Expanding Horizons in Technical Education to Reach to World Class Standards:A Challenge

People, in globalization, want world class education. They are ready to pay for it. But Universities and colleges are not able to give this. Why? This needs examination in depth. Their frame work is old, out dated, primitive, and dysfunctional. They lack in creation of new knowledge. Discoveries, and creative endeavors are now the integral components of modern institutes. They lack in organizational capability. They lack in global visions and missions. From experience elsewhere in the world, it can be said that education has to be coupled with research and innovation. Multifaceted research, incubation, patent and IPR, entrepreneurship, start ups, Research Park are now the integral components. They are observed to have a deeper impact on quality of education.

Institutions must now change their orbit of operation and jump up to creating hi- tech enterprises, hi-tech world class entrepreneurs, producing not just engineers but more of M Tech and PhDs. Institutes must take active role in corporate development, become a light house for industry. The center of gravity of operations must be shifted from UG to PG, PhD and post doctoral studies. This is what National Knowledge Commission has recommended. Without them India can not hope to become a super power, which is its declared dream.

Attempts for reforms are being made in India through TEQIP. Techniques of industrial management like TQM are being implemented. Leaders in industry are being appointed as chairmen and members of board of governors. These efforts are good but not enough. Hi- breeding by way of transnational collaboration is necessary. Role of academicians in reformation is crucial. The paper says leadership skills on the part of academicians to establish and run institutes in world class manner need urgently to be developed. It is ultimately their responsibility. First class professors need to be recruited and enabled to grow to international standard.