Ms. Monideepa Ray ChoudharyDeepalaya Foundation3. Mr. ManiEducation Officer, CBSE4. Sh. Sandeep PandeyCo- Founder, ASHA for Education5. Prof. R GovindaNUEPA6. Ms. Puja SondhiTeach for America7. Ms. Mamta SaihiaBharti Foundation8. Prof. James TooleyPresident, The Education Fund9. Smt. Kumud BansalSecretary (retd.), Elementary Education andLiteracy, Govt. of India10. Prof. Shyam MenonDelhi University11. Ms. Annie KoshiPrincipal, St Mary’s School12. Smt. Lata VaidyanathanPrincipal, Modern School13. Mr. Dhir JhingranRoom to Read14. Prof. Pratap Bhanu MehtaCentre for Policy Research15. Mr. K.B. KainPrincipal, Delhi Public School, Jaipur16. Dr. Madhav Chavan, Pratham17. Prof. Krishna KumarDirector, NCERTRegional WorkshopsSouthern Region at NationalInstitute of Advances Studies, Bangalore 17th-18thJuly, 2007.1. Prof. A.R. Vasavi (Nodal Convener)National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS)2. Sh. D.R. Garg, IASSecretary, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, Andhra Pradesh3. Mr. RaoRishi Valley Rural Schools4. Sh. Vijay BhaskarSecretary, Primary and Secondary EducationKarnataka5. Prof. P.R. PanchamukhiFounder-Director, Centre forMulti-Disciplinary Development ResearchDharwad6. Ms. Benazir BaigRaza Education and SocialWelfare Society7. Mr. SamiullahRaza Education and Social Welfare Society andGeneral Secretary, Federation of KarnatakaMuslims’ Association8. Father Claude D’SouzaSt. Joseph’s College of Arts and Science9. Dr. Padma SarangapaniDQEP, NIAS10. Dr. Sonali NagThe Promise Foundation11. Ms. Mythili RamachandraRishi Valley Foundation12. Kamal PeterOracle Education Initiative13. Sister Cecilia D’ SouzaMaria Krupa, Provincial HeadMysore14. Ms. Mamatha M.R.Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement (SVYM)15. Ms. MalathiSVYM16. Mr. M.P. VijayakumarState project Director, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan17. Ms. LakshmiPrincipal, Olcott Memorial High School18. Mr. MuralidharanFounder-President, Sevalaya19. Dr. Aruna RatnamProject Officer, Education, UNICEF20. Mr. Balaji SampathTamil Nadu Science Forum21. Mr. S.M. ArasuPrime Educational and Social Trust228 National Knowledge Commission

22. Mr. Desigan23. Mr. K.T. RadhakrishnaKerala Sahitya Shastra Parishad24. Dr. Ajit KumarDirector, Centre for Socio-Economic andEnvironmental Studies (CSES)25. Dr. K.M. UnnikrishnanSenior Lecturer, DIET Kasaragod26. Mr. C. Madhusudhanan27. Ms. K. LathaNIASCentral Region at IIM, Lucknow 3rd and 4th August,2007.1. Dr. M.M. Jha (Nodal Convener)Principal Secretary, Department of EducationGovt. of Bihar2. Sh. Raghuvansh KumarDirector, Bihar School Education Board3. Sh. Ajit Kumar,Deputy Director, Secondary Education, HRDBihar4. Dr. P.P. GhoshDirector, Asian Development Research Institute(ADRI), Patna5. Smt Abha RaniBihar Education Project Council6. Sh. Mahendra SahniGeneral Secretary, Teachers Association, Bihar7. Sh. Kedar Nath PandeyGeneral Secretary, Bihar State SecondaryTeachers Association8. Smt. Bilkas JahanPrincipal, Govt. Secondary School, BankipurPatna,9. Sh. Bisheshwar YadavPrincipal, Govt. Secondary SchoolGardhanibagh, Patna10. Sh. Satrughan Pd. SinghChairman, Bihar State SecondaryTeachers Association11. Sh. Jagdish Pandey (Thakurai)Chairman, Uttar Pradesh SecondaryTeachers Association12. Job ZachariahEducation Specialist, UNICEF, Patna13. Mr. Bhushan KumarPRATHAM, Nawada, Bihar14. Sr. Sudha VargheeseNariGunjan, Patna15. Mr. Vinay KanthEast and West Foundation16. Mr. Sanjib KunduPRATHAM17. J. B. TubidSecretary, HRD, Jharkhand18. Sh. Rabindra SinghGeneral Secretary, Jharkhand Secondary TeachersAssociation, Ranchi19. Smt. Poonam KumariPrincipal, DIET, Ratu, Ranchi20. Sh. S.S. PradhanAsst. Program Officer, Jharkhand EducationProject, Ranchi21. Sh. S.B. KunduTeacher, Middle School, Ghaghra Khunti, Ranchi22. Sh. Kritwas KumarTeacher, E.L.T.I. Ratu DIET CampusRanchi23. Mr. H. K. JaiswalPRATHAM, Jharkhand24. Dr. Yoginder SikandProfessor, Jamia Milia Islamia University25. Mr. Manoj KumarPrincipal Secretary Primary Education, Jharkhand26. Ms. Shruti NagPRATHAM27. Sh. Abhimanyu Tewari, PresidentUttar Pradesh Prathmik Shikshak Sangh28. Dr. Veena GuptaMoradabad, UP29. Mr. VinobhaUNICEF, Project Director30. Ms. Mira KumariPRATHAM31. Mr. Smitin BridPRATHAM32. Mr. Amit BajpaiPRATHAM33. Dr. MishraDirectorate of Education, MPReport to the Nation229

34. Dr. Manohar, CommissionerRajeev Gandhi Shiksha Mission, MP35. Dr. Vinod RainaEklavya Foundation36. Sh. S.S. PachporDirector, MP Open School37. Smt. Uma SriUNICEF38. Mr. K.L. ShejwarBlock Resource Coordinator, Gohad Block39. Mr. Sajaan Singh ShekhawatPRATHAM40. Mr. Shutanshu ShuklaRajya Shiksha Kendra, Madhya PradeshEastern Region at Indian Council of Social ScienceResearch, Kolkata 25th and 26th August 2007.1. Ms. Nandita Chatterjee, IASPrincipal Secretary, School Education,West Bengal2. Mr. Dibyen MukherjeeDirector, School Education,West Bengal3. Mr. Manik Chandra DoluiJoint Director, Department of School EducationSchool EducationWest Bengal4. Dr. Rathindranath DeDirector, SCERT, West Bengal5. Mr. Tushyant NarialaState Project Director, Sarva Shiksha AbhiyanDistrict Primary Education ProgramWest Bengal6. Ms. Sampa BasuDepartment of Development and PlanningWest Bengal7. Mr. Tapas Kumar LayekWest Bengal Board of Madrassa Education8. Mr. M. Fazlur RaldaiSecretary, Board of Madrassa EducationWest Bengal9. Mr. Udayan BhowmikDistrict Inspector, Department of SecondaryEducation, Howrah10. Dr. R.C. ChattopadhyaProfessor, IIM Kolkata11. Ms. Preeti MondolSchool Teacher (Retd.), Barasat DistrictNorth 24 Pargana12. Ms. Bhupali RayHeadmistress, Suniti Academy, Cooch Behar13. Mr. Gopa DuttaPresident, West Bengal Council of HigherSecondary Education14. Mr. Ujjwal BasuPresident, West Bengal Board ofSecondary Education15. Mr. Kumar RanaSenior Research Associate, Pratichi Research TrustKolkata16. Dr. Manabi MajumdarProfessor, Centre for Studies in Social SciencesKolkata17. Dr. Achin ChakravartyProfessor, Institute of Development StudiesKolkata18. Dr. Malini BhattacharyaProfessor, Institute of Development StudiesKolkata19. Ms. Sandhya DasPrincipal, DIET Joynagar, 24 Parganas (South)West Bengal20. Mr. Somnath RoyPrincipal, DIET Baraguli, Nadia DistrictWest Bengal21. Mr. Shiv Prasad MukhopadhyayGeneral Secretary, All Bengal Teacher’s Association22. Mr. Ranju Gopal MukherjeeVice Chancellor, (Retd.) North Bengal University23. Mr. Bhabesh MoitraPrincipal, Teacher’s Education College, Kolkata24. Mr. J.B Dutta, ConsultantShishu Shiksha Kendra, Kolkata25. Mr. Pranab ChandaPrincipal, College for Teacher Education, Siliguri26. Mr. Pranab.K ChaudharyDavid Hare Training College, Kolkata27. Mr. Debashis MaitiSecretary, West Bengal Council of RabindraOpen Schooling, Kolkata28. Mr. Dev Kumar ChakrabartyShishu Shiksha Mission, Sidhu-Kanu BhawanKolkata230 National Knowledge Commission

29. Mr. Sujit SinhaSwanirbhar, NGO, West Bengal30. Dr. Arijit ChaudhryHonorary Visiting Professor, Indian StatisticalInstitute31. Mr. Baidynath MukherjeePresident, All Bengal Teachers’ Association32. Dr. S. BhattacharyaPresident, West Bengal Board of PrimaryEducation33. Dr. P. BhattacharyaProfessor, Centre for Studies in Social SciencesKolkata34. Dr. Sudipta BhattacharyyaReader, Department of Economics and PoliticsVisva Bharati Univerisity35. Dr. Parthapritam PalProfessor, IIM Calcutta36. Dr. Niladri SahaSenior Lecturer, Barisat College, 24 ParganasWest Bengal37. Dr. Samir Guha Roy(Ex) Professor, Indian Statistical Institute38. Mr. Suresh PatnaikSecretary, School Education, Orissa39. Mr. D.C MishraDirector, Secondary Education, Orissa40. Mr. Sebak TripathyDirector, State Institute of Education and Trainingand SCERT, Orissa41. Dr. P.K. AcharyaReader, Department of Social Anthropology, NKCCentre for Development Studies, Bhubaneswar42. Mr. D.K SinghState Project Director, Sarva Shiksha AbhiyanOrissa43. Dr. M.K. PathyPrincipal, P. M. Institute of Advanced Studies inEducation, Sambalpur, Orissa44. Dr. U.C KhadangaDr. P.M Institute of Advanced Studies inEducation, Sambalpur, Orissa45. Mr. Anil Pradhan,Member-Secretary, Sikshasandhan, Bhubaneswar46. Dr. Uddhab C. NayakAgragamee, District Rayagada, Bhubaneswar47. Mr. Akhileswar MishraHeadmaster, D.M. School, Bhubaneswar48. Dr. Madan Mohan JhaPrincipal Secretary, Education, Govt. of Bihar49. Dr. A.R. VasaviProfessor, National Institute of Advanced Studies50. Mr. A.K. BeharaJoint Director, OPEPA51. Dr. G.C. NandaAdditional Directory (Pedagogy), Orissa PrimaryEducation Program Authority (OPEPA)52. Dr. M.K. MishraState Tribal Coordinator, OPEPA53. Mr. G.C. MishraDI of schools, Jeypore, Koratput, Orissa54. Mr. B.K. Ghosh DI of schools, BirapadaMayurbhanj, Orissa55. Dr. Adikanda MahantaSI of schools, Chitrada, Baripada, Orissa56. Dr. Minakshi PandaTeacher Educator, DIET, Khurda, Orissa57. Dr. Susandhya MagTeacher Educator, DIET, Dhenkanal, Orissa58. Dr. P.P. MahatoChairman, Anthropology Research Committee,BhubhaneswarNorth-East Region at Indian Institute of Technology,Guwahati 10th and 11th September 2007.1. Prof. J.B. BaruahNodal Convener, Dept. of Chemistry, IITGuwahati2. Mr. Prateek HajelaMission Director, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA)Assam3. Mr. Abdul WahabLecturer, District Institute of Educational Training(DIET), Kamrup4. Mr. Ashok Mutum PRATHAM, Assam5. Smt. Juriti BorgohainBanikanta College of Teacher Education, Assam6. Mr. Ramen SharmaG.U. Model H.E. School, Assam7. Mr. Ajit K. Choudhury SSA, Assam8. Mr. Kandarpa KalitaSSA, AssamReport to the Nation231

9. Ms. R. LaskarSSA, Assam10. Ms. Shahnaz DekaGBN Academy11. Fr. V.M. ThomasDon Bosco Institute (DBI)Guwahati12. Sr. Elizabeth GeorgeDBI, Guwahati13. Dr. A. BasuHSS, Guwahati14. Mr. C. SonowalTeacher, Kendriya Vidyalaya, Khanapara15. Prof. N. Bhagwati16. Ms. L. SangmaSecretary, Education, Meghalaya17. Sh. P.K HajongInspector of Schools, South Garo and West GaroHills, Meghalaya18. Ms. A KynjingSenior lecturer, DERT, Shillong19. Mr. K.J. LoheJoint Director, School Education, Nagaland20. Mr. K.Z. Mero, ChairpersonVillage Education Committee, Chizami21. Dr. BenjongkumbaLecturer, Zunheboto Govt. College22. Ms. Seno TsuhahGovt, Primary School and North East NetworkCoordinator23. Mr. J.H. BiakmawiaPrincipal, KM H/SS, Mizoram24. Ms. H. ZirkungiSCERT, Mizoram25. Mr. LalhmachhunanaYoung Mizo Association26. Mr. H. LalsawmlianaYoung Mizo Association27. Prof. LianzelaMizoram University28. Mr. C. LaremruataMizoram Educational Foundation29. Mr. R.K. SukumarState project Director, SSA, Manipur30. Mr. M. HarekrishnaDirector, Education (Schools), Manipur31. Mr. V. TonsingHigh School Principal, Manipur32. Ms. Grace JajoFraternal Green Cross Volunteers for VillageDevelopment (FGCVVD), Manipur33. Mr. N. Dhiren SinghPrincipal, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Imphal34. Mr. P.D. RaiEducational Development Trust of Sikkim35. Fr. George A. D’SouzaPrincipal, Namchi Public School, Sikkim36. Mr. K.N. SubudhiDeputy Director, VE (Coord.), Human ResourceDevelopment Department (HRDD), Sikkim37. Mr. B. BagdasJoint Director, PME, HRDD, Sikkim38. Ms. Anamika DebarmaHeadmistress, Higher Secondary, Jirania, Tripura39. Mr. N. SinhaLecturer, SCERT, Tripura40. Mr. L.C. DasHeadmaster, Higher Secondary, Udaypur, Tripura41. Ms. A. Deb BurmanTripura Adibashi Mahila Samiti42. Mr. M. RinaDeputy Director, School Education, ArunachalPradesh43. Mr. B. P. SinhaPrincipal, DIET, RoingArunachal Pradesh44. Ms. Labi LombiArunachal Citizens’ Rights (ACR)45. Mr. Ashok TajoDeputy Director, SSAArunachal Pradesh46. Mr. Binoy BoruahTeacher, Govt. School University CampusRono Hills, Arunachal Pradesh47. Mr. G. TachangBlock Resource Centre CoordinatorMengio, Arunachal PradeshNorthern Region at India Habitat Centre, Delhi,20th November, 20071. Mr. Mohammad RafiDirector of Education, Srinagar232 National Knowledge Commission

2. Prof. Neeraj SharmaPratham, Jammu Education Movement3. Dr. Renu NandaAssistant Director, Centre for Adult andContinuing Education, Jammu University4. Prof. Bashir Ahmed DarSrinagar5. Mr. RamzanTeacher and Teacher TrainerJammu6. Prof. Jagdish SharmaJammu7. Prof G.N. MasoodiSrinagar8. Dr. M.K. BhandaryDeputy Commissioner, Leh9. Sh. Krishna Kumar, IASState Project Director, SSA, Punjab10. Dr. Malviner AhujaReader, Punjab University11. Mr. Kulwarn SinghDIET Ajjowal, Punjab12. Sh. Ramesh DuttLecturer in English, Govt. Girls Senior SecondarySchool, Khanna13. Sh. Devinderpal Singh DhillonDEO, Amritsar14. Ms. Kalpna RashmiSSA, Haryana15. Mr. Vivek SharmaPratham16. Dr. Dinesh SharmaBlock Education Officer, Haryana17. Smt. Kalpna SinghPrincipal, Govt. Senior Secondary, Haryana18. Sh. RajpalHeadmaster, Govt. High School, Haryana19. Sh. Suraj PrakashTeacher, primary School, Haryana20. Sh. Satya Dev PrakashDIET Palwal, Haryana21. Dr. Yogesh VasisthaSCERT, Gurgaon, Haryana22. Sh. Rajedev SinghDIET Mattarsham, Hissar, Haryana23. Sh. Harshvardhan JoshiDIET Solan, Himachal Pradesh24. Sh. Ramesh VermaSCERT, Solan25. Sh. Pardeep ThakurHimachal Gyan Vigyan Samiti (HGVS)26. Dr. O.P. BhuraitaHGVS27. Sh. Joginder Singh RaoPrincipal, Govt. Senior SecondaryBilaspur, Himachal Pradesh28. Sh. R.K. DuggalDistrict Project Director29. Sh. Paramjeet SinghDeputy DirectorHigher Education30. Sh. Surjeet Singh RaoPrincipal, Govt. Senior SecondaryMoorang, Himachal Pradesh31. Sh. Sanjeev AtriPrincipal, Govt. Senior SecondaryKaffota, Himachal Pradesh32. Dr. Harendra S. AdhikariSCERT, Uttarakhand33. Sh. V. Rama RaoEducation Advisor, Dehradun34. Sh. B.S. NegiPrincipal, Govt. IntercollegeMiyanwala, Dehradun35. Dr. Anita ChauhanDIET, Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh36. Sh. Rajesh KumarLokmitra, Uttar Pradesh37. Sh. Ajay Kumar SinghMandaliya Sahayak Shiksha Nideshak38. Sh. Kader AhmedCoordinator, Nayi Panchayat ResourceCoordinator, Rae Bareli39. Sh. Jeetendra KumarNIOS, Noida40. Mr. Kamlesh BhartiyaGGIE, Meerut41. Mr. O.P. AryaGGIE, Meerut42. Mr. Sanjay YadavDeputy Director, School Education, MeerutReport to the Nation233

43. Sh. S.K. SethiaState Project Director, SSA and DPI SchoolsChandigarh (UT)44. Dr. S. DahiyaDirector, SIE, Chandigarh (UT)45. Ms. Harsh BatraPrincipal, Govt. College of Education, Chandigarh46. Ms. Jasvir ChahalSenior Lecturer, Govt. College of EducationChandigarh47. Mr. Shailendra SharmaPratham, Delhi48. Mr. Anil KumarS.I., In Service Teacher TrainingDelhi49. Ms. Neelam KataraEducation Officer, Kendriya Vidyala Sangathan(Delhi region)50. Mr. N.S. MehraADE (School)51. Mr. S.D. SharmaPrincipal, Govt. Boys Senior Secondary SchoolShakti Nagar, Delhi52. Mr. Dinesh KumarGovt. Boys Senior Secondary School, GokulpuriWestern Region, Indian Institute of Education, Pune23rd November, 20071. Mr. BegdeDirector, SCERT, Maharashtra2. Dr. Gajanand PatilPrincipal, DIET Yavatmal3. Smt. Mruguja Prakash KulkarniAsst. Teacher, Modern High School, Pune4. Mr. Rangnath Jayram ThoratSri Bhairavnath High School, SinnarNasik5. Sh. S.G. PatilSriram Vidyalaya, Panchvati, Nasik6. Ms. Asha SundararajanMOEMS India, Mumbai7. Prof. Ram TakwaleEx Vice-Chancellor IGNOU, YCMOU andPune University8. Mr. Ramesh PanseMaharashtra Knowledge Corporation Limited(MKCL), Grammangal9. Ms. Aditi NatuMKCL10. Mr. Alok SharmaAssisstant Professor, SIEMATRaipur11. Mr. Yogesh ShivhareDistrict Project CoordinatorRajiv Gandhi Shiksha MissionDurg, Chhattisgarh12. Mr. Hemant UpadhyayaDeputy Director, DPI, Raipur13. Mr. O.P. BirtharePrincipal, Basic Training InstituteBilaspur, Chhattisgarh14. Mr. Yogesh AgarwalPresident, Mitra Jan Kalankari SamitiRajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh15. Mr. Lakshmi Nath PathakPrincipal, Shishu Mandir Higher SeniorSecondary, Naila, Chhattisgarh16. Ms. Deepa DassSIEMAT, Raipur17. Mr. S.K. VermaAssistant Professor, SCERT, Raipur18. Mr. V.P. ChandraLecturer, DIET, Nagri, Chhattisgarh19. Ms. Gayatri VijayDeputy Director, School Education, Kota20. Ms. Snehlata ChaddhaPrincipal, Srinathpuram, Kota21. Mr. Shailendra RajawatAcademic Officer, Secondary Education, Ajmer22. Mr. RadheyshyamPrincipal, Jaipur Primary School23. Mr. Anil GuptaSandhan, Jaipur24. Mr. Arvind OjhaUrmul Trust, Bikaner25. Mr. Dushyant AgarwalProject Officer, SIERT, Udaipur26. Ms. Riddhi ShahSeva Mandir, Udaipur27. Ms. Megha JainSeva Mandir, Udaipur28. Ms. Meena BhattState Project Director, SSA, Gujarat234 National Knowledge Commission

29. Mr. H.N. ChavdaGujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Board30. Mr. H.N. HinguJoint CEO, SCOPE, Gujarat31. Mr. Rajabhai PathakPrincipal, Swastik Secondary School, Gujarat32. Mr. Architt BhattPrincipal, Tripada International School33. Dr. V.B. BhensdadiaDeputy Director, Commissioner of SchoolsGujarat34. Mr. Ketan ThakerCRCC, Rampura, Distt. AhmedabadGujarat35. Dr. B.P. ChoudhuryDIET, Patan, Gujarat36. Ms. Roda BillimoriaSir Shapurji Billimoria FoundationVocational Education1. Gen. S.S. MehtaCII2. Dr. Pankaj ChandraIIM A3. Dr. Partha MukhopadhyayCPR4. Mr. K.P. MurthyMICO-BOSCH5. Dr. P.M. BhargavaNKC6. Mr. Vivek SinghalIndia Development Coalition of AmericaMore Talented Students inMaths and Science1. Prof. Manindra AgarwalDepartment of Computer Science,IIT Kanpur2. Prof. K.R. ParthasarthyTheoretical Statistics and Mathematics Unit, ISIDelhi3. Prof. S. RamaswamyDirector, Ramanujan Research Centre for HigherMathematics, Alagappa University4. Prof. V. VinayChief Technology Officer, Geodesic InformationLimited5. Prof. T.V. RamakrishnanDepartment of Physics, BHU6. Prof. Shiva PrasadDirector, IndoFrench Centre and Department ofPhysics, IIT Bombay7. Prof. N. MukundaFormer President, IAS and Centre for HighEnergy Physics, IISc8. Prof. Alladi SitaramStatistics and Mathematics Unit,ISI Bangalore9. Prof. C.S. YoganandaSri Jayachamarajendra College of Engineering10. Prof. S.G. DaniSchool of Mathematics, TIFR11. Prof. Rajendra BhatiaTheoretical Statistics and Mathematics Unit, ISIDelhi12. Dr. Rajesh GopakumarHarish-Chandra Research Institute, Allahabad13. Prof. Dinesh SinghDirector, South Campus, Delhi University14. Prof. P. BanerjeeDirector, NISTADS, CSIR15. Prof. Suman KapurSchool of Life Sciences, BITS Pilani16. Prof. K.R. SreenivasanDirector, ICTP, Trieste17. Dr. Challa SugunaScientist, Centre for Cellular Biology, Hyderabad18. Prof. M.S. RaghunathanSchool of Mathematics, TIFR19. Dr. Somdatta SinhaScientist, Centre for Cellular Biology, Hyderabad20. Dr. Pramod Kumar YadavDean, School of Life Sciences, JNU21. Mr. Kiran KarnikFormer President, NASSCOM22. Prof. Sanjay PuriDean, School of Physical Sciences, JNU23. Dr. S.K. SikkaScientific Secretary, Office of Principal ScientificAdviserReport to the Nation235

24. Prof. C.S. SeshadriDirector, Chennai Mathematical Institute25. Prof. N. SatyamurthyDirector, IISER, Mohali26. Mr. Ramesh PanseMember, MKCL27. Dr. M.K. MishraOrissa Sahitya Academy, Bhubaneswar28. Mr. Venkatesh ValluriAgilent Technologies29. Mr. P.S. DeodharExecutive Chairman, APLAB Limited30. Dr. Achyutananda SamantaVice Chancellor, KIIT UniversityMore Quality Ph.Ds1. Dr. K.V. SubramaniamDirector, Reliance Life Sciences2. Mr. Venkatesh ValluryManaging Director, Agilent Technologies3. Dr. Shilpa VoraPrincipal Research Scientist, HLRC4. Ms. Valsa WilliamsIntel Technology India Pvt. Ltd.5. Dr. Sandhya Chintala, DirectorEducation Initiative, NASSCOM6. Dr. Vidyasagar, Executive Vice President, TCS7. Dr. Meenu Singh, Additional Professor ofPaediatrics, PGIMER, Chandigarh8. Dr. Bala Subramanian, Director, LVPEI9. Dr. Y.S. Rajan, Principal Advisor, CII10. Dr. R.B. Grover, Director, KnowledgeManagement Group, BARC11. Dr. Gyan Arora, Tata Motors12. Prof. G.D. Yadav, UICT13. Dr. Sushma Gupta, Ranbaxy Laboratories14. Prof. B.D. Singh, Dean SciencesBanaras Hindu University15. Prof. E. Haribabu, Dean, Social SciencesUniversity of Hyderabad16. Dr. A.N. Desai, The Bombay TextileResearch Association17. Prof. Balaji ParthsarthyIIIT Bangalore18. Prof. Pankaj Jalote, IIT Delhi19. Prof. Shashiprabha, Jawahar Lal Nehru University20. Dr. J.K. Bhasin, NEERI21. Dr. Ajit Ranade, Chief EconomistAditya Birla Group22. Dr. Rajendra Singh, CMIR Dhanbad23. Prof. Varyam Singh, Dean Languages, JNU24. Dr. Ashok Ganguly, Member, National KnowledgeCommission25. Dr. Sujatha Ramdorai, Member, NationalKnowledge CommissionNational Science and Social ScienceFoundation1. Dr. U.R. RaoFormer Director, ISRO2. Prof. R. RamaswamyJawaharlal Nehru University3. Prof. Senthil Todadri4. Dr. B.M. HegdePostgraduate Medical Education BoardGovt. of India5. Prof. C.S. SeshadriChennai Mathematical InstituteChennai6. Dr. Mangala RaiICAR7. Prof. Sabyasachi BhattacharyaTIFR8. Dr. A.V. Rama RaoAVRA Laboratories9. Prof. Ajit KembhaviIUCAA, Pune10. Prof. S. UmapathyIISc, Bangalore11. Prof. S.M. ChitreUniversity of Mumbai12. Prof. Sanjeev GalandeNational Centre for Cell SciencePune13. Dr. N.K. GangulyICMR14. Dr. V. Rao AiyagariSERC, Department of Science and Technology236 National Knowledge Commission

15. P.M. BhargavaNKC16. Ashok GangulyNKC17. Deepak NayyarNKC18. Ashok KolaskarNKCIntellectual Property Rights1. Dr. R.A. MashelkarCSIR2. Dr. P.M. BhargavaNKC3. Dr. Prabuddha GanguliIIT Mumbai4. Mr. Anjan Das, CII5. Dr. Malathi LakshmikumaranLakshmikumaran and Sridharan6. Dr. Krishna Ravi SrinivasIIM Bangalore7. Mr. Akash TanejaFICCI8. Dr. Ramesh ShuklaBoard of Appeal, European Patent Court9. Dr. Somesh Kr. MathurRIS10. Mr. Anand GroverLawyers Collective11. Mr. V.K. GuptaNISCAIR12. Mr. Naresh Nandan PrasadDIPP, Ministry of Commerce and Industry13. Mr. R.K. GuptaCSIR14. Mr. Anand WaliIIT Delhi15. Mr. T.C. JamesDIPP, Ministry of Commerce and Industry16. Dr. B.K. KeaylaNational Working Group onPatent Laws17. Mr. Rakesh PrasadALG AssociatesReport to the Nation237

SurveysInnovation1. Arvind Mills Ltd.2. Ashok Leyland Ltd.3. Aurobindo Pharma Ltd.4. Ballarpur Industries Ltd.5. Bharat Forge Ltd.6. Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd.7. Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd.8. Biocon Ltd.9. Cadila Healthcare Ltd.10. Central Bank of India11. Citigroup Global Services Ltd.12. CRISIL Ltd.13. Essel Group of Companies – Zee Group14. Fortis Healthcare Ltd.15. Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Ltd.16. Great Eastern Shipping Co. Ltd.17. Gujarat Co-operative Milk MarketingFederation Ltd.18. HCL Infosytems Ltd.19. IBM India Ltd.20. ICICI Bank Ltd.21. Indian Airlines Ltd.22. Infosys Technologies Ltd.23. Jagran Prakashan Ltd.24. Jet Airways (India) Ltd.25. Jindal Stainless Ltd.26. Kirloskar Brothers Ltd.27. Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd.28. Kudremukh Iron Ore Company Ltd.29. Mahindra & Mahindra(Mahindra Group)30. MSPL Ltd.31. National Bank for Agriculture and RuralDevelopment (NABARD)32. National Mineral Dev Corp Ltd.33. NTPC Ltd.34. Nuclear Power Corporation ofIndia Ltd.35. Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd.36. Oil India Ltd.37. Pantaloon Retail38. Philips Electronics India Ltd.39. Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd.40. Punjab National Bank41. Reliance Industries Ltd.42. RPG Enterprises43. Rural Electrification Corpn.44. Sesa Goa Ltd.45. Shopper’s Stop Ltd.46. SICPA India Ltd.47. Singareni Collieries Co Ltd.48. Star Group India49. Steel Authority of India Ltd.50. Sun Pharmaceuticals Industries Ltd.51. Syndicate Bank52. Tata Consultancy Services Ltd.53. Tata Group54. Tata Motors Ltd.55. Tata Steel Ltd.56. Thermax Ltd.57. West Coast Paper Mills Ltd.58. Whirlpool India Ltd.59. Abhinav Enterprises60. Accurate61. Affair238 National Knowledge Commission

62. Agricultural & Processed Food Products ExportDevelopment Authority (APEDA)63. Ajay Windecor Products64. Ajinkya Enterprises65. Artzone66. Asha Chemicals67. Athitya68. Atul Electro Formers Pvt. Ltd.69. Auto Cluster Development & ResearchInstitute Ltd.70. Beed Cyber Infotech71. CADLine India72. Cartoprint73. Clean Foods Ltd.74. Dayal Fertilizers Group75. Digital Empowerment Foundation76. Dnyaneshwar Vidyapeeth77. Electronica Machine Tools Ltd.78. Engg Tools & Equipment79. Feelings90. Golopore IMS91. GreenGarden92. Hoyt Engineering Solutions Pvt. Ltd.93. Ideal Computer Education94. Ideal Diamond Products Pvt. Ltd.95. Indian Academy of ForeignTrade & Development96. Innova Rubbers Pvt. Ltd.97. Innovative Technomics Pvt. Ltd.98. Intelux Electronics Pvt. Ltd.99. International Institute of Corporate Management100. International Institute of InformationTechnology101. KNOW-IT102. KPMG103. Lakshmi Embroidery104. Logus Business Systems105. Macintel106. Maharashtra Knowledge Corporation Ltd.107. Mana Pet Clinic Labs108. Manjushri Extrusions Ltd.109. Mavin Adhesives Pvt. Ltd.110. Medsynaptic Pvt. Ltd.111. Melk Services112. Membrane Filters Pvt. Ltd.113. Mutha Founders Pvt. Ltd.114. N V Electronics Pvt. Ltd.115. Neelesh Engineers116. Nichrome India Ltd.117. Nirmiti Electronics Pvt. Ltd.118. Paranjape Metal Shapes Pvt. Ltd.119. Pragati Leadership Institute Pvt. Ltd.120. Praj Industries Ltd.121. Prajakta Computer Education122. Prescient Technologies Pvt. Ltd.123. Rezonant Design124. Rohini Industries125. Ronak Associates126. SAI Test Plat Pvt. Ltd.127. SEMCO ELECTRIC Pvt. Ltd.128. Serum Institute129. Shree Systems130. Simply Delicious131. Smile Automation Pvt. Ltd.132. Sumanya HMX Systems Ltd.133. Symtronics Automation Pvt. Ltd.134. System India Computer and ManagementServices135. Tact Global Services136. Teamfill137. Tecel Magnetics138. Technical Associates Ltd.139. Tony Travels Pvt. Ltd.140. Unite Industries141. Virane Engineers142. Voicetech Solutions143. Weaver Computer EmbroiderySystem144. Yenkey Instruments & Controls Pvt. Ltd.145. Zarekar Computers146. Zephyr Industries/Zephyrs SystemsReport to the Nation239

Entrepreneurship1. Mr. Vishwas Joshi and Subhada JoshiGirikand Travels Pvt. Ltd.2. Mr. M.D. AdoniCertified Management Consultant3. Mr. Milind Pandit, Akshay Urja Pvt. Ltd.4. Ms. Gayatri & Mr. Gopal TambeFRP Toilets5. Mr. N.S. Rao, Intelux Electronics6. Ms. Rajashree Jhangle, Simply Delicious7. Mr. Ravi Bhagwat, Symtronics AutomationPrivate Limited8. Dr. Sunita Chaudhari, ConsultingAyurvedacharya9. Mr. Vincent D’Souza, V.R. CoatingsPvt. Ltd.10. Mr. Linesh Thakur, Aishwarya Enterprises11. Mr. Subhash Devi, Membrane Filters12. Ms. Mrunal Gokhale, Feelings Flowers13. Mr. Ravindra Bam, Ajay Windecor14. Mr. Vivek Sawant, Maharashtra KnowledgeCorporation Ltd.15. Mr. Pravin Dhole, Technofour16. Mr. Sunil Bhandari, Food Grade Products17. Mr. Raj Pathak, Akshay Urja Pvt. Limited18. Mr. H.M. Bakshi, Innova Group19. Mr. Firoz Poonawalla, Fila Rozil ExportersPvt. Ltd.20. Dr. Ashish Dhawad, MedsynapticPvt. Ltd.21. Dr. Prashant Lahane, MedsynapticPvt. Ltd.22. Mr. Anil Deshpande, Atul Electroformers PrivateLimited23. Mr. Partha Das, Partha Das and Associates24. Dr. Aloke Roy, Medica Synergie25. Mr. Amit Dastidar and Mr. SubhajitBhattacharya, The Event Managers26. Mr. Sourav Chakraborty, Aunwesha KnowledgeTechnologies Pvt. Ltd.27. Mr. Siddharth Pansari, Pansari Group ofEnterprises28. Mr. Anjan Ghosh, Kol Web29. Mr. Jhelum Chowdhry, Crystal Research andConsulting Pvt. Ltd.30. Ms. Sunira Chamaria, Sunira Foods31. Mr. Arun Lohia, Alliance Mills (Lessees) Ltd.32. Mr. Rajiv Poddar, Smartpower Computer Centre33. Mr. Namit Shah, Harley Group34. Mr. Sidharth Kaul, NICCO Engineering35. Mr. Aditya Chamaria, Indian Ropeways & EnggCo. Ltd.36. Dr. Mousmi Ghosh, Future Business School37. Mr. Vijay Kumar Shroff, Vijay Kumar & Co(Jute) Pvt. Ltd.38. Mr. Cecil Anthony, Synergy Group39. Mr. S. Bhattacharya, Midland Packers40. Mr. Shoummo Acharya, VI eTransPvt. Ltd.41. Mr. S. Daspal, Info Horizon42. Mr. Manish Chandani & Mr. Talat AhmedAjanta Leather Fashions Pvt. Ltd.43. Mr. Pradip PoddarShanta Colibri (India) Pvt. Ltd.44. Mr. Nitin Himatsingka, Car Showroom45. Mr. Indraneil Bose, Futuretech Solutions46. Mr. Kumar Shivam, ALB Consultancy47. Ms. Roopa Mehta, SASHA48. Mr. P.K. Saha, P.K. Saha & Associates49. Dr. Partha Ray, R M Clinical LaboratoiesPvt Ltd.50. Mr. Ashish Mitra, Exterior-Interiors Ltd.51. Mr. Prateek Surekha, Brainwave Live52. Mr. Ankur Gattani, Lifelines53. Mr. Sundeep Tibrewal, ResolveQuery.com54. Mr. Ramachandran N & Mr. T Srinivasan, MELSystems & Services Ltd.55. Mr. Ramachandran A, Ganga Chemicals56. Mr. Sanjeevi V, eLogistics Pvt. Ltd.57. Mr. G.R. Ravi, Medik India Phytoceuticals58. Mr. L. Ashok, Futurenet Technologies59. Mr. Govindachari P.S.Rajsriya Group of Industries60. Mr. K Shivaram Alva, Allva Plast240 National Knowledge Commission

61. Mr. V.P.N. Rahman, Nadeem LeatherwareExports62. Mr. Vara Prasad Raju P, Sigma Solid StripsPvt. Ltd.63. Mr. Amit Vaishnav, Megafoods ProductsMadras (P)64. Mr. D.S. Balachandra Babu, Fram ImplementsPvt. Ltd.65. Mr. Naveen Velagapalli, Vitalife Clinic66. Mr. Suhas Gopinath, Globals ITeSPvt. Ltd.67. Mr. B.A. Srinivasa, Vivek Ltd.68. Ms. Rajeshwari, Akshya69. Mr. A Benedict, Mercy Hygiene HealthcareProducts70. Mr. Anoop Mehandale, Latent View Analytics71. Mr. Rupesh Shah, Sonya Ceramics72. Dr. Nita Goswami, Rucha Pharmaceuticals73. Mr. Indrajit Simlai, SSBI Exports74. Mr. Jasvinder Singh, ACTUNIV75. Mr. Sajjan KejriwalAcme International Ltd.76. Mr. Samir N PatelAmos Enterprise Ltd.77. Mr. Malay KanthariaTeam Spirits India Pvt. Ltd.78. Mr. E. Sarath Babu, Foodking79. Ms. Kala Amin, Kanisha80. Mr. Samir Shah,JBS Group of Companies81. Ms. Seema Mehta, Sparkle Granites82. Ms. Jayshree Mehta, Infinium Toyota83. Mr. Amit Khaitan, Gujaratgifts.com84. Mr. Abhay Panjiyar, CEON Solutions Pvt. Ltd.85. Mr. Aniket Nagri, Nagri Group86. Mr. Bhakti Vohra, Vastrapur Times87. Mr. Deepak Vakil, Yeti Leather Products88. Mr. Rajiv Gandhi, Hester Pharmaceuticals Ltd.89. Mr. S.V. Modi, S.V. Modi Export Import90. Mr. Sushil HandaClaris Lifesciences Ltd.91. Mr. Sheshgiri BekalIncubatee at Nirma Labs92. Mr. V. Venkata Raju, VEM Technology Pvt. Ltd.93. Mr. N.K. Malani, Sri Venkateswara CoirProducts Pvt. Ltd.94. Mr. Nitin Vyakaranam, Arthayantra95. Ms. Devika Vardarajan, Polaris ManagementServices Pvt. Ltd.96. Mr. Narne Prabhakar, Hyderabad Tulaman Ltd.97. Mr. Jayadev Meela, SudhakarPolymers Ltd.98. Mr. V. Anil Reddy, Nayastrap Ltd.99. Mr. Devendra Surana, Bhagyanagar India Ltd.100. Mr. Ravindra Modi, Surya Masale101. Mr. D. Nagarjuna Sarma, Imprint Travels102. Mr. Sriram Yalamati, Matrix Equipment Pvt. Ltd.103. Mr. Sreeram M.M, S & U MEK EngineersPvt. Ltd.104. Mr. Ramesh Datla, Elico Ltd.105. Ms. Aartee Patil, Icon AccessoriesPvt. Ltd.106. Mr. A.N. Gupta,Premier Explosives Ltd.107. Ms. Durga Rani, Hyma Industries108. Ms. Vijay Lakshmi, Anu Group109. Mr. Rajeev Puri, Sukhjit Starch andChemicals Ltd.110. Mr. Ram Prasad, Sri Sarada Industries111. Mr. J. Crasta, CM EnvirosystemsPvt. Ltd.112. Mr. Subramani Ramachandra, RichcoreLifesciences Pvt. Ltd.113. Mr. J.R. Bangera, Premiers Starch ProductsPvt. Ltd.114. Ms. Madhura Chatrapathy, Food Associates;AWAKE; ASCENT115. Mr. Srikumar Narayan, Winfoware TechnologiesPvt. Ltd.116. Mr. D.R. Srikantaiah, Associated TradingCorporation117. Ms. Raj Bhasin, Bhasinsoft India Ltd.118. Mr. M.S. Sidhu, Apara Enterprise solutionsPvt. Ltd.119. Ms. Uma Reddy, Hitech Magnetics120. Mr. Shivakumar, Indigo EdgeReport to the Nation241

121. Mr. Ravi Venkatesan, OnTrac122. Dr. Krishnaswamy, Animal Biotech (Bangalore)Pvt. Ltd.123. Mr. Tallam Venkatesh, Press Tools & ElementsPvt. Ltd.124. Mr. Mansoor Ahmed, Tiger Tail StudiosBrewHaHa125. Mr. Balakrishna M.R., Mediateck126. Mr. Satyanarayana, Informatics India127. Dr. Sunita Maheshwari, Teleradiology Solutions128. Mr. Srinath Shetty, Gift Wrapped129. Mr. S. Babu, Ashwin Precision Products Pvt. Ltd.130. Mr. M.C.R. Shetty, Porlu Packers131. Mr. Philip Lewis, Electro Mech Corporation132. Mr. K. Ganesh, Tutor Vista133. Mr. M.K. Panduranga Setty, Mysore SnackFoods Ltd.134. Dr. Rajeshwari, Manu Pet Clinic135. Mr. K.N. Jayalingappa, Transphone CorporationI.T.I Ancilliary Industries Association136. Mr. R.S.H. Raju, Bluechip Solutions137. Mr. V.C. Karthic, Buzzworks Business ServicesPvt. Ltd.138. Ms. Suma KrishnaswamyGlobal Greens139. Ms. Padma Seshadri, Atithya Hotels140. Mr. Muralidhar, Innova Security InvestmentsLtd.141. Mr. R.C. Purohit, Bhoruka Steel andServices Ltd.142. Mr. K. Shiva Shanmugam, SivasakhtiEngineering Company143. Ms. Usha Nagaraj, Srimati MahilaCo-operative Bank, FKCCI144. Mr. Babu Sathian, Process PumpsPvt. Ltd.145. Mr. Veerendra Shivhare, mGinger146. Mr. Balaji Pasumarthy, Business Gyan147. Mr. Divye Tela, Cheesecare Corporate Services148. Mr. Priyankar Baid, P B Tech Impact Solutions,New Delhi149. Mr. Atul Nigam, i2k Solutions, Mumbai150. Mr. Nalin Agrawal, INREA Research, Mumbai151. Mr. Abhishek Biswal, TRI India, Mumbai152. Mr. Sanjay Labroo, Asahi India Glass Ltd.New Delhi153. Mr. Pratap S. Mungi, Mungi Brothers, Mumbai154. Mr. Ramesh Suri, Subros Ltd.New Delhi155. Mr. Arvind Kapur, Rico Auto Industries Ltd.Gurgaon156. Ms. Lalita Gupte, ICICI Venture157. Ms. Bala Deshpande, ICICI Venture158. Mr. Kanwaljit Singh, Helion Venture Partners159. Mr. Ashish Gupta, Helion Venture Partners160. Mr. Anand Lunia, The Seed Fund161. Mr. Pravin Gandhi, The Seed Fund162. Mr. Vishnu Varshney, Gujarat Venture FinanceLtd. (GVFL)163. Mr. R. Kuppanna, SBI Chennai164. Mr. Puneet Gupta, NEF165. Ms. Laxmi Venkatraman, BYST166. Ms. Laura Parkin, NEN167. Mr. Manak Singh, TIE168. Mr. Paul Murphy, Microsoft India169. Dr. Subhashish Gangopadhya, IDF170. Mr. Mohit Malik, Anoova Consulting171. Mr. Krishnan Iyer, Sequoia Capital India172. Mr. Harish Damodran, The Hindu Business Line173. Mr. Manish Sabharwal, TeamLease Services Ltd.174. Prof. Suresh Bhagavatula, NSRCEL,IIM Bangalore175. Mr. R.M.P. Jawahar, TREC-STEP176. Ms. Poyni Bhatt, SINE, IIT Bombay177. Dr. Madhu Mehta, NIRMA Labs178. Dr. A. Wali, FITT, IIT Delhi179. Mr. Nitin Kundra, Entrepreneurship andInnovation Cell, IIM Bangalore180. Prof. Ashok Jhunjhunwala, TeNeTIIT Madras181. Centre for Innovation, Incubation &Entrepreneurship (CIIE)IIM Ahmedabad182. Prof. Subramonia Sarma, Indian School ofBusiness (ISB)242 National Knowledge Commission

183. Mr. Brahmananda Rao &Mr. Rajeswara Prasad, Andhra Pradesh StateFinance Corporation (APSFC)184. Ms. Ramadevi Kanneganti, ALEAP185. Mr. S. Subba Rao, Andhra Pradesh IndustrialDevelopment Corporation (APIDC)186. Mr. Khokon Mukhopadhyaya, Bengal Chambersof Commerce187. Mr. Kaushik Shah, Gujarat Chambers ofCommerce and Industry188. Mr. Sampat Raman, Federation of KarnatakaChamber of Commerce & Industry (FKCCI)189. Representatives of Tamil Nadu Adi DravidarHousing Development Corporation (TAHDCO)190. Mr. Mritunjoy BandyopadhyaAgastya Associates191. Dr R.C. Rane Intas Pharmaceuticals192. Mr. V.V. Sanyasi Rao, Anakapalle MerchantsAssociation193. Mr. Uday Bhaskar, Zen Technologies194. Mr. Y. Rambabu, Ushodaya Enterprise195. Dr. Pulastya Vora, CSM Services196. Mr. K.M. Pai, Bell Ceramics Ltd.197. Dr. Shrikant Joshi, International AdvancedResearch Centre for Powder Metallurgy198. Prof. M.G.K. Murty, Centre for EnvironmentalAdaptation199. Mr. M. Raja Reddy, Srinivasa Industries200. Mr. Arun Kumar D, AGI GlaspacReport to the Nation243

NKC: Members and StaffCurrent Members, Advisors and StaffMembers1. Sam Pitroda2. Ashok Ganguly3. P. Balaram4. Jayati Ghosh5. Deepak Nayyar6. Nandan Nilekani7. Sujatha Ramdorai8. Amitabh MattooStaff1. Amlanjyoti Goswami (Research Associate)2. Sukhman Randhawa (Research Associate)3. Namita Dalmia (Research Associate)4. Megha Pradhan (Research Associate)5. Vikas Bagri (Research Associate)6. Deepti Ayyanki (Research Assistant)7. Aashima Seth (Executive Assistant)Advisors1. S. Regunathan2. Kiran Datar3. Kumud Bansal4. C.N.S. NairFormer Members, Advisors and StaffMembers1. Andre Beteille2. P.M. Bhargava3. Pratap Bhanu MehtaAdvisors1. Ashok Kolaskar2. Kalpana Dasgupta3. Razia Sultan Ismail AbbasiStaff1. Sunil Bahri (Executive Director)2. Mitakshara Kumari (Research Associate)3. Rohan Mukherjee (Research Associate)4. Shriya Anand (Research Associate)5. Shomikho Raha (Research Associate)6. Kaushik Barua (Research Associate)7. Aditi Saraf (Research Associate)8. Pallavi Raghavan (Research Associate)9. Pratibha Bajaj (Research Associate)10. Kanan Dhru (Research Associate)244 National Knowledge Commission

Advisors and StaffNational Knowledge CommissionMr. S. RegunathanAdvisorregu@nic.inMr. C.N.S. NairAdvisorDr. Kiran DatarAdvisork.datar@nic.inDr. Kumud BansalAdvisork.bansal@nic.inMr. Amlanjyoti GoswamiResearch Associatea.goswami@nic.inMs. Megha PradhanResearch Associatem.pradhan@nic.inMr. Vikas BagriResearch Associatev.bagri@nic.inMs. Namita DalmiaResearch Associaten.dalmia@nic.inMs. Sukhman RandhawaResearch Associates.randhawa@nic.inMs. Deepti AyyankiResearch Assistantd.ayyanki@nic.inMs. Aashima SethExecutive Assistanta.chaney@nic.inWebsite: www.knowledgecommission.gov.in