'Create flexibility to accommodate fast learners'

The Ministry of Human Resource Development’s plans of allowing foreign education providers to enter India have found support from the Vice Chancellor of Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) who says if foreign universities offer the same facilities and atmosphere to students here, the brain drain will be curbed. In a chat with KIRTIKA SUNEJA, Professor V N Rajasekharan Pillai spoke about the challenges in higher education especially distance learning. Edited excerpts:

The HRD Ministry has suggested formulating a new policy for distance education in its 100-day agenda. How do you see this in IGNOU’s context?
The feeling is usually that an open university is only for distance learning but actually it is open and distance learning (ODL) which means flexible way of education delivery. This comprises flexible admission policies, exam pattern, etc according to students’ requirements. In fact, distance learning can be successful if institutes beyond the formal conventional education, under different ministries, partner with universities like us. Then their infrastructural and intellectual capabilities can be utilised. For instance, we have collaborated with the Institute of Rail Transport (IRT) to develop a gross framework of training and academic collaboration in rail transport management. This is a well thought of strategy at IGNOU to identify credible institutes and work with them.

What about foreign education providers coming to India?
Foreign universities should be encouraged but only with specific norms so that only the best ones in terms of content, quality and delivery come to the country. The government must ensure that these universities are top accredited in their own countries. The advantage of this is that it will allow professional and academic mobility and if given proper atmosphere, even foreigners will come to teach here. There should be no difference in their campuses there and here.

What other challenges face today’s education system?
The education system is rigid and not flexible for students. There is no possibility of encouraging fast learners or movement from one institution to another or recognition of one degree in other institutes. Students can’t choose their subjects as per their preference. We need to create the flexibility to identify slow learners and accommodate fast learners. Teacher training and retraining of existing teachers is another issue. Technology can help in this regard wherein ICT can be used to improve the quality of teaching. Increased dropouts in school education and low GER are the other challenges.

Your thoughts on research...
There is total rigidity in research also. Undergraduate teaching is not happening in university departments; it’s only post graduate teaching and research despite the fact that 90 per cent of the undergraduate teaching is happening in colleges. Moreover, 95 per cent of collegiate education is separate from higher level university research.

How will the reinvention of the education system impact IGNOU?
We believe that these structural reforms will lead to optimum utilisation of the existing resources and facilities. Currently, there are around 2.5 million students in IGNOU and every year we add five lakh students. With these reforms, we expect teachers to be able to impart better training to students. As of now, there are 900 academics, professors, regional directors, among others at IGNOU who prepare materials and papers with cooperation from other part time teachers.