Education and Empowerment of the Marginalized
P Chandramohan
Vice Chancellor, Kannur University
Abstract
India has one of the richest heritages in education. Still India had to be a colony for a long time. Analysing the history from a scientific and critical stand point one can easily understand that exclusive education was the singular major cause that imposed intellectual slavery over the huge majority of our society that ultimately made this country a colony of illiterates who got marginalized from all areas of civilized life. This process needs to be reversed for India to be sustained as an independent sovereign democratic country.
Equity and Quality
We have had islands of excellence in the past also. The best examples are the Universities of Nalanda, Thakshasila etc. But in spite of these islands of quality and excellence India became a colony only because the majority were excluded from the field of education. Patriotism, nationalism independence etc. were unknown to them. Obviously they were non responsive to the various foreign invasions and were mere spectators when the various foreign invaders fought between themselves for power and exploitation of India’s rich natural resources. The quality of a nation depends on the quality of the citizens at large. In other words the quality of the average citizen is more important than islands of excellence. So much so the quality of a nation like India depends to a large extent on equity when the nation is considered as a single entity.
Who are marginalized in India?
1. Marginalised on the basis of historical and social causes
2. Marginalised on the basis of religion
3. Marginalised on the basis of gender
4. Marginalised on the basis physical and mental causes
5. Marginalised on the basis of economic causes
6. Marginalised on the basis of regional backwardness
Putting all these factors together Kothari Commission classified the learners into first generation learners where the parents are illiterate, second generation learners where the grant parents are illiterate, third generation learners where the parents and grand parents are literate and proposed that first and second generation learners should be the target group for inclusiveness and other support measures.
Access Equity and Quality to go together
Without access equity cannot be achieved and without equity the quality of the average citizen cannot be improved. To achieve this universalisation of higher education should be the correct policy.
Why Universalisation of Higher Education
In the past higher education was intended only for a selected group on the basis of merit and other factors. But today the human genome project has proved that the volume of gene pool and the volume of genetic potential is the same in every human being even though the quality and nature of genetic potential differs from one individual to another. Now we know that if proper environment is provided according to the genetic potential and aptitude, every student can be brought to the level of excellence. So the new slogan should be universalisation of higher education by ensuring quality education to every citizen.
How to ensure Equity
1. Increasing the access to higher education
2. Selective discrimination (reservation for admission)
3. Financial assistance to remove the economic barrier
4. Capacity improvement programmes
a) Bridge courses
b) Remedial coaching etc.
How to Improve the Quality of the Average Citizen
1. Including the marginalized for admission to higher education
2. Restructuring of higher education
a. admission of right student for each course (aptitude test)
b. updating the syllabus and curriculum offering more flexibility
c. updating the pedagogic techniques
d. continuous evaluation
e. innovations and research
f. university-industry interface
g. extension activities
h. value based education
P Chandramohan
Vice Chancellor, Kannur University
Abstract
India has one of the richest heritages in education. Still India had to be a colony for a long time. Analysing the history from a scientific and critical stand point one can easily understand that exclusive education was the singular major cause that imposed intellectual slavery over the huge majority of our society that ultimately made this country a colony of illiterates who got marginalized from all areas of civilized life. This process needs to be reversed for India to be sustained as an independent sovereign democratic country.
Equity and Quality
We have had islands of excellence in the past also. The best examples are the Universities of Nalanda, Thakshasila etc. But in spite of these islands of quality and excellence India became a colony only because the majority were excluded from the field of education. Patriotism, nationalism independence etc. were unknown to them. Obviously they were non responsive to the various foreign invasions and were mere spectators when the various foreign invaders fought between themselves for power and exploitation of India’s rich natural resources. The quality of a nation depends on the quality of the citizens at large. In other words the quality of the average citizen is more important than islands of excellence. So much so the quality of a nation like India depends to a large extent on equity when the nation is considered as a single entity.
Who are marginalized in India?
1. Marginalised on the basis of historical and social causes
2. Marginalised on the basis of religion
3. Marginalised on the basis of gender
4. Marginalised on the basis physical and mental causes
5. Marginalised on the basis of economic causes
6. Marginalised on the basis of regional backwardness
Putting all these factors together Kothari Commission classified the learners into first generation learners where the parents are illiterate, second generation learners where the grant parents are illiterate, third generation learners where the parents and grand parents are literate and proposed that first and second generation learners should be the target group for inclusiveness and other support measures.
Access Equity and Quality to go together
Without access equity cannot be achieved and without equity the quality of the average citizen cannot be improved. To achieve this universalisation of higher education should be the correct policy.
Why Universalisation of Higher Education
In the past higher education was intended only for a selected group on the basis of merit and other factors. But today the human genome project has proved that the volume of gene pool and the volume of genetic potential is the same in every human being even though the quality and nature of genetic potential differs from one individual to another. Now we know that if proper environment is provided according to the genetic potential and aptitude, every student can be brought to the level of excellence. So the new slogan should be universalisation of higher education by ensuring quality education to every citizen.
How to ensure Equity
1. Increasing the access to higher education
2. Selective discrimination (reservation for admission)
3. Financial assistance to remove the economic barrier
4. Capacity improvement programmes
a) Bridge courses
b) Remedial coaching etc.
How to Improve the Quality of the Average Citizen
1. Including the marginalized for admission to higher education
2. Restructuring of higher education
a. admission of right student for each course (aptitude test)
b. updating the syllabus and curriculum offering more flexibility
c. updating the pedagogic techniques
d. continuous evaluation
e. innovations and research
f. university-industry interface
g. extension activities
h. value based education
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