IT enabled education in focus

In a bid prepare the prepare minds in the best way for the information age, Indian education system should give thrust on a software-based approach for all subjects at all levels.

"Software must be introduced at the primary levels for different subjects so that the young minds could develop the ability to handle IT when they start working," said Pronab Sen, secretary, Ministry of Statistics, Government of India.

According to him, the demand-supply gap was opening up as there was a dearth of people with the ability to access and analyse available data in a proper manner.

This indicted that the ability of analytical thinking in a structured manner had to be developed.

"Sometimes I have serious doubt in the ability of the system. Only introducing computers at the school levels will not do, we need to go back a analyse the education system thinking about the information age," he added.

Sen criticized one policy of the Indian education system "� it did not encourage drop-outs and this was a bad trend.

He said most graduates with a degree in statistics were eager to get jobs immediately and most would opt for a job and not pursue a higher degree.

"There is no harm with a job at a young age but this limit skills tremendously in the long run, and so students should be allowed to get back and pursue the masters in the same subject so that with the job experience which would enhance their skill even further," Sen told the media.