Employment in “core” engineering sectors can happen only if well paying jobs are created by putting resources into infrastructure development and manufacturing. If wages in the core sectors are not competitive with respect to IT and computer related jobs engineering graduates will not opt for these. [July 2022]
The Central University Entrance Test (CUET), as the exclusive pathway to university and college admissions, demeans the Board examinations and is disrespectful of the cultural and educational diversity that exists across the country. Instead of repairing the school system we are well on our way to destroying whatever is left of it. There is pressure now on schools to “focus” only training students to “crack the CUET”. [July 2022]
As a nation we have not done enough to create adequate opportunities for students aspiring to be doctors. Even when we have such a need for such professionals. Even more we seem to have surrendered this educational space to private colleges who charge astronomical this fees “denying” admission to so many. The story of Indian students who were evacuated from war-torn Ukraine is a grim reminder of this reality. [March 2022]
The focus on rote-learning and superficial information leads to an incapacity to comprehend anything “deep” — and this results in a poor understanding of social, political and historical issues. Thus simplistic narratives of “us vs them”, and “we are the greatest civilization” find immense traction. [April 2022]
The exclusive use of the scores obtained in a Central University Entrance Test (CUET) for admission to undergraduate colleges and universities (in India) is unfair and cruel towards students. Is this an official recognition that the school system is beyond repair and that we will muddle along with these ad-hoc “solutions”?[March 2022]
[Co-authored with Yashas P R]
The hold of misinformation has been a significant barrier that prevents people from understanding the nature of the of the Covid-19 pandemic and the necessity of taking vaccines. This affects the affluent and the poor and even some state agencies (who peddle unscientific “cures”). Science & Technoogy related departments of the Indian government could have done much more. We did not even see enough media campaigns promoting vaccines. [February 2022]
The discovery of the Omnicron varaiant of the novel coronavirus has led to a frenzy of measures at airports. Arriving passengers, from at-risk countries, are being subjected to RTPCR tests for detecting Covid-19 infections, and then asked to wait at the airport for their test results. Does this make any sense? This may be good optics but the it puts passengers at risk by “creating” crowding; it causes harassment to weary travellers and makes them spend up to a few thousand rupees for a worthless test report. [December 2021]
The 100% cutoffs for admission to certain courses was in the news. Does this make any sense? What is the reason for this madness? In addition to the obvious reason that we do not have adequate number of institutes and universities, the mess is largely the creation of how board examinations are conducted and evaluated. [December 2021]
Very few media campaigns — which promote Covid-19 vaccines, address vaccine hesitancy and assorted misinformation, and encourage or guide safe social behaviour — are available, especially in India. The energy that was seen in the polio vaccination or the anti-tobacco campaigns seems to be missing. Public advertisements and messaging on these issues is desprately needed. [August 2021]
