Education Insider February 2014

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‘Science is not democratic; it is an elitist activity’

B Schools in West no model for India

Thanu Padmanabhan www.educationinsider.net Monthly, February 2014

Exploring a brainiac The story of a scientist who runs behind brain and computer

BRAINWAVE Anand Gandhi Special report IIT-BOMBAY THOUGHT LEADER Bertram Lohmuller

UAE - AED 7 US - $5 India - `50

Global learning crisis is costing $129 billion a year

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EDUCATION INSIDER I February 2014

from the editor

Go for an elite university

T

he study of how the brain works is the study of what makes us human.

For about thousands of years, people have speculated about this. As one of the most complex things in the universe, the study of brain is extremely significant, especially when we look at the future.

Education Insider presents to you the story of an unusual scientist, Upinder S Bhalla, who focuses research on the function of the brain. Born to two economics professors, Upinder S Bhalla graduated in technology, but pursued a career in biology, studying the working of the human brain. The man, who completed his higher education from three premier institutes, IIT-Kanpur, Cambridge University, and Caltech, has always been obsessed with the human brain. “The study of how the brain works is, in a very deep sense, the study of what makes us human,” Upinder Bhalla thinks. Known to his colleagues as Upi, Bhalla, 50, is a professor at the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS) in Bangalore.

How did Upi become a biologist? The story is quite intriguing and inspiring, especially for those interested in interdisciplinary studies. Do read ‘When Upi connects brain and computer’ on page 24 and find out what he has to say on brain and computer.

Have you ever thought about the concept of an elite university in India? Here goes the idea: “Create an elite university.

Pick out 100 students each year to get in the elite university and label them as

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elite and as people who are outstanding.

Allow them a completely separate way of progressing further in their BSc and MSc courses without straightjacketing them the way you have to take five subjects in the first year, three subjects in the second year; you can take only this subject, that subject.

You cannot just do mathematics; you have to do cultural history of India as well…all that has to end. It is detrimental to the elite students. There must be a stream which is made available for a very small faction of elite students selected very rigorously on a nationwide basis, who have to be mentored and trained right from day one by treating them as very special citizens. If you can do that, 30 years later, you will have Nobel Prize winners among them.” This is the idea being put forward by eminent Indian theoretical physicist Thanu Padmanabhan in an exclusive interview with Education Insider. Let’s wait and see what the Human Resource and Development Minister has to say on this.

There are more stories inside that tracks the latest trends in the education sector.

‘B Schools in West no model for India’ (pg 29) is a timely article on the management education. It is about the latest happenings in the sector and the need to have real innovation and marketing for the world’s most successful educational degree.

Another is about the growth of Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay, which aims to become one of the top technical universities of the world. Plus, the regular sections, columns and a special feature of global learning crisis, which is costing $129 billion a year.

Enjoy!

EDUCATION INSIDER I February 2014

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EDUCATION INSIDER I February 2014

Felt like chatting with Kumble Thanks Education Insider for publishing the educational memoirs of Anil Kumble. It was awesome and it added more colour to the cover story on Indian sports education.

–Sujith Kumar, Kochi

Cover story, an eye opener The cover story ‘Sports education, where does India stand’, was an eye opener. If China and Japan can excel in this field, then why can’t India do the same? Congrats to team Education Insider for presenting such a thought provoking article.

–Shreyas Babu, Mumbai

I agree with CNR I read the interview with CNR Rao in Education Insider. I completely agree with his statement that, politics and politicians denies the growth of science research and development with mindless decisions. We should stand together to make a positive change in this sector.

–Suvarna Gupta, Kolkatta

The Thought leader segment was a nice read. It is a new insight for me that, comics help in education and in making children more creative.

Thanks to Education Insider for sharing this.

–Richard Joseph, Goa

Change in layout is inevitable I am a regular reader of Education Insider magazine. Contentwise, I appreciate the effort of the team.

But it is vital to make a big change in the layout. Pages with more free space will make it more attractive and reader friendly. I feel that right now it is stuffed with too many contents.

–Ranju George, Delhi

Montessori education superb The column by Lakshmi Krishnakumar on Montessori education was awesome. It sheds more light on the Montessori education system.

Thanks to EI and the writer. Looking forward to the coming issues of your magazine.

–Manju Arvind, Chennai

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CONTENTS COVER STORY 24 When UPI connects Brain and computer The story of Upinder S Bhalla, a brain scientist, at the National centre for Biological Sciences, is quite intriguing and inspiring for those interested in interdisciplinarity

EXCLUSIVES

16 The EI Interview Eminent cosmologist Thanu Padmanabhan comes with an innovative idea of elite university

64 At 55, IIT-B flying high Under the leadership of Professor Devang Khakhar, IIT- B aims to be in the league of best technical universities

THE REGULARS

10 Edu Capsule The latest happenings in education from around the world

68 EI@Campus A journey through the prestigious Panjab University campus reveals the vibrancy of new age education system

42 Study Destination A destination like Hungary, which has fast become the most cost effective European study destination could be an ideal choice

60 Thought Leader Dr. Bertram Lohmüller, the Director of SGIT, talks about their entry to India and the recent changes in global education sector in an interview with Education Insider

35 Foreign Campus The University College Cork, a highly ranked university in Ireland, is extending its popular Bachelors, Masters and PhD programmes in Nursing and Midwifery to aspiring nursing students

58 VC Speaks A Dr Suresh Sachdev, VC, NIILM University, Haryana, says foreign universities should be encouraged to set up their campuses in India

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60 Management Education Dr. Alby Anand Kurian, marketing communications theorist, says creating new systems that allow for constant non-conformity is the challenge in management education today

56 Special story Meet Rion Holcombe, a 20-year-old American affected with Down’s syndrome but whose success story took him all the way to Clemson University for his higher education

40 Corporates and Education Camlin, the most sought after educational accessories brand, sends out a strong message that serving society means investing in education

53 Edu Expert “IT and research should be developed as a solution to India’s complex problems,” says Professor Sadagopan, director of IIIT- Bangalore

44 Campus Voice AAP and the youth: Students have a hope that the new party could make waves in the political front

48 What Education Taught Me Anand Gandhi, an independent filmmaker and screenwriter, shares his views on education

78 Fresh Beats The pulsating music emitting from the combined skills of Nicotine is more addictive than the name the band gets its name from

EDUCATION INSIDER I February 2014

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COLUMNS

38 B ASHOK There have been references by many senior military commanders that the NDA system of ‘catching them young’ might solve many training related problems of the civil services

23 T P sethumadhavan Gerontology is the science that improves the quality of life of the elderly. The Government of India has now started giving more empahisis to the care of the elderly

50 Lakshmi Krishnakumar Lakshmi focuses on Maria Montessori’s work with the normal children at the very first Montessori school (Casa Dei Bambini in Italian)

76 Toby Blundell The role of teachers is no longer limited to teachings, they also have to ensure that students enjoy the classes and are comfortable enough to explore a subject

EDUCATION INSIDER I February 2014

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EDUCAPSULE Stand and learn!

Australia: With an aim to cut down the rate of child obesity, a primary school in Australia has launched the world’s first standing classroom. In a research, it is proved that sitting for a long period of time has contributed to the increase of Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Students at Mont Albert Primary School of class 6th are now left with an option of either sitting or standing during class time.

Child development centre to open in Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi: A new centre for early childhood development services will be opened in Abu Dhabi and it is expected to facilitate research on the development of children and has been set up by Shaikha Salama Bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation, a philanthropic organisation.

The construction of the centre, which will be located on Reem Island, is anticipated to begin in April. The centre of excellence will also provide daycare and educational services for about 100 children.

IIT Kharagpur to launch research and innovation parks at Kolkata Kolkata: IIT Kharagpur is ready to expand its foundation through research and innovation parks, whose purpose is to merge industry and academia and to foster international collaborative studies. The hubs will not only provide scope to young scientists to enhance their academic prospects but also aid in boosting their entrepreneurship skills, according to an official release. The parks will be set up at Gopali, Kansabati and Rajarhat besides the existing one at Kharagpur.

25% seats for economically weaker sections in KV schools New Delhi: The Kendriya Vidyalayas will reserve 25% seats for economically weaker section as per the Supreme Court guidelines. The KVs will start their admission process for Class I (entry level) from 15 February 2014. No admission tests will be taken for students till class 8th.

A total of one lakh students will be admitted in Class I across all KVs. In case the number of students surpasses the quota, a sweepstakes system will be followed in each category.

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EDUCATION INSIDER I February 2014

Study beer at KPU Thinking about learning the art of brewing beer, can land you at British Columbia’s Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU). The University has recently launched its science of brewing program to help those who want to make a career in the beer industry.

The two-year diploma is one of a few dozen in the world that gives students a full-bodied hands-on education in the science and business of brewing beer at the university’s Langley campus “Along with practical hands-on training, we’ll be giving students a solid background in the science behind brewing craft beer, including the chemistry and microbiology involved in the process,” Elizabeth Worobec, dean of the faculty of science and horticulture at Kwantlen, said. “It’s this much-needed expertise that graduates will bring to the province’s brewing industry.”

With only two comparable programs in the country, the university’s brewing and brewery operations diploma will set out to meet the craft beer industry’s demand for qualified and technically experienced employees. Starting in September, 35 students will begin learning to brew from scratch at KPU Langley’s specially designed brew laboratory.

UAE Ministry of Education launches online tutorial videos Dubai: The UAE Ministry of Education has launched ‘Duroosi’(my studies), Youtube videos that offers online lectures on various subjects of the 11th and 12th grades. This new self- learning tool was launched by the Ministry in partnership with Etisalat and Google. Since its inception ‘Duroosi’ has already received 17,000 subscribers and 35,000 views.

Central government to open Sports Schools New Delhi: With an intention to promote talented sports students, the Central government has come up with a plan to open up 75 sports schools across the nation. These schools will be set up in a period of three years. The admission to the schools will be based on a Physical Aptitude Test. Students between the age group of 8-12 years can appear for the Physical Aptitude Test to qualify for the admission. These schools will provide training to the students across different disciplines and will be funded by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

EDUCATION INSIDER I February 2014

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Special Report

Often older pupils, like Razia in this photo, are asked to take a class while the only teacher teaches other classes. Razia, studies in grade five at her village primary school in Sindh, Pakistan, takes the class for her teacher Sanober. Sanober is the only teacher at the school that has 110 pupils. Sanober explains, ‘I teach grade five students first and then ask a few students from grade five to look after grade one students while I give lesson to other classes.’ Credit: UNESCO

Global learning crisis is costing $129 billion a year Two thirds of children in South and West Asia are not learning the basics in reading and maths, whether they are in school or not

by EI Bureau

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T

he 11th Education for All Global Monitoring Report reveals that a global learning crisis is costing governments $129 billion a year. Ten per cent of global spending on primary education is being lost on poor quality education that is failing to ensure that children learn. This situation leaves one in four young people in poor countries unable to read a single sentence, affecting one third of young women in South and West Asia. The Report concludes that good teachers are the key to improvement and calls on governments to provide the best in the profession to those who need them most.

This year’s Report, Teaching and learning: Achieving quality for all, warns that without attracting and adequately training enough teachers the learning crisis will last for several generations and hit the disadvantaged hardest. In South and West Asia, where about 33 in 100 children of primary school age are learning the basics in reading, the share ranges from about 90% in the Islamic Republic of Iran

to less than 30% in Pakistan. India is one of only four countries outside of sub-Saharan Africa where over half of children are not learning the basics in reading and maths, whether they have spent four years in school or not On current trends, the Report projects that it will take until 2072 for all the poorest young women in developing countries to be literate.

The disadvantaged – girls and those in poverty – are being left behind: In Pakistan, rich boys and girls are expected to complete primary school by 2020, but on recent trends poor boys will reach this fundamental target only in the late 2050s and poor girls just before the end of the century.

However, with the right policies in place, fast progress is possible: In Nepal, the literacy rate of the poorest young women tripled from 18% in 2001 to 54% in 2011.

In order to improve the quality of education, between 2011 and 2015, South and West Asia needs to recruit an additional 1 million additional teachers per year to reach a ratio of 32

EDUCATION INSIDER I February 2014

pupils per teacher in lower secondary education. However, teachers also need training. In a third of countries analysed by the Report, less than three-quarters of existing primary school teachers are trained to national standards.

“Teachers have the future of this generation in their hands,” said UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova. “We need 5.2 million teachers to be recruited by 2015, and we need to work harder to support them in providing children with their right to a universal, free and quality education.”

The report calculates that the cost of 250 million children around the world not learning the basics translates into a loss of an estimated $129 billion. In total, 37 countries are losing at least half the amount they spend on primary education because children are not learning.

By contrast, the report shows that ensuring an equal, quality education for all can generate huge economic rewards, increasing a country’s gross domestic product per capita by 23 per cent over 40 years. If Pakistan were to halve inequality in access to education to the level of Viet Nam, it would increase its economic growth by 1.7 percentage points, for example.

The report shows that to achieve good quality education for all, governments must provide enough trained teachers, and focus their teacher policies on meeting the needs of the disadvantaged. This means attracting the best candidates into teaching; giving them relevant training; deploying them within countries to areas where they are needed most; and offering them incentives to make a long-term commitment to teaching. In Sri Lanka teachers trained to develop lesson plans and grade-appropriate tasks for multigrade classes had a positive impact on pupils’ achievement in mathematics. The Report also highlights the need to address gender-based violence in schools, a major barrier to quality and equality in education. It underscores the importance of curriculum and assessment strategies to promote inclusion and improve learning.

Pauline Rose, the director of the EFA Global Monitoring Report, said: “What’s the point in an education if EDUCATION INSIDER I February 2014

In order to improve the quality of education, between 2011 and 2015, South and West Asia needs to recruit an additional 1 million additional teachers per year to reach a ratio of 32 pupils per teacher in lower secondary education. However, teachers also need training. In a third of countries analysed by the report, less than three-quarters of existing primary school teachers are trained to national standards children emerge after years in school without the skills they need? The huge numbers of illiterate children and young people mean it is crucial that equality in access and learning be placed at the heart of future education goals. New goals after 2015 must make sure every child is not only in school, but learning what they need to learn.”

The Report makes the following recommendations: •

•

•

New education goals after 2015 must include an explicit commitment to equity so that every child has an equal chance of an education. .

New goals after 2015 must ensure that every child is in school and learning the basics. Children do not only have the right to be in school, but also to learn while there, and to emerge with the skills they need to find secure, well-paid work.

Ensure the best teachers reach the learners who need them most.

National education plans must include an explicit commitment to reaching the marginalized.

Teachers should be recruited locally, or have similar backgrounds to disadvantaged learners.

Every teacher needs preand in-service training on ways to target support to disadvantaged children.

Incentives must be provided to ensure the best teachers work in remote, under-served areas.

Sixth and seventh grade pupils being taught together because of the lack of teachers at a government school in Andhra Pradesh, India. Credit: UNESCO/Poulomi Basu

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career Beauty

booming

Beauty career Today, the beauty industry is one of the most exciting places to be in, because it has tremendous scope for growth. Along with the demand for beauty care, the need for professionally trained beauty therapists is also on the rise

by Shahnaz Husain

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he beauty products business in India is estimated to be around Rs 5,000 crore. Branding, speciality skills, specialised services and niche products are popular, especially at high-end salons.

Another new trend is that salons are also offering spa treatments.

Counters selling beauty product are being opened in malls and department stores.

These require trained personnel too. For example, the sales representatives at the Shahnaz Husain counters are trained in herbal products and on advising customers. Different make-up services are also offered by beauty parlours. Bridal makeup, for instance, is one of the popular services being offered nowadays. Our Beauty Diploma

Course includes Hairstyling and Make-up for different occasions.

Organic products With the ‘back to nature’ and ‘total wellbeing’ trends that have influenced the beauty world over the past few decades, organic products have become a rage. Formulations made with organic plant products are purer, free from chemicals and richer in nutrients. An important advantage is the element of safety. Synthetic preparations and chemical ingredients, on the contrary, can cause allergic and irritative reactions.

Career prospects Career prospects in the beauty business have never been brighter. Today, vocational training is the need of the hour.

In the beauty business, too,

the days of apprenticeship training are over. Beauty business offers many career avenues. One can be an entrepreneur and start one’s own beauty parlour in a small way, even in one’s own home, with less capital investment or work as a beauty therapist, masseur, hairstylist, makeup artist and so on. One can also occupy positions such as salon / spa manager, beauty adviser, cosmetic consultant, product consultant, freelance beautician or make-up artist, or even a beauty school teacher.

As the pioneer and leader of professional beauty training in India, our vision of providing quality education in beauty has seen the Shahnaz Husain International Beauty Academy expanding all over India and abroad. The academy offers comprehensive professional Diploma and Postgraduate Diploma Courses, which equip students in various aspects of beauty care, including herbal beauty care and also highly specialised Shahnaz Husain natural facials and treatments for specific skin and hair problems.

Courses aplenty Today, we offer beauty courses

EDUCATION INSIDER I February 2014

A minimum school-leaving certificate is enough to launch into vocational beauty training, yet it gives the opportunity to complete courses right up to an advanced level and also go into related fields. One can be an entrepreneur and start one’s own beauty parlour in a small way, even in one’s own home, with less capital investment or work as a beauty therapist, masseur, hairstylist or a make-up artist in Skin Therapy, Hair Design, Hair Styling and Cutting, Make-up and Aesthetics, Aromatherapy, Ayurveda, Dhara and Kerala Massage, Nail and Body Art, Yoga, etc. A Personal Grooming Course for selfimprovement is also available, as well as several short-term courses in Henna, Galvanic Treatments and specialised facials. While short-term Certificate courses may be of one or two month’s duration, Diploma and Postgraduate courses may take 4 to 8 months. However, the Shahnaz Husain International Beauty Academy offers the facility of flexibility in terms of duration since classes are

conducted on an hourly basis and one can adjust the classes according to convenience.

Today, beauty therapy is quite advanced, with high growth potential.

Along with the growth of the beauty industry, professional vocational training in beauty has also moved into a crucial phase of growth, with upgraded syllabus and curriculum, in keeping with international standards and latest trends in beauty care.

Shahnaz Husain, CEO of Shahnaz Herbals Inc, is a prominent Indian entrepreneur best known for her herbal cosmetics and skin care products

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EI INTERVIEW Thanu Padmanabhan

‘Science is not democratic; it is an elitist activity’ Eminent Indian theoretical physicist and cosmologist Thanu Padmanabhan talks about the concept of elite university, quality of research in India and China, physics education, and ideas for India to sparkle as a science power

by Dipin Damodharan

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B

“Beam me up, Scotty! There is no intelligent life out here.” This welcome note on the webpage of the Dean of Core Academic Programs of Inter-University Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) sheds light on the curious nature of a physics maverick known to us as Thanu Padmanabhan.

Known for engaging with time through theoretical physics and cosmology, this eminent Indian scientist has an extraordinary resume. His intellectual gifts, particularly those related to the modelling of dark energy in the universe and the interpretation of gravity as an emerging phenomenon, have made a deep impact in physics. Hailing from Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of South Indian state Kerala, Padmanabhan secured gold medals in physics during graduation. Known as Paddy in his friend circle, Padmanabhan published his first research paper on general relativity at the age of 20. It is his passion for physics, fuelled by hard work and acute logical skills, that helped him become one of the best known cosmologists in the world.

Padmanabhan recently shared his thoughts with Education Insider’s Dipin Damodharan and talked about physics research, the makings of an elite university, higher education, problems with the science policy, and university rankings EDUCATION INSIDER I February 2014

EDUCATION INSIDER I February 2014

Thanu Padmanabhan

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EI INTERVIEW Thanu Padmanabhan What’s the correct way to appraise the physics education scenario in India?

You can divide the physics education at two levels. One is the school education (up to Plus-two), and then there’s specialist education which happens in universities and colleges in the form of undergraduate and postgraduate courses. There are also institutes like IISER (Indian Institute of Science and Research), where physics courses are offered from Plus-Two onwards, and CBS (Centre for Excellence in Basic Sciences) which offers quality physics education. Indian Institute of Science (IISc) also has started offering undergraduate programmes. There is quite a gamut of things happening, but I would say the place we are pathetically backward is in the school physics education. There has been tremendous push from the government for ‘after Plus-Two what to do’. The launching of IISERs is one important phase, increasing the number of IITs was another thing. Both CBS and IISc starting the UG courses in physics is a very welcome improvement. But all this happens only after plus two.

In the school level the way we are handling physics is dismal. It is also directly related to the fact that the salary of school teachers in many of the places, especially in the state-owned institutions, is very low. Even in private schools, most of the time, the salaries the teachers get are insufficient.

Lack of experiments So what do you think the way ahead is?

We need a complete revamp of the education system, from eighth standard to Plus-Two, in science altogether and in particular, physics. Most of the time people are not exposed to experimental techniques in the proper way.

The experimental approach to science, what science is and how do you go about investigating something is simply not taught. Even most of the good students who come to us for PhD programmes only want to do theory and there is a total lack of good, well-trained experimental scientists in physics.

Another problem is that we do not have summer programmes for school teachers. There’s no process of selecting a bunch of school teachers and giving them incentives or scholarships. There has to be certain level of incentives so that they can update their knowledge base and teach things which are really relevant in today’s science. That’s one thing that I would very much like to see happening.

Whenever people talk about physics education they have a focused mind about higher education, technological education, IITs, PhDs etc. There is scope for improvement in these areas as well, but I think the school sector is being completely neglected.

Which model would you suggest for India?

In the United States, they do it very well and is a good model for us to follow. There’s an American Association for Physics Teachers. They have website, their own publication. As far as physics is concerned, experimental side is completely lacking. The schools should have well-define laboratories, innovative experiments, regimented text-book system and the teachers have to be both motivated and knowledgeable. You cannot get motivation without paying them adequate salary which is

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German born theoretical physicist Albert Einsteen is regarded as the father of modern physics not happening. They also need opportunities to update themselves which is also not happening. That’s where I think we can learn from western countries at school-level.

Can’t learn Science without breaking things Do you think that the government should provide more fund to schools?

Giving funds is one aspect. Of late the funding on science has been going up, which is good. But it is also important to channelise it properly. There has to be a review process in funding. If you are saying that let us fund laboratories in all high schools, but maintaining and up keeping these laboratories, continuously getting new chemicals and equipment for them etc would require a recurrent amount.

Some of the schools I visited have the equipment, but they are kept in the principal’s room. If a teacher takes it out and break it accidentally during the experiment, the money is cut from his/her salary. This kind of a negative attitude towards these things is not good. You can’t learn science without breaking things.

If something is broken it cannot be repaired as there is no fund for repairing. So, just giving funds and hoping that everything will be fine may not work in improving

“I would say the place we are pathetically backward is in the school physics education” EDUCATION INSIDER I February 2014

“The teachers have to be both motivated and knowledgeable.

You cannot get motivation without paying them adequate salary which is not happening” the quality of school education. Each school possibly or a set of schools in a region could be asked to come out with a project. A project-based approach would be probably better. They should say that, look we need a certain amount of money; if we have this much of money, we will do this in the next five years. The government should provide the money to these schools. Suppose there are 50 schools, they can come together with a proposal and that proposal should be funded. There should be a constant review project by a bunch of scientists and educationists as to whether the project is going on. They should go to the schools and visit the students and teachers and find whether they are actually doing the experiments, whether the teachers are knowledgeable. The next installment of money would be released on the basis of the performance.

This would be a better way of doing it rather than just increasing the funding.

How do you view the developments in the higher education sector (Physics)?

Institutes like IISERs, IITs and IIScs have a bright future.

They are moving in the right direction. I am a very strong believer in initiative. For the regular colleges and

universities, the initiative has to come from them. The governments should confine their role to saying that, “look these things are available for you. If you come up with a clear proposal, as to what you want to spend money, how much money you need, we will make money available to you.”

India versus China How is India doing in physics research?

In physics research, it varies quite a bit from area to area. If you take condense matters, some aspects of pure theoretical physics like spring theory or areas in cosmology or gravitational physics, I would say that we are making a mark in the international scene. Whatever we are doing is being noted and it is well-recognised and making an impact. We are making a mark in the last decade. I am talking about theoretical physics areas which I am familiar with. There could be areas in which we may have a long way to go.

India vs. China in terms of excellence in research?

When we compare with China, India is doing extremely well. A lot of people quote numbers, they say that China has published ‘x’ number of papers and it has ‘y’ number of citations while India has published this many papers and this number of citations. I think this is completely a wrong way of looking at things. What happens is that, in my own area, like in cosmology or in gravitational physics, many of the papers which come out from China is of a particular quality. While there may be fewer papers coming out on these topics from India, they are of higher quality. But, this number game should be played with somewhat more sensitively. In areas like theoretical

“You cannot get Olympic runners or Nobel Prize winners from the average or the mean population”

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is the best-performing university in the subjects of Physics and Astronomy

EDUCATION INSIDER I February 2014

19

EI INTERVIEW Thanu Padmanabhan

“In areas like theoretical physics, spring theory, condense matter physics, gravitational physics etc. we are doing better than China” physics, spring theory, condense matter physics, gravitational physics etc. we are doing better than China.

There could be other areas which are more technologically intensive where possibly china is doing well.

Quality, not quantity matters Do you think that the number of students going for PhD in physics is substantially low when comparing with other streams?

When a student ends up in Plus-Two or when he has to make his choice as to what branch of science he wants to do. If India can offer six different disciplines in which he can do excellent job out of which physics is one, and physics gets only one-sixth of the quality people, I will be very happy about it. What I would like to see is more and more students coming into basic sciences, whether it is chemistry, mathematics, physics or biology. I think we need an overall improvement in all of these subjects.

Whether the quality of the students is adequate is more important. Over the last 10 years, I have noticed that the average quality of the students who come for PhD programme has visibly dropped. The peaks may be still good. If you take the mean average quality of the students who come for physics research at the PhD level in the last 10-15 years, I see a very clear drop in their quality. I don’t know why this is happening. We have tried various models to think about it but we don’t have a very clear idea about that. It is a fact that the quality has come down. That’swhat I would concentrate on, I am not so much worried about students going to other disciplines; I am worried about the quality of students coming to my discipline.

Is there something terribly wrong with Indian universities? Even though we have a great legacy in quality higher education, none of

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the Indian institutes are in the list of world’s top universities. How do you look at this?

This is a very complex question, and it has been debated everywhere from the primary to higher levels of Planning Commission. In my own opinion, we should try to focus on a small subset of universities and try to build them up at the best possible level. For instance, when we wanted higher education of a particular quality, the government had come up with the idea of IISERs. They are well-funded and their faculty members are selected in a particular manner and they are trying to ensure high-quality education. This is, in some sense, going away from the universities. There are a lot of universities at a particular level. You can try to improve five out of them. In addition to it we are creating five IISERs. If IISERs are going to be

“A lot of people quote numbers, they say that China has published ‘x’ number of papers and it has ‘y’ number of citations while India has published this many papers and this number of citations. I think this is completely a wrong way of looking at things” EDUCATION INSIDER I February 2014

“You pick out 100 students each year and label them as elite. And you allow them a completely separate way of progressing further in their Bsc and MSc without straightjacketing them the way you have to take five subjects in the first year, three subjects in the second year; you can take only this subject, that subject. All that has to end. There must be a stream which is made available for a very small faction of elite students selected very rigorously on a nationwide basis and who have to be mentored and trained right from day one treating them as very special citizens.If you can do that, 30 years after, you will have NobelPrize winners among them” successful, IITs are going to be successful, IIScs are going to be successful…Then why can’t we do the same thing in selected universities.

Pick out just 10 universities distributed regionally in the country and try to improve their quality significantly over the next 5-10 years. See whether any one of them can make it into the world ranking. That would be one possible way of doing it. We are a very large country and we can easily dilute our resources by trying to bring up everything.

There are universities in America which nobody has heard of. When you think about America you talk about Harvard, Caltech and Stanford. I know many universities whose physics

EDUCATION INSIDER I February 2014

department is nothing to write home about.

I would suggest that, at this point of time, we should adopt a set of universities and treat them as the elite universities and give them all the backing. And, see whether that model works.

That’s one point. The second thing is that the university ranking is an overall rating rather than on any specific subject. Just improving physics or mathematics is not going to bring up a university to the levels of Stanford or Harvard. It’s about overall ambience. If you look at social sciences in India, I am not sure we are anywhere near world ranking.

The difference between the quality of some of the

Thanu Padmanabhan Thanu Padmanabhan, born in 1957, did his schooling in Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) and earned his B.Sc. and M.Sc. (1979) in Physics, securing gold medals in both, graduating at the top of his class, from the University College, Thiruvananthapuram. He joined TIFR (Tata Institute of Fundamental Research), Mumbai in 1979 for his Ph.D. and became a faculty member there in 1980. He held various faculty positions at TIFR during 1980-1992 and also spent a year (in 1986-87) at the Institute of Astronomy, Cambridge. He moved to IUCAA (Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics, (IUCAA) at Pune) in 1992 and took over as its Dean, Core Academic Programmes, in 1997.

Padmanabhan provided a clear interpretation of gravity as an emergent phenomenon and showed that this paradigm extends to a wide class of theories of gravitation including, but not limited to, Einstein’s theory.

Padmanabhan could also show that several peculiar aspects of classical gravitational theories find natural interpretations in this approach. This has far-reaching implications both for quantum gravity and for the nature of dark energy, and has made a deep impact. His early work was in quantum cosmology, structure formation in the universe and statistical mechanics of gravitating systems. He was a pioneer in the systematic application of statistical mechanics of gravitating systems to study the gravitational clustering in an expanding universe.His popular science book, After the First Three Minutes (CUP, 1998), has been translated into Chinese, Polish and Portuguese, and another book, The Story of Physics (VigyanPrasar, 2002) has been translated into several Indian regional languages.

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EI INTERVIEW Thanu Padmanabhan other branches of subjects, which are being taught in this country, the difference between our quality and the quality in the US may be much larger than the difference in the quality in the way physics is taught in our country and in some top American universities.

We are closer to the international average in physics, mathematics and biology when comparing to some other areas. So you have to worry about what is pulling us down.

The elite universities Is there a need to set up more specialised institutes in India?

I don’t think so. But what we need to do is to realise that some aspects of science are an elitist activity and not democratic. You have to accept it.

You cannot get Olympic runners or Nobel Prize winners from the average or the mean population. So where we are ailing is that there are so much of programmes and so much of money being spent by the government on increasing the average quality and quantity of science which is being done in the country. That’s excellent, and that’s the need of the hour. But I would have been very happy if I could see a very small fraction of this money is spent to picking out 100 students at Plus-Two level in the entire country from the population of over a billion.

You pick out 100 students each year and label them as elite and as people who are outstanding. And you allow them a completely separate way of progressing further in their Bsc and

MSc courses without straightjacketing them the way you have to take five subjects in the first year, three subjects in the second year; you can take only this subject, that subject. You cannot just do mathematics; you have to do cultural history of India as well…all that has to end. It is detrimental to the elite students.There must be a stream which is made available for a very small faction of elite students selected very rigorously on a nationwide basis and who have to be mentored and trained right from day one treating them as very special citizens. If you can do that, 30 years after, you will have Nobel Prize winners among them.

No such programme exists today.

Even in many of the places like IITs, and IISERs we concentrate so much on the breadth, like the overall development. This is very good for average and above-average students, but useless for the real elite. There is no realisation that extremely high quality science, Nobel Prize level science, is an elitist activity and it requires special mentoring from day one. That’s what we are lacking rather than special institutes. You can form an institute for elite students, say, an elite university, which admits only science students and not more than 100 students in a year, 20 each from physics, maths, chemistry and biology.

Each student is individually build up and trained in accordance with their interest and ability. If something like that can be done, it would be very good. You shouldn’t be apologetic about calling it elite.

“I would suggest that at this point of time we should adopt a set of universities and treat them as the elite universities and give them all the backing”

“I am not so much worried about students going to other disciplines; I am worried about the quality of students coming to my discipline”

“Over the last 10 years I have noticed that the average quality of students who come for PhD programme has visibly dropped. The peaks may be still good. If you take the mean average quality of the students who come for physics research at the PhD level in the last 10-15 years, I see a very clear drop in their quality”

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EDUCATION INSIDER I February 2014

Gerontology career

a healing touch Gerontology, the study of health and disease in later life is becoming a main field of research along with the increasing population. This omprehensive health care of older persons has become a best paying job also

by T P Sethumadhavan

The Government of India has now started placing more emphasis on the care of the elderly

G

erontology is the science that improves the quality of life of the elderly. Postgraduate, diploma, and certificate courses are now available within the country and abroad. For more details, visit www. socialjustice.nic.in Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, offers a 1-year, full-time diploma programme in gerontology and the course is available for Plus-Two students as well. For more details, visit www.tiss.edu Delhi University offers a 1-year, full-time postgraduate diploma programme in Health and Social Gerontology. John Hopkins University, University of Connecticut, North Carolina, the United States, offers different levels of doctoral programmes in gerontology.

Biological graduates can do MS and integrated Ph D from the US. TOEFL and GRE are the required credentials for the admission process.

The UMass Boston Master of Science in Gerontology online

programme offers students an advanced degree in the growing field of aging services. For more details, visit the website of University of Massachusetts or www.umassonline. net

prepare students for leadership roles as educators, researchers, policy analysts and policy makers.

Management of Aging Services, MS: This online program is designed to provide students with advanced training in gerontology and managerial practices in the aging services field Gerontology Research/ Policy, MS: This oncampus programme employs social science theories, research techniques . It requires completion of 30 credits and is available for parttime and full-time study.

Gerontology Graduate Certificate: This online programme requires the completion of five, three-credit courses that have been approved for the programme. For more details, visit http://www.umb. edu

Postgraduate and diploma courses are available within the country and abroad with top-notch universities outside the country offering graduate and doctoral programmes

EDUCATION INSIDER I February 2014

The Memory and Aging Center (MAC) is the USC University of South California-based research centre that provides state-of-the-art diagnostic and treatment services. For more details, visit www.adrc.usc.edu

Programmes at University of Massachusetts, Boston Gerontology, Ph D: This oncampus programme is designed to

T P Sethumadhavan is Academic Consultant and Officer on Special duty, Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University

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Cover story Upinder S Bhalla

When Upi connects

brain & computer

Human brain, one of the most complex objects in the universe, is touted as the final frontier of science. Obviously, the study of brain is possible with ‘smart brains’ of extraordinary range. Born to two economics professors, Upinder S Bhalla graduated in technology, but pursued a career in biology, studying the workings of the human brain. The man who completed his higher education from the world’s three premier institutes, IIT Kanpur, Cambridge University, and Caltech, has been always been obsessed with the human brain. “The study of how the brain works is, in a very deep sense, the study of what makes us human,” Upinder Bhalla thinks. Known to his colleagues as Upi, Bhalla, 50, is a professor at the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS) in Bangalore.

During his studies at Caltech, Upi got a chance to get into a brand new field called computational neuroscience, which connects with the experiments and computational principles of the brain. “It was, and continues to be, amazing to me that one can make vastly oversimplified computer models that nevertheless do many things that we think of as human – memory, generalisation, and pattern recognition,” he says.

Education Insider recently caught up with Upinder Bhalla to explore the bizarre thoughts of this gifted scientist. How did Upi become a biologist?

The story is quite intriguing and inspiring, especially for those interested in interdisciplinarity. In this exclusive interview, Upi talks about the diverse experiences from his days at the world’s three top institutes, the flaws in the Indian higher education system, and his research topics

by Lakshmi Narayanan

Cover story Upinder S Bhalla

Y

ou have completed your higher education from three of the most elite institutes in the world, namely, IIT, Cambridge and Caltech. How did the diverse educational cultures at these institutes help in nurturing you as a scientist?

How different was the education system in each of these institutes?

One thing that was common in all the three institutions was the intensity and huge self-confidence of the students.

They were frequently the drivers for remarkable student initiatives. For example, in IIT, the students organised their own programming courses and some had even written compilers themselves. In Cambridge, I had fellow students who were writing reference books on the microcomputers that were just coming out. IIT-Kanpur, at that time (the early 1980s), had the limitation that the students and environment were more narrowly focused, and so some of this creative energy could not be calibrated against the wider world.

Another huge difference that I felt after leaving IIT was that, in Cambridge

and Caltech, the courses were taught by people who were actually doing leading research in their respective topics– this made the science come alive. This is a very fundamental difference in higher education. In India, the universities have come to focus on teaching, and specialised research institutions (like NCBS) focus on research. New initiatives in India, including the IISERs and changing policies at the IITs, may begin to bridge this gap, but, in the end, the universities too have to turn this corner.

It was in Cambridge that I discovered that biology was actually a hugely interesting subject, despite everything that my earlier schooling had done to kill it.

In Cambridge, I would have had to do a very brief 3-year PhD, and, by then, I knew I wanted to learn a whole lot more, especially if I wished to change to biology. So I went to Caltech, which, like other places in the US (and India), has a 5-year typical PhD with substantial coursework.

“It was in Cambridge that I discovered biology was actually a hugely interesting subject, despite everything that my earlier schooling had done to kill it”

Caltech University, USA

“In IIT, the students organised their own programming courses and some had even written compilers themselves. In Cambridge, I had fellow students who were writing reference books on the microcomputers that were just coming out.

IIT-Kanpur, at that time (the early 1980s), had the limitation that the students and environment were more narrowly focused, and so some of this creative energy could not be calibrated against the wider world”

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EDUCATION INSIDER I February 2014

“I had played with computer circuits from school, and, even in college, I began thinking about how one would model the brain to understand it. I got a chance during my second lab rotation in Caltech, in the lab of Jim Bower. That was a new lab, working in a brand new field – computational neuroscience – which connects both with the experiments and the computational principles of the brain”

IIT-Kanpur, India

How did the transition from a student of technology to a student of brain happen?

Actually, I was in the physics stream at IIT, but the transition was because of the spectacular teaching in biology at Cambridge. When I graduated from Cambridge, I still was in two minds. I had offers to do plasma physics at Princeton, and biology at Caltech.

Eventually, I went for biology. Even then, I was not sure I would study the brain – that came later, as I did various lab rotations in Caltech as a beginning graduate student.

I should point out that this transition is actually a very common one in biology – almost half of the teachers at NCBS have primary degrees in subjects other than biology. Modern biology, like any other area of science, is hugely technical and if you don’t know computers and a reasonable level of mathematics, you will be severely handicapped. Having said that, in neuroscience, in particular, there is a big advantage in having a strong quantitative background in concepts and techniques.

What prompted you to take science as a career?Born to two economics professors, how did science become your passion?

Please tell us something on your childhood days and family atmosphere.

We were an academic family on a university campus. We had been in various places but my main memories are from Panjab University and then JNU. We were a strongly political and academic household – every evening there would be lots of visitors and lively discussions on politics, economics, and everything else. Our family was always full of energy and was noisy. Many people thought it very apt when the letter ‘B’ fell off our home nameplate ‘BHALLA.’ I was the eldest of four kids, all of whom ran around doing sports, making friends with the stray dogs, and getting into remarkable scrapes.

EDUCATION INSIDER I February 2014

Cambridge University, UK

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Cover story Upinder S Bhalla I was fortunate in never having any doubts about what I would do – it was always going to be science.

Back when I was a kid, there was this excellent series of slim illustrated books – How and Why. I devoured them. In Delhi, I got to explore a huge amount more with library books, especially from the-then British Council library. I had somewhat solitary hobbies, electronics, reading, aeromodelling, but later the campus kids took up things like bird-watching and I got involved in that, too.

You are well-known for your brain obsession.

How did you fall in love with the brain? How do you connect the brainto a computer?

I had played with computer circuits from school, and, even in college, I began thinking about how one would model the brain to understand it.

I got a chance during my second lab rotation in Caltech, in the lab of Jim Bower. That was a new lab, working in a brand new field –

computational neuroscience – which connects both with the experiments and the computational principles of the brain. It was, and continues to be, amazing to me that one can make vastly oversimplified computer models that nevertheless do many things that we think of as human – memory, generalisation, and pattern recognition. I suffered the humiliation of being beaten at chess by one of the earliest home computers, and, over the years, we have seen ‘human’ mental abilities fall, one by one, to computer power.

I find it amazing that we, as humans, can understand, design and build machines that are smarter than us in these specific things. I think it is our greatest challenge to be able, likewise, to understand the principles of the most important human attributes of perception and intelligence. I want to be a part of this.

Our group was one of the first to develop a general-purpose neuronal

‘‘I was the eldest of four kids, all of whom ran around doing sports, making friends with the stray dogs, and getting into remarkable scrapes’’

simulator, GENESIS, to model the brain. We continue to develop these modelling techniques, now with our MOOSE simulator. Given that the brain is a system which does exhibit the capabilities of intelligence and feeling, modelling is a way to reverseengineer it – to understand how the parts fit together to give rise to the function of the whole.

The reason to connect the brain and the computer is not just technical and for the purposes of modelling. Most neuroscientists would agree that the fundamental function of the brain is, in fact, computational. Just like the digestive system is an organ that processes food, the brain is an organ whose function is to process information.

Hence computation is not just a way to study the brain; it is the very basis of what the brain does.

Your research topic on ‘How the brain works and how it reacts to sensorial stimuli’ seems intriguing. What would be its future

“The reason to connect the brain and the computer is not just technical and for the purposes of modelling.

Most neuroscientists would agree that the fundamental function of the brain is, in fact, computational. Just like the digestive system is an organ that processes food, the brain is an organ whose function is to process information. Hence computation is not just a way to study the brain; it is the very basis of what the brain does”

impact? Please tell more about the research and its developments.

Well, the study of how the brain works is, in a very deep sense, the study of what makes us human. People have speculated about this for thousands of years. Today, we are beginning to get scientific answers to this, and I would consider an understanding of the brain and mind to be one of the greatest intellectual challenges of humanity. In terms of more down-to-earth kinds of impact, if you understand aspects of how the brain works, you can make machines that can do similar things, like drive a car or talk to you. You can already see this happening in the real world. If you understand how something works, you are much better placed to understand how to fix it when it doesn’t. This means that you will be able tounderstand better how to cure neuronal diseases and psychiatric conditions, which impose an immense burden on humanity especially as we live longer. There is already neural prosthesis out there which let deaf people hear, which allow paralysed people to move. All these things stem from being able to understand the system, and then think of how to modulate it or couple sensors to it.

What is optogenetics?

Optogenetics is the use of optical and genetic techniques to control and monitor neural activity. This is a transformative

change in neuroscience research – one can now do experiments that were science fiction just a few years ago. The key is that it is very easy to control light, and light can reach down several layers into the brain. Couple this to the enormous capabilities of genetics – such as putting genes for specific lightresponsive proteins in specific cell types – and you have an enormously versatile toolbox. For example, we can already record activity of thousands of brain cells, and use patterned illumination to control the activity of thousands of others.

People have used this approach to selectively and temporarily blank out specific memories in mice, by turning off just those cells that participate in the memory. The field is just beginning to explore what can be done with optogenetics.

You are doing research quite uniquely by connecting two different streams. Do you think Indian scientists are not sufficient to identify unique research topics?

Many Indian scientists have taken up exciting topics. I think the key shift in recent years is this willingness to try things that are more risky and that are

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Cover story Upinder S Bhalla

“Making a top tier of universities takes time, sustained effort, and consistent, sustained funding. It needs institution building where academic and teaching excellence are the essential criteria for hiring and promotion. It takes habits of collaboration and collegiality rather than empire building”

“The Indian Government has been generally supportive, but must continue to ramp up research support if the goal is to have the kind of critical mass of researchers that can transform the academic field as well as the biomedical landscape”

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more competitive. We still have a very long way to go, however, in terms of numbers of such researchers. It really makes a huge difference to have a substantial pool of experts in related areas, who can work with each other to do projects that no one individual could attempt.

According to a news report, your research work costs between Rs10 and Rs 15 lakh annually. Do you think the government funding to high-end research activities is grand enough?

Research in biology typically costs quite a bit more than this. Salaries are the least of our expenses; there are very high consumable costs for many areas of biology. For neuroscience, in particular, the equipment costs are very high. The Indian Government has been generally supportive, but must continue to ramp up research support if the goal is to have the kind of critical mass of researchers that can transform the academic field as well as the biomedical landscape.

I would argue that grand, once-off support is far from ideal – what is needed is consistent, steadily rising research support that is not subject to abrupt resource shifts. This must aim

for a much larger and total research effort in terms of scientists and institutions and for the much higher percentage of GDP that developed economies have sustained.

Indian universities never feature in the topranking universities of the world. What do you think is the reason for this poor show by our universities?

Making a top tier of universities takes time, sustained effort, and consistent, sustained funding. It needs institution building where academic and teaching excellence are the essential criteria for hiring and promotion. It takes habits of collaboration and collegiality rather than empire building. It will need a complete rethink of existing funding practices that place bureaucratic habits at a higher plane than flexibility in doing research.

Above all, it will need a broad rise in educational standards right from primary school, so that bright kids are not turned into memory a machine that lacks imagination. This is a lot to ask, but universities are indeed a barometer of the societies they spring from. If we push for excellence in our universities, we will find that the same push will transform our society, too.

EDUCATION INSIDER I February 2014

Management Education

B Schools in West no model for India Dr. Alby Anand Kurian, well-known marketing communications theorist and writer, says creating new systems that allow for constant non-conformity is the challenge for us in management education today

by Dipin Damodharan

Management Education

H

Dr Alby Anand Kurian Dr Alby Anand Kurian is a faculty of Management Development Institute of Singapore (MDIS). Prior to joining the education sector, he made his career in advertising, producing and directing commercials for every multinational major from CocaCola to Frito Lays to P&G. His alma mater was Bombay Scottish School, St Xavier’s College, Elphinstone College, and Government Law College, Mumbai. He is credited to be first in his division at University of Cambridge Indian School Certificate examination and has been awarded scholarships throughout an exceptional academic career.

as the MBA sector failed to create new products and services that can make a real difference to business in the 21st century? As we step into 2014, this question seems crucial for the world’s most successful educational degree in the past 50 years. “The degree is becoming more of a commodity and real innovation and marketing is now needed,” Chris Bones pointed out in his recent article that appeared in the Financial Times (FT). “The main selling points for the top schools in the FT’s fulltime global MBA rankings are virtually all the same. What is striking about all these schools, however, is how they fail to talk about their customers and instead focus on the features, advantages and benefits of buying their education,” he adds.

This candidly points out that the management education is at cross-roads now.

EI recently contacted Dr. Alby Anand Kurian, celebrated marketing communications

theorist and faculty member of MDIS (Management Development Institute of Singapore), to spot his concerns and expectations on management education. He thinks that it’s time to think out of the box. “Seriously speaking, management education tended, in the past, to tell you to play safe, to play by the rules. But in the world we live in today, where change is constant, the rules vary every day! The great entrepreneurs and good managers of today are often mavericks. So, what can we learn from them? Can we make rules about how, when and why we should break rules? That’s the challenge for us in management education today – to create new systems that allow nonconformity,” Dr Kurian says.

The digital wave According to Kurian, the digital medium has become a wonderful platform for MBA grads in 2013. “The digital medium is attracting not just a large number of students but some of the brightest of them. The digital

“I don’t think a Harvard MBA would do very well in the Indian context, for instance. He wouldn’t know how to work for a familyowner and how to chase a government bureaucrat for every license that he needs”

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EDUCATION INSIDER I February 2014

“The digital space is where most of the action is going to be, in the next decade. I am eager to see what our young people will do out there, in the coming ten years” space is where most of the action is going to be, in the next decade. I am eager to see what our young people will do out there, in the coming ten years,” he says.

“I am looking forward to more young people becoming entrepreneurs – in China , you can feel the energy and dynamism among young people, as they plan businesses in a wide variety of sectors. That’s something MBA students from other parts of the world can learn,” opines Kurian.

India, China & US? Kurian is of the view that Chinese B schools have long way to go. “Well, China is the factory of the world, but China has still not created a great global brand. That tells you the strength and the weakness of the B schools there. But American business schools understand ‘soft power’, how to create brands like Apple, McDonald’s and Coca Cola,” Dr Kurian says.

Meanwhile he thinks that Indian management education is at a defining moment now.

“Indian B Schools are at crossroads; they generally have a very

EDUCATION INSIDER I February 2014

“Indian B Schools are at cross-roads; they generally have a very strong theoretical foundation but I don’t think that is sufficient to provide Indian corporations the leadership needed.

Indian managers have a very tough task of coping with family ownership, with a government and bureaucracy that is quite unpredictable”

strong theoretical foundation but I don’t think that is sufficient to provide Indian corporations the leadership needed. Indian managers have a very tough task of coping with family ownership, with a government and bureaucracy that is quite unpredictable.”Dr. Kurian has lectured at the IIMs on the three management concepts he has conceived and developed: ‘Reality Plus’, ‘Simulated Obsolescence’ and ‘The Afghanistan Syndrome’.

“Perhaps, the government should set up another line of business schools – with a different perspective.

One that is more rooted in the Indian reality and doesn’t borrow so much from the western schools of management, a very different kind of MBA,” he suggests.

No model for B schools According to him, there is no model for a B School. “I don’t think a Harvard MBA would do very well in the Indian context, for instance.

He wouldn’t know how to work for a family-owner and how to chase a government bureaucrat for every license that he needs.”

“Having said that, I would

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Management Education

easily rate Harvard as among the best business schools in the world.

Their management publications are easily the best in the world – with innovative ideas that are intelligent, conveyed with a lucid clarity that is hard to find elsewhere,” he adds.

Where to do an MBA When you ask him to list out the best five foreign business schools to do an MBA for an Indian student, he prefers MDIS at the number one position. “Well, the Bradford MBA at MDIS tops my list, for the reasons that I spelt out earlier. The international exposure at MDIS is unparalleled. With students, teachers and staff from all over the world, this is where the Indian student will learn how Indian companies and Indian brands can conquer the world,” he substantiates.

“I have a soft corner for Wharton – some of my friends work at Wharton and they do some very exciting things out there. The London Business School is very good too; the Oxford and Cambridge business schools are well behind LBS! In the USA, the University of Chicago has a

Perhaps, the government should set up another line of business schools – with a different perspective. One that is more rooted in the Indian reality and doesn’t borrow so much from the western schools of management, a very different kind of MBA

most powerfully about the MDIS programme is that it fuses the world of academics with the business world.

But the Bradford MBA structures its academics around the dynamics of the real work environment; at the same time, it introduces students to new academic theories and concepts that offer a bird’s eye view of the marketplace.” Kurian says.

Many universities allow graduates to refresh their skills every few years with access to executive-education courses. “Well, the motto at MDIS is about life-long learning, so students at MDIS are students for life! There are programmes round the year that develop ex-students’ skills, refresh his knowledge and keep him abreast of management thinking.”

Message to B School students very loyal fan base among American corporate chieftains.”

What’s unique at MDIS? MDIS offers MBA programme in collaboration with UK’s Bradford University. “I think what struck me

“The MBA teaches you some fundamental principles, and teaches you a way of thinking, acting and reacting that should stand you in good stead all your life. The MBA degree is the beginning of a long and exciting journey, you discover ways to make innovative things happen at every stage of your life and career.”

“The MBA degree is the beginning of a long and exciting journey, you discover ways to make innovative things happen at every stage of your life and career”

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EDUCATION INSIDER I February 2014

Foreign Campus

BSc to PhD in Nursing & Midwifery Pregnancy is a blissful time in a woman’s life. The joy of motherhood and the worries surrounding the newborn puts the mother amidst confusion and pressure and this is where midwives step in. Midwives often describe their job as ‘privileged’ because the role they have in preparing a woman for the delivery of new life makes them a vital presence during all stages of pregnancy and the early postnatal period

by EI Bureau EDUCATION INSIDER I February 2014

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Foreign Campus

“Nursing is now a well-established academic discipline as is evident in the growth of nursing journals. Research is an integral part of all academic institutions and there has been an increase in multi-disciplinary research collaboration highlighting the importance and high calibre of nursing research” Prof. Eileen Savage, Head of School Nursing and Midwifery, University College Cork.

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oday, there are plenty of universities and colleges aboard that offer courses for midwifery. The University College Cork, a highly ranked university in Ireland, is extending its popular Bachelor’s, Master’s and Ph D programmes in Nursing and Midwifery to aspiring nursing students across the globe. The School of Nursing and Midwifery at University College Cork offers both undergraduate and postgraduate courses for students.

The Bachelor of Science (BSc Nursing Studies) degree is a fulltime programme taken over one academic year and commences in September of each year. The modules are Nursing Science II, Nursing Research, Practical Research Project, Management in Nursing, Nursing Ethics, Economics and Health, Nursing in the Community, Cancer Nursing, and Care of the Older Adult.

The MSc (Nursing) is a fulltime programme taken over one calendar year commencing in September of each year and is designed to provide students from a range of different nursing backgrounds with a Master’s degree. The modules taught are Advanced Research Methods, Practice Enhancement for Nursing, Personal and Professional

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Portfolio, Dissertation in Nursing as well as modules from specialist areas depending on area of practice.

The purpose of the MSc in Nursing (research) degree programme is to prepare scholars who will discover and extend scientific knowledge that advances the science and practice of nursing, midwifery and health care through research. The purpose of the PhD in Nursing degree programme is to prepare

scholars who will discover and extend scientific knowledge that advances the science and practice of nursing, midwifery and health care by undertaking an in-depth research project. Students who study in Ireland are allowed to work for a year following completion of their study under the ‘stayback visa scheme.’

In order to practice as a nurse, international nurses are required to register with the Irish Nursing and Midwifery Board. Once this

EDUCATION INSIDER I February 2014

procedure is complete, nurses can apply for jobs. Currently, job vacancies in Ireland are primarily in the Nursing Home sector.

Educational qualifications According to Professor Eileen Savage, Head of School Nursing and Midwifery, for entry to the BSc Nursing Studies, applicants must hold active registration as a nurse in the professional register of their country of residence. If English is not the first language, proficiency in English must be demonstrated (IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL equivalent) with an up-to-date certificate.

For entry to the MSc (Nursing) course, applicants must (a) hold active registration on a division of the professional register maintained by the nursing board/ statutory body in their country of origin; (b) hold a primary degree in nursing (minimum secondclass Honours standard) or hold a Higher/Postgraduate Diploma in relevant nursing area; (c) if first language is not English, provide current evidence (that is, within the past 5 years) of proficiency in English of a minimum score of 6.5 with no less than a score of 6.0 in each of the components.

For entry to the PhD programme, applicants must (a) hold active registration on a division of the professional register maintained by the nursing board/statutory body in their country of origin; (b) hold secondclass Honours, Grade I, in an approved primary degree, or other such other evidence under the University’s policy for Recognition of Prior Learning for Admission to Research Degrees; (c) if first language is not English, provide current evidence (that is, within the past 5 years) of proficiency in English of a minimum score of 6.5 with no less than a score of 6.5 in each of the components.

The University College Cork currently has international students who come from various parts of the world like India, Jordan, Malaysia, Brunei and North America at the School of Nursing

The University College Cork currently has international students who come from various parts of the world like India, Jordan, Malaysia, Brunei and North America at the School of Nursing and Midwifery

and Midwifery. These students undertake a wide range of courses ranging from BSc to PhD.

Facilities The university has robust support structures in place to support its students and staff. Students are supported in clinical placement by clinical placement coordinators whose role is to specifically support students. Students are assessed by staff nurses, all of whom are trained preceptors and understand student expectations at different levels. In addition, all lecturers have an added responsibility of being a link lecturer where they have support responsibilities for students in specific areas.

Simulation training is an integral part of the curriculum, and all students get to practise clinical skills in a safe and secure environment. Students must pass clinical assessment in order to progress in their studies. The support structures discussed earlier are in place to support and help them. In addition, students must engage in reflective nursing practice within a supportive learning environment, thereby enabling them to develop attitudes, knowledge, and skills necessary for thoughtful, efficient and effective practice.

The purpose of the MSc in Nursing (research) degree programme is to prepare scholars who will discover and extend scientific knowledge that advances the science and practice of nursing, midwifery and health care through research

Crack Ias

Clearing the Civil Service prejudices There have been references by many senior military commanders that the NDA (National Defense Academy) system of ‘catching them young’ might solve many training related problems of the civil services

by B Ashok IAS

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A fresh diagnosis has been made on the prejudiced attitudes of young members of the IAS, IPS and other services. According to this view, the civil servants have to be recruited right after Class XII through a national examination as the Forces do through NDA. The idea that civil service recruitment could be styled after the National Defence Academy model is not a new one. There are reports that some senior leaders are bought on this. There have been references by many senior military

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commanders that the NDA system of ‘catching them young’ might solve many trainingrelated problems of the Civil Services. For them, the requirements of the mental makeup of a military leader and a civil servant are quite similar.

The real question is that if the Civil Service attitudes towards the needy are prejudiced as alleged, does lowering intake to Class XIIlevel help? If the premise is that the entire university system in the country is a spoiler of creative thinking and sensitively and

EDUCATION INSIDER I February 2014

weakening for an accommodative tolerant, democratic and plural way of life, then we need to address that issue. This is a larger question. If education in the IIMs, IITs, NITs, premier medical colleges and the five large Central universities from where the civil service recruits come in large numbers (average of 45%-50% a year) inculcate in them feelings of parochialism and casteism, the very collective social views of these institutions need to be questioned.

I would hold that my education in an Indian university and later three Western universities helped shape a personality that tends to examine an issue by exploring its apparent whole than being sold on partial and parochial views. This does not limit itself to just what one does in official sphere.

Not total success Those democrats who are enamoured by the National Defence Academy model of early recruitment and ‘trained on template’ conveniently forget that it is a model which is not a total success. First of all, it is not the only mode of recruitment in the officer cadre of the Armed Forces. Owing to the requirement of trades that fall outside the training capability of the NDA, the Army itself operates about 20 other cadet entry schemes, including graduate entry. It is another matter that the higher echelons are reserved only for recruits of NDA. Divested of the enriching experience of a university, what will the Civil Service recruit learn in the dedicated /two-three years of training programme as proposed? The NDA cadet learns the history of state and war, the legal and constitutional role of the forces, strategy, languages, computers and etiquette amidst a grueling physical and field training, which enables him to be a military leader by graduating through IMA. Training in isolation with society

is a not a model suited for IAS or IPS services. These are frontline managers of the democracy, federalism, and development anything that they do is peoplecentric. They need physical toughness and mental courage, but distancing from the organic society and developing a siege mentality is not advised. The emphasis is not on differences but similarities with other social actors. Projects that the IAS trainees do are essentially liked with the communities around them. The cadre system and long field exposure is designed to develop a senior policymaker for the government who has his/her ears firmly on the ground.

‘Special-generalist’ The IAS officer particularly is a ‘special-generalist.’ Forming that core competency alike the general staff or general managers is not possible unless he gets a very deep interface with various administrative departments in the state of allotment.

This experience in the districts culminate in collectorship and mature into heading the state-wide departments in the states just below a minister who may or may not have subject knowledge or administrative skill, but nevertheless accountable to the people through the legislatures.

By design, the IAS needs an interdisciplinary constitution. Their breadth of duties has only drawn strength from the wide variety of graduates joining. Just last year, IITians and Harvard Medical School graduates trained together with ordinary graduates from grade B towns. The UPSC is a big leveller; it can let an IITian with a high-grade point attempt thrice while Mr Small Town Boy can walk through first time ever.

Dr B Ashok IAS is the Vice Chancellor of Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University

Projects that the IAS trainees do are essentially liked with the communities around them. The cadre system and long field exposure is designed to develop a senior policy maker for the government who has his/her ears firmly on the ground

Training, in isolation with society is a not a model suited for IAS or other IPS services

CORPORATEs & EDUCATION Camlin

Camlin brings

arts alive With 60 lakh worth CSR activities in the educational sector, Camlin, the most sought after educational accessories brand sends out a strong message that serving society means investing in education for a better tomorrow

by Lakshmi Narayanan

C

amlin is perhaps the most recognized name to students across the world owing to their educational stationeries. Camlin products including art materials, stationeries, office products, drawing and writing instruments are quite popular with students.

With 75 years of success in selling school stationeries, Camlin has widened its pace in the latter half of 2000 and categorized its products in three groups such as school and education products, fine arts and hobby products, and office products. This has made a very positive impact in the image of the firm and in 2011, Kokuyo S&T ltd; a Japanese

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corporation engaged in the business of stationery acquired a majority stake in the company. Now the company has about 67% stake in Camlin. After this progressive initiative, camlin has widened its pace in CSR activities especially focusing on promoting Indian art and artists. “Camlin Art Foundation is a non for profit initiative of Kokuyo Camlin Ltd. (earlier known as Camlin) to promote Indian art and artists. It holds competitive art exhibitions for art students and young professionals annually in the major regions of the country. The artists get an opportunity to showcase their work of art to larger audiences and win attractive prizes. The activity is divided

in two categories, i.e. students and professionals, further divided in 4 medium segments called oil, acrylic, water and drawing & pastels. The works submitted are evaluated by a jury, which selects the work for exhibition and awards,” explains A Srikanth, CEO, Kokuyo Camlin Ltd. The main thing about focusing on art is that, Camlin has a long tradition in the field. According to them, contemporary art is not popular among people at large.

CAF tries to bridge the gap between people and artists through these exhibitions. It also provides unique opportunity to present their work to people. With the encouragement from the people, they advance in their professional career and rise to shine on international arena.

The Camlin Art Foundation works in a unique way. They visit arts colleges and other art institutions to collect, judge, store and showcase the paintings of the participants. By sale of these paintings, the budding artists get a profitable pay as well as acceptance. The programme has already been well accepted in India’s major art institutions including Karnataka Chitra Kala Parishat, Govt.

College of Art, Lucknow, Lalit Kala Academies and both the national and regional Centres.

Both art students and young professionals get an opportunity to expose their works of art and learn a lot from this experience, which help them grow as a professional.

The programme mainly focuses on the colleges in India. It benefits students of art colleges and young

professionals across the country.

Camlin also involves seniors as the members of jury and as chief guests for giving away the awards. Camlin spends an annual funding of rupees 60 lakh for Camlin Arts Foundation’s activities.

“Artists and art is our business and hence this initiative helps us in building better business. Camlin Art Foundation helps artists understand the audience better and present their work in way to attract people. This helps them sell better and when they do better, the business also becomes better,” says Srikanth

India Art Tour in 2014 With great acceptance to the project, Camlin has decided to widen its project to more Indian states by initiative art competitions. The regional level award winners were subjected to a selection for a tour to fames art museums of Paris, Rome and Florence till 2012. The objective was to give an opportunity to the artists to see the best of world art in their formative stage. However Camlin realised that it was not going the way they wanted it to go. This year they have changed the plans and have decided to conduct an India Art Tour. This will give the selected artists to be at some exotic Indian location together, work with each other and discuss the art of one-other under guidance of senior experts.

This will help them in understanding their own art better and talk about it with more confidence. Interactions would also help them learn each other and art in a better manner.

A Srikanth, CEO, Kokuyo Camlin

Camlin Art Foundation tries to bridge the gap between people and artists through these exhibitions. It also provides unique opportunity to present their work to people

“Artists and art is our business and hence this initiative helps us in building better business.

Camlin Art Foundation helps artists understand the audience better and present their work in way to attract people

Study Destination Hungary

Hungary gaining

ground on the academic front When it comes to higher studies abroad, is Europe on your mind? Rather than the clichéd study destinations, why not go for something different and new. Hungary, which has become one of the most cost effective European study destinations, could be an ideal choice

by EI Bureau

H

ungary has fast become one of the most popular study destinations in Europe owing to the excellent performance of its well established universities, especially in the medical field. They have a very strong tradition in the sciences. Pecs, the first university in the country, was established in the year 1936. Along with exploring the venues of quality science education, one can experience a very lively lifestyle, welcoming culture, a fascinating history and beautiful cities.

Hungary has been there into the mainstream international study destination for the last two decades.

It has gone on to become one of the major destinations for the study of science and the medical science and dentistry fields dominate the sector.

Semmelweis University located in Budapest, Debecen and Szeged, as well as in veterinary in the szent Istvan University are leading in this stream. Corvinus University in Budapest has excellent programs in business, economics, and public administration.

Besides science education, Hungarian educational system also focuses on language courses. Degrees in English as well as other foreign languages like German, French etc attract international students from countries like Germany, Israel, Norway, Iran, Turkey, China and Canada.

Finding the right study programme and university is the only vital thing, when you are looking for

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a higher educational qualification in Hungary. If you apply for a foreign language course, then you’ll also need to show you have the required level of the given foreign language, English. The Hungarian system of higher education is generally split into the system of colleges and universities. The colleges here are directly affiliated with a university and operate as college faculties of the university. And the students get both 3-4 year college and university level courses at Hungarian universities.

Graduation, post graduation and PhD in these universities are regular and almost similar to other countries.

Different from other countries, the Hungarian academic year starts from September and ends in June with long holidays in July and August. For those who are interested in studying history, Budapest has many archival opportunities for research purposes.

Cost of Study in Hungary Hungary is the most cost effective study destination in Europe. It is a place with very affordable tuition and living costs for students. Even though it varies from course to course, the government offers a steady financial support to the scholars. The country also provides many scholarship programmes to the students. Many of the major universities gives scholarship package including free housing in the dormitory, free tuition and a stipend of €200 each month. One can live in Hungary with a satisfied food habit

by spending around $30 a week.

Besides tuition fees, students need to pay application fee, exam fee and registration fee, between 100 and 150 Euro.

Visa process Like other European countries, the visa process is easy . When you are looking for a student visa permit, you need to visit the local Hungarian embassy in your country in person.

Major Universities • Andrássy University Budapest • Budapest Business School • Budapest University of Technology and Economics • Corvinus University of Budapest • Aquincum Institute of Technology • Evangelical-Lutheran Theological University • Jewish Theological Seminary – University of Jewish Studies • Szent István University, Gödöll • University of Debrecen, Debrecen • University of Kaposvár, Kaposvár

EDUCATION INSIDER I February 2014

Besides science education, Hungarian educational system also focuses on language courses. Degrees in English as well as other foreign languages like German, French etc attract international students from countries like Germany, Israel, Norway, Iran, Turkey, China and Canada

Campus Voice

AAP and the

Indian Youth The 2013 Delhi Assembly election was dipped in excitement and interest. This was mainly due to the entry of a new political force, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) with Arvind Kejirwal, a former civil servant, as the helmsman. The AAP has challenged Delhi’s sycophancy and dynasty-ridden political culture. Could the rise of the AAP garner the Indian youth to be more active in politics?”

Students of Christ University, Bangalore, Commits Institute of Journalism and Mass Communication and students of university of Calicut share their opinion on the topic

by EI Bureau

T

he Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has given hope to those of us who had lost faith in the Indian political system, but the sincerity and commitment of the leaders who are pouring into the party should be put to test.

We have seen how many a time a movement started with the motive of bringing forth change loses its fizz after some time. That should not be the case with the AAP. The youth have a hope that the new party could make waves in the political front

–Ratheesh Kumar C P, PhD Scholar, Calicut University

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es, after the AAP has come into power, the youth involvement in politics seems to have increased as most of us see it as a revolution and some faith has been restored in the Indian political system. The corrupt nature of many political outfits had made the youth lose faith in politics altogether. Aravind Kejriwal has managed to change all that with his dynamic charisma and maybe things could look up in the near future

–Lokesh K M,Christ University

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don’t think it really matters, as after the results, I feel Kejriwal is contradicting himself in a lot of matters that he promised before elections. But still something is better than nothing. I just hope that he doesn’t turn out to be like most other politicians and give out empty promises

– Stefy Maria Raju, Master of Tourism Administration, Christ University

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hings don’t look the same after their election. Internal politics has caused a real turmoil; this is really depressing and disappointing for the AAP supporters. We still haven’t been able to figure out if the AAP can bring forth any real change to our system

–Leena Mithra, PhD Scholar, Calicut University

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s a political party AAP is just concentrating on issues related to corruption, but they have not touched burning issues like communalism in the country. So it is doubtful whether the party can survive in the course of time if they don’t focus on many of the grim issues that the country faces.

–Devika Premlal, Commits Institute of Journalism and Mass Communication, Bangalore

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s identity politics is getting stronger in this country of rooted casteism, aspiring to be a national party will be a hard task.

Middleclass, the potential consumers, is attracted towards AAP. They are always with the trend and reluctant to drastic political changes. AAP has to address the core issues. Corruption is not the core issue but the neoliberal and foreign policies

–Muhammed Juman, PhD Scholar, Calicut University

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AP definitely emerged as a common people’s struggle against the corrupted giants. This has filled youth with new hopes. The terrifyingly poor functioning of the government at the central level has been challenged by a dark horse like the AAP and that is quite a silver lining.

–Malavika Babu, Commits Institute of Journalism and Mass Communication, Bangalore

EDUCATION INSIDER I February 2014

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career Wealth management

A career to create & preserve

‘Management is what a manager does’ – this statement by Louis Allen has a broad meaning.

Management covers responsibilities and functions that relate to the beginning of an enterprise and also related to the finances of major policies of the organisation

by Dr Sanjiv Marwah

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A

strong GDP growth, a bright economic outlook, high savings rate and a comparatively young and rapidly increasing residents of affluent Indians, both in terms of fixed numbers and geographic diversity, will give the fuel for the dreamrun of the wealth management sector in India.

The term wealth management now-a-days is gaining more and more importance. Wealth management is both about wealth conservation and formation.

In the business of insurance, the term called is bancassurance.

Scope At present, India needs close to 100,000 qualified wealth managers. The major problem facing the Indian wealth management industry is people. Also, India has one of the most eminent saving rates of 36%, of which, at present, about 5% is inducted towards the stock EDUCATION INSIDER I February 2014

At present, India needs close to 100,000 qualified wealth managers. The major problem facing the Indian wealth management industry is people.

As an emerging industry, there is a constrained resource pool markets. This itself, along with the boosting economic growth, poses a huge untouched opportunity in the stockbroking sector.

Skills Besides skills and proper training, one needs a brilliant network to get an engagement with high net worth individuals (HNI) and ultra high net worth individuals (UHNI). Wealth managers should have very strong product knowledge with a solid understanding of various types of markets like equities, real estate,

the market on its toes is reason enough for the growth in the sector.

The top financial areas that offer rewarding career prospects include bank account-related activities, private asset, finance, and capital management. One of the factors that work in favour of a tremendous growth in this sector is that fund management in both stable and unstable economies is resistant to market movement.

Rural financing is another area that promises wonderful growth and

(Chartered Financial Analyst) course.

While continuing the study, if he/ she can work in some financial, banking-related companies, or any research firms, then that will be of great help to the students. After working for almost 3-4 years, the individual can get MBA/PGDM from a reputed B-School which is necessary to upgrade the person’s management skills.

Wealth management is basically selling of financial and investment products. Companies looking for candidate as a wealth management professionals favour employees with at least four years of experience in selling insurance policies, different types of credits cards, and financial products, to name a few.

Remuneration Owing to the sheer size of this industry, openings across the array from a fresher-level to middle-level and senior management both for

Wealth managers should have very strong product knowledge with a solid understanding of various types of markets like equities, real estate, banking, insurance and the impact of macro-economic issues. Sales and negotiation skills are important to deal with clients effectively to get desired results banking, insurance and the impact of macro-economic issues.

The wealth management industry is a niche segment wherein the services are offered to individuals who have cumulative wealth and are looking to conserve it, and also maintain the same with the changes in their lifestyle. So any candidate looking for a career in this field should definitely possess good market knowledge with efficient presentation and communication skills, apart from education and training.

Job prospects

includes a huge amount of untouched investment. Also, new products keep flooding the market creating pecuniary needs which leads to greater innovation and larger amount of jobs.

Wealth management professionals are usually employed by: • Banks with large distribution models • Brokerage firm that concentrate on equity-led products • Boutique advisory firms that offer customised services and products to HNIs.

Though the need for chartered accountants and statisticians has been consistently growing, the facts that fund necessity keeps

An individual looking for a career in wealth management should be a graduate and should pursue CFA

EDUCATION INSIDER I February 2014

Eligibility

frontline and secondary teams are easily accessible. Since the jobs are at various levels, the wages are feasible to openings in sectors like IT industry, retail, real estate, and financial institutions.

The salary pattern would depend on several factors like qualification, work experience in this field, and, of course, a hold on the things. A person working for an MNC can earn between Rs 12 lakh and Rs 15 lakh a year, while one working for a nationalised bank can earn Rs 8 lakh to Rs 9 lakh a year.

Dr Sanjiv Marwah is the Director of ERA Business School, and can be contacted at director@ebs.ac.in

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What Education Taught Me Anand Gandhi

Poor show by most professional courses Anand Gandhi Anand Gandhi is an independent filmmaker and screenwriter based in Mumbai. He was initially involved in parallel theatre, where he wrote and directed several critically acclaimed plays. His first feature-length film, Ship of Theseus, premiered at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival, it was discovered as the “hidden gem of the year.� It won the Best Film Award at the Transylvania International Film Festival.

by Neethu Mohan On Indian education system Our education system is not built on a solid and understanding foundation. The system has not comprehended the original meaning of education. The graduates who pass out of colleges at the end of their courses know shockingly little about their profession.

The colleges in our country neither encourage students to assess and enquire new ideas nor do they allow them to examine new ideas and data. These are the skills that an educational institution should provide to its students, which, unfortunately, none of the institutes encourage.

Tackling the issue It is a monster of a problem which can be resolved through two ways.

A short-term objective could be for students to do something in this regard. Thankfully, students are now

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benefitted with means to an end.

They can choose many courses that are available online.

The second and the long-term objective is one in which all of us come together for the betterment of the system.We have to come together as a community and identify the problems, articulate the issue, break it deconstruct it and then troubleshoot the problem

On well-informed people I have come across only three types of well-informed people. The first category is from villages, including the hands-on Indians, who try new ways to repair their tractors and invent new ways to repair and reinstall something. The second category includes those who have done an undergraduate course in India and gone abroad for their higher studies. The third category is those who have done their education here.

EDUCATION INSIDER I February 2014

Focus event

Bringing education to life The Gulf Educational Supplies and Solutions Exhibition (GESS) and Global Education Forum (GEF), are widely acknowledged as the perfect platform for educationists worldwide to meet and find new products and services in the educational arena of the Middle East

by EI Bureau

EDUCATION INSIDER I February 2014

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eing the only exhibition in the region to cover the entire spectrum of educational supplies and solutions, GESS and GEF is organised under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and supported by His Excellency Humaid Moh’d Al Qutami, Minister of Education for the United Arab Emirates.

Gulf Educational Supplies and Solutions Exhibition, a premier education show in the Middle East, featuring over 300 businesses and organizations from over 35 countries and 7000 educational professionals, connects various stakeholders across the global education platform. Representing the entire spectrum of existent educational concepts, GESS enables educational suppliers and solution providers to access important decision makers in the education sector throughout the region.

The Global Education Forum, a forum for the entire education industry, provides an extensive, world-class educational programme to help teachers, educators and academics of all levels develop their skills and gain insight from international experts.

This free of charge conference features a wide range of keynote

presentations, ministerial panel sessions, heads of state, CPD sessions, abstract presentations and workshops. Attracting a large variety of international and local keynote speakers, GEF offers seminars, exhibitor workshops, abstract sessions and keynote presentations, all under the theme of technology in education.

This year, GEF has adopted the theme “Education and the 21st Century: Skills, Opportunities and Challenges” to provide local and international insights and best practices that will help the region further boost education standards, meet the demands of the workplace, equip young people with the right skills to find employment and contribute to the longterm development of the region through world-class education.

GEF 2014, the 7th edition of GEF, expects 100 experts to present leading trends in teaching, classroom management, studying and other products, services and solutions, including the latest in technological advances in the education sector. For the first time, the event will host the GESS Education Awards (GEA) to recognize exceptional companies, schools and individuals who are making outstanding contributions to the growth of the education sector in the Gulf.

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Montessori education

Montessori:

Bringing forth a new era In this 2nd article of the series, the focus is on Maria Montessori’s work with the normal children at the very first Montessori school (Casa Dei Bambini in Italian). Towards the end, I shall also deal with details of how her work spread to various parts of the world

by Lakshmi Krishnakumar

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EDUCATION INSIDER I February 2014

T

he work with mentally deficient children brought Dr. Montessori to the conclusion that education should encompass all human needs during the phase of natural development. On her part, Dr. Montessori was eager to apply the new found and successful theories to the education of the normal children. There were 2 hindering factors. Firstly, children above six years of age whom she wanted to reach out were already in schools (as a result of the Italian government ordinance for Compulsory Primary Education) and children below six were just not sent to school as they were still not considered ready for attending school. During this period, she studied humans from various perspectives relating to anthropology, hygiene,

EDUCATION INSIDER I February 2014

psychology, sociology, pedagogy and so on.

The opportunity to work with normal children came her way in January, 1907. Owners of a few tenements in a slum quarter in San Lorenzo, Rome wanted a group of about 60 children below 6 to be kept out of acts of vandalism. They approached Dr. Montessori and requested her to ‘do something’ with those children. Not a noble thought on their part as creating a school for the unruly children was the cheapest solution. Though this was not the age group that she was keen to work with, she saw it as a breakthrough; on 6the January 1907, Dr. Montessori started a school for the children which she called Casa- DeiBambini (House of Children).

Albeit unexpected, it was soon successful. On the part of the

On her part, Dr. Montessori was eager to apply the new found and successful theories to the education of the normal children

Montessori education

The opportunity to work with normal children came her way in January, 1907. Owners of a few tenements in a slum quarter in San Lorenzo, Rome wanted a group of about 60 children below 6 to be kept out of acts of vandalism

Scientist, she just observed the children. Dr. Montessori always conceded that she was not the mastermind of the method as much as the children. She based her emerging methodology on the observation of the innate needs of the individual and the group, understanding of the innate powers and potentialities, freedom for movement, and love of Order.

As there was evidently no distinct method to start with, she let the children work freely with a few ground rules specified to avoid chaos. The poor, struggling and mostly uneducated parents noticed this astounding change in their children. Sooner the world noticed it too. This was a revolutionary approach which startled the academic world as it laid emphasis on taking a specific approach towards education as opposed to the generic and most common practices that were hither to practiced. The phenomenon of ‘normalization’ occurred again and again. The many visitors that these schools had spoke in lofty terms about the remarkable children.

By 1910, Dr. Montessori decided to give up her medical profession in favour of a fullfledged commitment towards her work in the field of education.

Briefly speaking, between 1910 and 1935, the method spread over three continents viz., Asia, Europe and The United States. In 1929, she founded the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) with headquarters in Amsterdam to supervise her pedagogical legacy through the world. (Till date, AMI continues to direct and

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guide Montessori related activities all over the world.)

In the earlier part of the century, Dr. Montessori was also given the task of being the Inspector of Schools in Italy. The Fascist regime in control at that time was interested in the method partly as they saw it giving rise to a political opportunity towards mass education to create a social order. Not only was Dr. Montessori by nature apolitical, she was also disagreeable to the stance taken up by the Fascist leaders of Italy.

As a result, in the pre II World War years, Montessori Method was forbidden in Germany and Italy. The schools with Montessori Method were closed and her books burnt down. In 1939, at the age of sixty-nine years, Dr. Montessori arrived in India and was immediately interned as an Italian national as the World War II had begun. In the years 1939-1944, she travelled widely in pre-partitioned India offering courses and establishing a touring Training Centre.

During the war years spent in India, she pursued a passionate search for lasting peace through ‘Education’. She began to research on the problems of hindered social development and concluded that ‘Education’ offered to the human being in the course of his fundamental development would help remedy the threats faced by the society.

Lakshmi Krishnakumar is a well established teacher in Montessori education who has started the Montessori Training courses

The poor, struggling and mostly uneducated parents noticed this astounding change in their children.

Sooner the world noticed it too. This was a revolutionary approach which startled the academic world as it laid emphasis on taking a specific approach towards education as opposed to the generic and most common practices that were hither to practiced

In the earlier part of the century, Dr. Montessori was also given the task of being the Inspector of Schools in Italy. The Fascist regime in control at that time was interested in the method partly as they saw it giving rise to a political opportunity towards mass education to create a social order EDUCATION INSIDER I February 2014

Prof. Sadagopan Edu expert

it and research, the solution to

india’s complex problems education Professor S Sadagopan, the Founder Director of Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) Bangalore, has wide research interests that include operations research, multi-criteria optimisation decision theory, simulation, enterprise computing, programming languages, databases, multimedia, and e-governance. He is also a fellow of IEE (UK) and Computer Society of India and is a senior member of IEEE, ACM and AIS. In an interview with Education Insider, Prof. Sadagopan shares his views on making India excel in the global IT industry

by EI Bureau There is an allegation that India generates only human resources in IT sector for other countries. Is there any possibility for India to stand alone in the global IT industry?

In a globalised world with internet playing an important role, IT professionals are a global resource, and, as such, we should be proud that India is producing the largest number of IT professionals. India would soon have a unique position with Indian professionals creating products and platforms that are used globally.

EDUCATION INSIDER I February 2014

Already, Finacle (core banking product from Infosys) powers over 460 million bank accounts (16% of the global market share) and Magzter(from Chennai-based Apps company) is a widely used platform on which several magazines have built their online versions.

What is the future of IT research in India?

To grow and sustain in any technology-dominated area, research is absolutely important. In the past decade, IITs and IIIT’s stepped up research, more

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Edu expert Prof. Sadagopan

“IT and research should be developed as a solution to India’s complex problems” Professor Sadagopan, Director of IIIT-Bangalore funding is available and many young researchers are returning to India.

Spurred by low global rankings, even the government has begun to realise the importance of research, and global corporations have increased their activities in India.

Where does India stand in the global arena of IT research?

We have just begun to make our mark in this area; luckily, all three key critical success factors such as young researchers joining Indian institutions in large enough numbers, increase in research funding and Indian research and development getting global recognition are falling into place.

How do you tackle the stress issue in IT sector? How do you train students to handle this?

This is an overplayed idea. Over the decades, productivity of office workers in India has been very low thanks to government jobs with lifelong jobs and routine promotions.

Much of IT being white-collar, the higher productivity and constant evaluation, along with adherence to deadlines and budgets, are often mistaken as ‘stress.’ One should remember what Mahatma Gandhi said: “More people have problems with underwork than with overwork.”

IIIT-B students generally come back

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and tell me that the rigour of IIIT-B prepares them well, and the so-called ‘stress’ in IT industry is ‘no stress’!

Can IT and research be developed as a solution to India’s complex problems?

Absolutely, it can be developed. Just look at the impact of the railway reservation system, the land record system, the Bangalore One and

To grow and sustain in any technologydominated area, research is absolutely important Electronic Delivery of Services, and the passport delivery system.

You can also take the example of MCA21 – Online quarterly filing of returns by 100,000-plus corporations, online filing of Income Tax and tax deduction at source, online banking, e-library, and e-learning. They all have made a huge difference to the common man. All these are possible thanks to creative applications of

IT that benefited from research and development.

Recently, a Union minister said that almost all of India’s reputed institutes have brilliant students but not a brilliant pedagogy system.

Do you agree with this?

Unfortunately, it is because of government funding that universities at sub-critical levels do not provide full freedom to academic institutions and administer R&D through archaic rules. Many countries, including China, pump billions of dollars into universities unlike India. Chinese academics and academic institutes enjoy more freedom when compared to what their counterparts in the United States enjoy. Luckily, things are improving, and, hopefully, the situation will change in the next decade.

Most of the technological and management institutes end up looking like training units of corporates. How can this attitude be changed?

There is too much emphasis on ‘relevance’ than ‘rigour.’ Corporations that employ graduates must look for rigorous and deep education that can enable the graduates whom they employ to contribute significantly over many years. Often, thanks to misplaced HR policies, corporations tend to be swayed by immediate ‘employability.’ That explains the current situation.

EDUCATION INSIDER I February 2014

Event focus

education evangelist convocation a success

Panel Discussion

by EI Bureau

S

Subhash Ghai Shekhar Bhattacharjee, Founder, Skilltree Knowledge Consortium

SkillTree India, a global knowledge consortium hosted the Education Evangelist of India Convocation at The Grand, New Delhi on December 24, 2013. The Convocation observed the elaboration of the passionate and rare breed of visionaries who have contributed towards the growth of knowledge economy and have brought about changes in the Indian educational system.

Education Evangelist of India a television show broadcasted on ET Now features the finest education entrepreneurs in the field of higher education and has been remodeled in the form of a coffee table book titled ‘SkillTree Education Evangelist of India’. The event was held as a national level grand event to felicitate the featured entrepreneurs and witnessed the presence of nearly 150 acclaimed people from corporate CEO’s to prominent personalities from the education sector across the country. The event witnessed the presence of renowned filmmaker Subhash Ghai, former Country Head-General Dynamics and noted cyber expert, Subimal Bhattacharjee,

the Chairman of businessworld and Exchange4media, Anurag Batra, KG Suresh, the director of GFCH India, Santosh Desia, the CEO of Future Brand and economist, Amir Ullah Khan. The event was also saw the presence of guests of honor like A.K Kohli, the former Governor of Mizoram, R.S Butola, Chairman of Indian Oil, Rajeev Sharma, Chairman of REC. The event was followed up by a panel discussion with Vineet Nayyar, Vice Chairman of HCL Technologies who was the key speaker with the topic of discussion being “Taking Indian Education to International Knowledge Economy and Dynamic Changes in Indian Higher Education.

Other eminent persons who took part in the panel discussion included Shekar Bhattacharjee, Founder, SkillTree Knowledge Consortium who spoke about the efforts put into the event which was launched with the sole focus of taking Indian Higher Education to a whole new level. He also stated that the convocation was a sincere endeavor to develop Indian Higher Education and bring them at par with Ivy League Institutes globally.

Special story

Triumph over the tragic

Down’s syndrome is not a curse, nor is it the end of dreams if one has the will and the determination to make efforts and an encouraging family to support. For such a person, Down’s syndrome would no longer be an obstacle to education. Meet Rion Holcombe, a 20-year-old American affected with Down’s syndrome. His success story took him all the way to Clemson University for his higher education

by EI Bureau

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EDUCATION INSIDER I February 2014

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hat would you do if you have somebody with Down’s syndrome in your family? Some of us may believe that it is the end of hopes and dreams but for Danny and Susan an American couple, it was not. 20 years ago, when they were blessed with a baby boy, it was the beginning of a new life for them.

They named the boy Rion Holcombe, which means the King. But unfortunately, young Rion was diagnosed with Down’s syndrome.

Danny and Susan refused to bow down before the destiny awaiting their son. Instead of shielding their son, they made sure that he was treated as a normal child. Gradually, Rion was able to develop an ability to think logically and thus he was enrolled in plenty of mainstream activities that he could handle. He took Kindermusik, which helped with speech and socialization.

Slowly Rion made a great improvement in his behavior as well as in other activities.

He preferred to eat with his peer groups, and enjoyed other activities like swimming, singing with karaoke and dancing. When considering sports, he played Upward basketball and Miracle League baseball. His 17-year-old sister Molly also played a very crucial role in bringing Rion Holcombe to the main stream study. With the parents initiative Rion has applied for the LIFE programme in Clemson University, South Carolina, USA, which is also the alma mater

EDUCATION INSIDER I February 2014

Clemson University’s LIFE programme, designed for students with intellectual disabilities is a two year programme started in 2009

to Danny and Susan. When Rion received the acceptance letter from Clemson University, it was dreams come true. The video recorded

by Susan to capture the cherished moment was shared on the internet and instantly gained popularity. Soon, Rion became the centre of attraction in USA and around the globe.

Clemson University’s LIFE programme, designed for students with intellectual disabilities is a two year programme started in 2009 and operated by a non-profit organization. Here, students with intellectual disabilities take classes in a variety of life skills, from peer interaction to banking. The programme may not give out a degree, but it helps students discover who they are and what they want to do, develop social skills and even seek internships and jobs.

Rion needed to pay around $30000 a year to meet his college fees. Even though it was a huge fund for his family, the parents has decided to rustle up the money somehow to see their son’s happiness and make sure his future was ensured. Rion Holcombe’s entry to a national university is much appreciable and has made him a part of history. Rion and his life is a role model to the people with Down ’s syndrome, who confine themselves to the four corners of their rooms and seal their fates. His story tells us the power of determination and the triumph of the human spirit.

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VC SPEAKS Dr Suresh Sachdev

Faculty with solid industry experience needed Dr Suresh Sachdev is a seasoned professional with over 37 years of top-level experience in a vast variety of sectors which include university education, school education, vocational training, GSM cellular services, computers, software, medical equipment, real estate, weighing machines, and sewing threads. He currently holds the position of Vice-Chancellor of NIILM University Excerpts from an interview with Dr Suresh Sachdev:

by Shalet James

Foreign universities should be encouraged to set up their campuses in India. It will attract the students from various developing countries to study here and result in greater global integration According to the Times Higher Education BRICS & Emerging Economies Rankings 2014, Panjab university was ranked 13 beating IIT Kharagpur which acquired 30th rank. As a Vice Chancellor, How do you evaluate this situation?

Times Higher Education Rankings have ear marked 30 points for citations.

Punjab University has far more number of academic departments and faculty than what IIT Kharagpur has.

This enables them to score higher on this count. Besides, 7.5 points are earmarked for international students.

IIT Kharagpur does not have a separate quota for foreign students; hence they may not score much on this count.

The greatest challenge that universities and colleges face is the shortage of quality faculty members, what do you think is the solution for the problem?

Higher Education is increasingly being seen as an enabler for ensuring a rewarding career. In this context, the students expect that the faculty members should have strong industry background so that they can guide the students how to apply theoretical concepts to solve practical problems.

integration. There are several other types of cooperation e.g. Tie-ups and Joint collaboration, student and faculty exchange programmes.

What is your suggestion to improve the quality of education in India Universities?

Each IIT and IIM should be asked to have academic tie-ups with at least 100 higher educational institutions in India to help them to enhance their quality of education. It will benefit at least 2000 institutions which will improve the quality of their delivery of education.

How we can bridge the rich-poor gap in education?

The rich-poor gap is not only to be seen in the context of varying money power but academic power too. We have to recognize that there are academically rich students as well as academically poor students. We have to reorient our education system to address the special needs of both the types.

Do you think the syllabi at present are adequate to match with the present day requirements or is there a need to revamp the education system?

The changing scenario of global village demands that a professional should have functional knowledge as well as knowledge of industry verticals.The academic system should be restructured to allow a student to acquire knowledge about various disciplines, especially emerging areas.

What is your vision on education?

Education is the most important building block in knowledge economy and all efforts have to be made to unlock the potential to propel India into the league of super powers.

Knowledge economy demands that a society/nation should have fundamental respect for knowledge , mathematical ability , fluency in English language and desire to mingle with other people. Indians score highly on these counts and education should occupy a centre stage in our policy making framework.

Please comment on the entry of foreign universities and tell us about your university’s international collaborations?

Foreign universities should be encouraged to set up their campuses in India. It will attract the students from various developing countries to study here and result in greater global

Tell us about your future plans for NIILM University?

NIILM University believes in imparting multi-disciplinary education in an environment which inspires them to be a life-long learner to continuously upgrade their skill set to meet the challenges of the practical world.

EDUCATION INSIDER I February 2014

Education is the most important building block in knowledge economy and all efforts have to be made to unlock the potential to propel India into the league of super powers

We have to recognize that there are academically rich students as well as academically poor students. We have to reorient our education system to address the special needs of both the types

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Indian Education

Thought Leader Dr. Bertram lohmüller

Lastly, schools are stepping up and systemically delivering on the added responsibility of imparting the right kind of morals and values to the children as a part of education.

Flying High It’s great news for Indians that, many foreign universities are finding their place in Indian soil. This will make a boom in the Indian higher education sector. Steinbeis Global Institute Tübingen, a premier institute in Germany, is the latest entry to this category. Dr. Bertram Lohmüller, the Director of SGIT, talks about their entry to India and the recent changes of global education sector in an interview with Education Insider

by EI Bureau

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EDUCATION INSIDER I February 2014

The Steinbeis University Berlin (SHB) is one of the private and state approved universities of Berlin. What is the reason behind your entry to India?

India is one of the nations with high growth rates, a high market potential for new technologies and a high number of young people demanding to be educated. In our view, technology management is the key for future development.

That means that the successful management of new technologies is a key to overcome the actual

challenges in India.

Another reason is that German companies are operating worldwide and the demand of for local experts especially in India is very high. Consequently, there is a high interest of SGIT / Steinbeis University is to run educational programmes in India. However, this is only possible in co-operation with an excellent partner as Ivory Education. In close co-operation with Ivory we are establishing the most appropriate study programme in India using knowledge from both Indian and German experts.

Throw some light on your experience in Steinbeis Global Institute?

SGIT (Steinbeis Global Institute Tübingen) is part of SteinbeisUniversity Berlin SHB. The certified study courses with their global focus are a winning combination of technology and management. The institute in Tübingen is thematically closely linked with Export-Akademie Baden-Württemberg. In 1983 ExportAkademie launched the first master programme in the area “international

EDUCATION INSIDER I February 2014

marketing” in Germany. Acting cooperatively, these two educational institutions offer worldwide leadership programmes. Our over 30 years’ experience in academic education is both a challenge and the driving force to impart up-todate knowledge which is tightly knit with actual practice. SteinbeisUniversity has been combining

theory with practice and supporting academia since 1998. By doing this, the university has become a provider of fundamental services in the allencompassing process of knowledge and technology transfer.

How the Global technology management at SGIT has been accepted internationally so far?

The course was designed in close co-operation with European companies operating internationally.

As global

German companies are operating world-wide and the demand of for local experts especially in India is very high. Consequently, there is a high interest of SGIT / Steinbeis University is to run educational programmes in India

technology management is becoming more important over the last few years there is a high demand in this topic. The course started two years ago in Germany and is now launched in Brazil, India, Iran and Russia.

In the field global technology management we are co-operating with universities and worldwide and are conducting international research projects.

What are the career verticals where candidates can apply

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Thought Leader Dr. Bertram lohmüller

The benefit for companies is the implementation of a specific innovation project for the company, e.g. development of specific products or services, technology transfer, or entrance into new markets Steinbeis-University has been combining theory with practice and supporting academia since 1998. By doing this, the university has become a provider of fundamental services in the allencompassing process of knowledge and technology transfer

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after completing this course?

The “project-competence-concept” is an excellent vehicle for supporting the professional career and an effective framework for personnel development.

During the study the students convert the theory directly into practice.

After successfully completing the degree programme, the students have conducted a “real” project which is a very good recommendation for higher management. The graduates are working as project leaders, innovation managers, country consultants, department managers and CEOs. How technology management can contribute to the growth of an individual?

The master study courses and certificated study courses are at the interface of technology and management. Consequently, an overview of the art technologies is provided and management skills are trained.

Because technology management is the main framework of the course, the degree “Master of Science” is awarded.

However, business administration is also an important key aspect. On basis of the IMLead®-concept (Integrated

management and Leadership) management skills are trained systematically. After the end of their courses, the graduates have the ability to capture complex interrelations in technology management and are able to develop target oriented solutions. They have trained personal skills, intercultural skills, excellent project management skills and skills in technology and management.

What is the benefit for companies to educate their experts within the study programme?

The benefit for companies is the implementation of a specific innovation project for the company, e.g. development of specific products or services, technology transfer, or entrance into new markets. In other words: During the whole study period, every student works at a particular project assigned to him by a cooperating company. Our degree courses guarantee a thorough and goal-oriented approach which is focused on the needs of enterprises and secures innovation, competitive advantage and increased profitability.

Since our academic programme

EDUCATION INSIDER I February 2014

is especially designed within the cooperative framework between the institute and enterprises, the latter get an opportunity to educate their staff without providing study leave. Moreover, companies facing a particular challenge can rely on their own employees to come up with the most effective solution in the course of studies. Another opportunity for the company is to choose the most suitable candidate from our pool of applicants. In this way, a potential student with practical experience, either from the home country or abroad, will be hired by the company for the whole study period.

Do you think E-learning programme in today’s generation is a boon?

E-Learning is an excellent vehicle to train theoretical knowledge.

However, it has to be combined with classroom trainings and project work. Background is that the students must be able to transfer theoretical knowledge into practice.

Further, personal competences as team-working and presentation techniques have to be trained in presence sessions.

Consequently, the course “Global Technology Management” is a mixture of E-learning (67 days), project-work and transfer work (184 days) and classroom sessions (30 days). Interpreting e-Learning as EDUCATION INSIDER I February 2014

a method embedded in a blended learning concept I would say it is a boon!

Comment on technology management process? How a student can involve in that?

Aim of the programme is to show the students the interactions of their individual project (technology) to other key technologies. Therefore, the course “Global Technology Management” gives an overview about the key technologies in the areas energy, medical technology, biotechnology, mechanical engineering, automotive and production technologies. The interaction of these technologies is

shown in an example. Expected the student has the project to build up an international service organisation for agricultural machines/ equipment. In this case he/she needs knowledge about mechanical engineering, automotive and production technologies. However, there are close linkages to the other technologies, too: Energy efficiency of the machines, handling of the machines taking health and safety into account (medical technology), and biotechnological issues in agriculture.

Is there any other online program which you are planning to launch in India? If yes, why?

Yes, in the next years further programmes are planned in India. Additionally to the master programme a bachelor programme in technology management is planned.

Further short-time online programmes in innovation management and integrated management & leadership are planned.

l loba G “ se cour nology es e h v T Tech ent” gi ut abo agem Man verview ologies an o y techn nergy, e e , the k e areas nology h h in t cal tec logy, g, i med otechno gineerin bi al en nd c a gies hani tive mec automo echnolo ion t t c u prod

What according to you is the target group?

The study course is open to bachelor graduates from all faculties working in technological oriented companies. Students could be experienced non-technicians as well as technicians.

Students are for example business economists with technological background, natural scientists, engineers, social scientists, IT specialists, lawyers, etc. Within the study they implement a technology project e.g. in the areas of nanotechnology, medicine, biotechnology, IT, construction etc.

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THE premier Institutes IIT-Bombay

at 55, iit-b

Flying high

Sticking to the vision of India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) have managed to contribute to the development of India in several ways. Education Insider is starting a new series to feature the 16 IITs in India. This time EI tracks the growth and development of IIT Bombay, which aspires to be among the top technical universities of the world. Professor Devang Khakhar, who recently granted a second term as the Director of IIT, focuses to attract high caliber and diverse faculty to the institute

by EI Bureau

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EDUCATION INSIDER I February 2014

Prof: Devang Khakhar

I

n a star-studded line-up of classy institutions like IITs, what sets a particular institution unique? IIT Bombay has successfully managed to stand as a cut above the rest.

Their consistent performance throughout these years right from their establishment has attracted not only nation-wide acclaim for them but also won international commendation.

IIT Bombay, the first IIT to be set up with foreign assistance, is the second in the chain of IITs. With financial aid from UNESCO, it was set up in 1958. Since then, IIT Bombay has grown from strength to strength to emerge as one of the top technical universities in the world.

“The Institute has evolved from a teaching Institute producing high quality BTechs to teaching and research Institute. Today more than 50% of the students are pursuing Masters or PhD degrees and sponsored research projects net more than Rs 300 crore annually. Research facilities have improved considerably and many labs are world class. The institute has grown linkages with industry and with several

EDUCATION INSIDER I February 2014

top International universities.

The start-up culture has taken root in the Institute.

The number of students has increased from 3000 to 9000,” says Professor Devang Khakhar, director of IIT Bombay.

The Vision of IIT Bombay is defined as to be the fountain head of new ideas and of innovators in technology and science while its mission is to create an ambience in which new ideas and creativity flourish and from which research and scholarship and leaders and innovators of tomorrow emerge.

Professor Devang Khakhar, the present director of IIT Bombay, assumed the office from 2009. Before taking over the current post, he has served as the Professor-in-Charge of IIT Bombay’s Continuing Education Program from 2001-02, as Head of the Department of Chemical Engineering from 2002-04, and has been the Dean of Faculty Affairs since 2005.

Completing his B.Tech. from IIT Delhi in 1981 and his Ph.D. from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 1986, he joined the Department of Chemical Engineering at IIT Bombay in January 1987, and has been with the institute since then.

Prof. Khakhar’s research interests include: dynamics of particulate systems, polymerization of rigid molecules and fluid mixing. He has published and presented over 150 papers, including papers in Nature and Science. For his research achievements Prof. Khakhar has been accorded several prestigious awards, which include the Bhatnagar Prize (1997) and the Swarnajayanti Fellowship (1998). He is a Fellow of the Indian National Academy of Engineering, the Indian National Science Academy and the Indian Academy of Sciences.

Prof. Khakhar is also a recipient of IIT Bombay’s “Excellence in Teaching Award” and the “Mathur Award for Research Excellence”.

Objectives and Goals The objectives and goals of IIT-B are clearly defined. They are: • To provide the best possible educational facilities for training bright students for the careers in technology and science.

• To provide a creative atmosphere in which higher studies and research thrive both among the students and the faculty.

• To organize short intensive courses, conferences and seminars on current technological developments which will be of benefit to

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THE premier Institutes IIT-Bombay

“IIT Bombay aspires to be among the top technical universities of the world. This is essential for the Institute to be able to address the many problems facing society and serve the nation’s technological needs” the surrounding community.

To provide research and development consultancy which will promote contact and be of service to industries and to government and civic organizations • To organize quality improvement programmes for faculty members from various engineering colleges.

• To provide leadership in curriculum design and development In the run to reach its mission and goals, IIT Bombay has a total of 15 academic departments, eight centres, one school, and five interdisciplinary programmes. Besides science and engineering, IIT Bombay is widely known for its academic programmes in industrial design and management studies as well. Over the years, the institute has created a niche for its innovative short-term courses through continuing education and distance education programmes.

“IIT Bombay’s development has largely fulfilled the mission and goals set out during its foundation – to produce scientists and engineers of the highest caliber,” says Prof. Khakhar.

•

Choosing the Talents From the very beginning of IITs, selection of aspirants to IITs has raised a question.

How effective would it be to choose the best among students for IITs with the given parameters? Speaking on the

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In the run to reach its mission and goals, IIT Bombay has a total of 15 academic departments, eight centres, one school, and five interdisciplinary programmes.

Besides science and engineering, IIT Bombay is widely known for its academic programmes in industrial design and management studies as well

same point, Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam, an eminent Indian scientist and the former president of India, once said “There may be many hidden Ramanujans and Einsteins amongst the vast majority of the students whom the IIT system does not touch. The greatest challenge for the pan IITians and the nation is to find a mechanism to identify those needles in the haystack.”

Prof. Khakhar has his view on this: “I agree with Dr. Kalam that there must be students with the brilliance of Ramanujam and Einstein in the country whom the IIT system is not able to identify. The joint entrance examination (JEE) picks out students with high analytical ability but not those with the most creative minds. Such talent must be identified and nurtured at the school level and cannot be discovered by an examination. If a robust talent search process is set up at the school level, the IITs can easily modify their entrance process to admit such students.”

Ensuring Quality Education Since expectations are high on IITs, Prof. Khakhar is deeply concerned with ensuring the quality of education to be given in IIT-B. As the director of the institute, he focuses to attract high caliber and diverse faculty to the Institute and to create an environment to encourage scholarship. Understanding the relevance of research in higher

EDUCATION INSIDER I February 2014

education, he has always tried to create facilities to enable faculty members to pursue cutting edge research.

“Questioning attitudes, debate and discussion are also encouraged by teachers in the classroom and outside. All students take several courses (papers) in Humanities and Social Sciences. The elected student council has a considerable stay in student affairs. Elected student representatives are members of the Senate, in which all academic matters are debated before being implemented. The Institute has several exchange students from different countries who bring a different worldview. All these factors contribute to students becoming good citizens,”he adds.

Uniqueness Residents at IIT Bombay have the great advantage of being located in a megacity. According to Prof. Khakhar, IIT-B’s location has played a vital role in the formation of the very character of the institute, which has developed strong links with these sectors locally and internationally.

“The research in high-tech areas has grown manifold supported by a growth in advanced research facilities.

These give a unique experience to the students of the Institute.

I believe that the education provided in all the IITs is comparable and of a high quality,” he adds.

agencies and industries,” says Prof. Khakhar.

“The alumni of the Institute have excelled in their areas of work and several have reached the pinnacle of their fields. Examples include Nandan Nilekani, Jairam Ramesh, Manohar Parrikar in public life, Nitin Nohria, Dean, Harvard Business School, S. Sastry, Dean of Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, Bharat Desai, Chairman, Syntel, Pramod Chaudhari, Chairman, Praj Industries and Ajit Ranade, Chief Economist, Aditya Birla Group, among others”, says Prof.

Khakhar.

Future Aspirations “IIT Bombay aspires to be among the top technical universities of the world. This is essential for the Institute to be able to address the many problems facing society and serve the nation’s technological needs,” winds up Prof. Khakhar.

“The alumni of the Institute have excelled in their areas of work and several have reached the pinnacle of their fields. Examples include Nandan Nilekani, Jairam Ramesh, Manohar Parrikar in public life, Nitin Nohria, Dean. Harvard Business School, S. Sastry, Dean of Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, Bharat Desai, Chairman, Syntel, Pramod Chaudhari, Chairman, Praj Industries and Ajit Ranade, Chief Economist, Aditya Birla Group, among others”

Contributions The Faculty and students have many fundamental contributions in physics, chemistry, mathematics and biology. Over the last 10 years more than 100 technologies have been transferred to industry. The most significant transfer is for an internet network router which has been integrated into the backbone of several commercial networks.

“The biggest contribution of IIT Bombay is the highly qualified manpower produced.

The Institute has developed several useful technologies which are being used. The institute has also provided expert advice to EDUCATION INSIDER I February 2014

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EI at campus Panjab University

Panjab University soars great heights It was really a proud moment for India, when the University of Panjab, Chandigarh was hailed as one of the top universities amongst the BRICS nations. A journey through this prestigious campus reveals the vibrancy of the new age education system which can be followed by other premier institutions in the country

by EI Bureau

“The university is placed high in the BRICS ranking and among Indian universities, because of its rich history. If it did not have such a marvelous history it could not have been achieved”

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hen one arrives at the renowned Panjab University for the first time, they might be wonderstruck on seeing the campus. The 550 acre long campus is certainly an impressive one and is also one of the largest campuses in North India. One might be under the impression that the university is located in the state of Punjab but it is actually spread over three Indian states including Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. It is one of the oldest universities in India with modern facilities like a health centre, sports complex, hostels and residential housing from the beginning of its establishment and has 75 teaching and research departments.

The history of the glorious Panjab University begins in the year 1882 in Lahore, Pakistan.

After the partition of India, the university was split into two universities. For distinguishing the two universities, the Indian education sectors renamed it as Panjab university. After the re-organization of Punjab, the university became an InterState Body Corporate catering to the recently organized states of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and the Union Territory of Chandigarh. It was in 1956 the university was relocated to Chandigarh. Till then, the university’s administrative office was located at Solan, Himachal

EDUCATION INSIDER I February 2014

Pradesh and the teaching departments functioned from Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar, Delhi and Amritsar.

“The university is placed high in the BRICS ranking and among Indian universities, because of its rich history. If it did not have such a marvelous history it could not have been achieved,” says Professor Arun Kumar Grover,Vice-Chancellor, Panjab University to Education Insider.

An evergreen campus Ten thousands of students representing various states and cultures study in Panjab University. The large area of the campus has been divided into various sectors such as academic, administrative, sports and recreational as well as residential complexes. The Panjab University campus has its own shopping centers health clubs, post office, gymnasium, swimming pool, parks, open air theatre, guest houses, recreational centers, seminar complexes, alumni house, community centre and a school, all within the campus walls. The well maintained and equipped fine arts museum and library are always alive with student interactions and activities. The university is well known for the impeccable care given to subjects ranging from science and technology to humanities and arts subjects. It is the second largest university in India after the Banaras Hindu University

There are about 75 departments functioning in Panjab University which cater to subjects like arts,science, languages, law, education and fine arts, business management and commerce, engineering and technology, medical sciences, pharmaceutical sciences and dairying, animal husbandry and agriculture

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EI at campus Panjab University

where science, technology and arts go hand in hand. The well arranged fine arts museum in the university campus showcases the passion for arts that the university has. It is shown with a series of small galleries arranged around a courtyard with each gallery having a hyperbolic umbrella shaped roof. This makes the museum more attractive in both architectural as well as artistic ways. The Student Centre with its circular base and a ramp pulsating around its cylindrical body is another land mark building.

Pushing back the IITs The IITs and IIMs have always been considered as premier Indian institutes and whenever a world ranking is taken, Indian educational experts believe that these Ivy League Universities in the country would be accounted for. But surprisingly, the University of Panjab had made

a jump over these prestigious institutions to achieve a high place in the BRICS ranking. What helped Panjab university to push back IITs in the performance chart?

According to Grover, “IITs focus on technology. But we focus both on technology and arts.

There arises a big difference. The spelndid performance of Panjab University in the BRICS ranking is a result of competition, which doesn’t mean we are competing with IITs. But there exists a very healthy competition among all universities in the country.

That leads to good results in its academic performances.

Unlike the IITS, the wide range of subjects taught in our campus makes a huge difference in its acceptance. We are not at all a direct competitor of IITs in technology and science. In both these subjects, they have established their uniqueness.

“We are not in a position to compete with the west now. Comparing our research activities with the west, we are really in peril. We need to start more integrated masters and PhDs here.

The choice of the subject or a career of a student should be done by themselves at the early stage of education”

Panjab University student center

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But it’s our privilege to say that, when we compare biological science with IIT’s, we are leading.

At the same time we can’t beat IITs in computer science.

As the vice chancellor of this prominent institution, AK Grove is keen on developing the university’s performance more in terms of the quality of teaching. “Being the 3rd largest populated and 7th largest country, India has a large number of elite universities and majority of them function with great excellence in their respective field. But we need to be careful of one thing, that is the population is growing and along with that, the need of higher education also increasing.

Research oriented development in teaching and learning is inevitable here and what we need to do next is to focus on these vital areas to make our country a university super power. We are not in a position to compete with the west now. Comparing our research activities with the west, we are really in peril. We need to start more integrated masters and PhDs here. The choice of the subject or a career of a student EDUCATION INSIDER I February 2014

should be done by themselves at the early stage of education,” adds Grover.

We should welcome a PPP model Being the most celebrated vice chancellor in the elite Panjab University, Grower supports Public Private Partnership in education. To him, the annual budget funding for the education sector is not satisfactory. More support from the private sector is important in the development of higher education in India. If the corporate give more budgets through scholarships and other funding, then surely our education sector will improve quite drastically, according to Grover

Major departments at Panjab University There are about 75 departments functioning in Panjab University which cater to subjects like arts, science, languages, law, education and fine arts, business management and commerce, engineering and technology, medical sciences, pharmaceutical sciences and dairying, animal husbandry and agriculture.

The IITs and IIMs have always been considered as premier Indian institutes and whenever a world ranking is taken, Indian Educational experts believe that these Ivy League Universities in the country would be accounted for

Most Celebrated alumnus of Panjab University •

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Indian Prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh. Former Prime Minister IK Gujral Former Presidents: Shankar Dayal Sharma, and Gyani Zail Singh Opposition leader in the Lok Sabha : Sushma Swaraj

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Round up ICSI approves Online Registration for CS Course

IIT-B Drive makes doodle record Mumbai: ISMOKE (I support the movement to kill cancer), this year’s social awareness campaign of IIT-B’s annual technical festival has made it to the Limca Book of Records collecting 21,383 doodles against smoking. The drive was conducted at 64 colleges in 32 Indian cities, during which 21,383 doodles were collected between August 26 and September 26 last year for which ISMOKE created a record.

IFA-NRC Announces course on International Taxation New Delhi: International Fiscal Association – Northern Region Chapter (IFA-NRC) has announced an expert led 9 weekend course on International Taxation from 11 January to 16 March 2014 at India International Centre Annexe, New Delhi. The course is aimed at updating and enhancing the knowledge of tax executives and professionals with the controversial issues of taxation; cross border transactions and the latest case laws on the same. In keeping with IFA tradition, the faculty comprises of eminent lawyers, chartered accountants and senior professionals from industry, both from NCR and other metros.

New Delhi: With a view to provide efficient service to students, The Institute of Company Secretaries of India has moved to complete online registration to the Company Secretaryship course from 1st January this year. A person completing the Company Secretaryship course, both examination and training, becomes eligible to work as a company secretary either in employment or in practice.

Seminar on “Create a Job through Entrepreneur Education” held New Delhi: The Centre for Education Growth and Research (CEGR) organized a National Seminar on “Create a Job through Entrepreneur Education” on 19th, December 2013 at India International Centre, Delhi. The programme was attended by India’s leading academicians, industry heads and a crosssection of participants from related fields. The programme encouraged participants to discuss the issue, express views and set up a road map ahead of meeting the country’s educational needs in an increasingly global and interconnected world.

Government nod for 58 Medical Colleges New Delhi: The government of India has approved the proposal for setting up 58 medical colleges, which is expected to result in a total increase of about 5,800 MBBS seats nationwide. The meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, gave approval for 58 new medical colleges by upgrading the existing district hospitals in deficient states with the intake capacity of 100 MBBS seats in each medical college.

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EDUCATION INSIDER I February 2014

Iipm FOCUS

IIPM gains in the agrarian sector Pruning promising individuals to the Agri-business sector, Indian Institute of Plantation Management (IIPM) is proving itself to be a gem as a plantation management institute

by EI Bureau

FOCUS Iipm

A

Dr V G Dhanakumar, Director, IIPM

“The teaching methods adopted here are unique.

Interactive classes are more than theory classes here.

We cover a wide spectrum of the agricultural sector, including tea, coffee, coconut, and other cash crops.

Our objective is to ensure the welfare of workers in the plantation and agri-business sectors,” says Dr V G Dhanakumar, Director, IIPM

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sector that employs almost half of India’s workforce, the agrarian sector can be the most promising when considering job opportunities and an attractive salary. With an aim to make realize the people wide opportunities in this sector, the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India set up a strategic institution of management education in the plantation sector in 1990. Hence, in the same year Indian Institute of Plantation Management (IIPM) was established to make people aware of the potentialities and needs of modernization of the plantation sector through management education and training. Situated in Malathalli, Bengaluru, IIPM is affiliated to Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India. Jointly sponsored by Commodity Boards of India viz., Coffee Board, Tea Board, Rubber Board, Spices Board and Plantation Associations viz., UPASI and India Tea Association (ITA), the institute was established as an autonomous educational institute of higher learning, under the Karnataka Society Registration Act in November 1993. An exclusive

sectoral school of management in Asia, based on a new model intensive institute-industry interaction, IIPM acts as a think tank and is an intellectual resource base for the plantation and associated agri-business sector.

“The assurance of learning through teaching methods adopted here are unique. Interactive classes are more than theory classes here. We cover a wide spectrum of the agri-business sector, including tea, coffee, coconut, and other cash crops. Our objective is to ensure the welfare of workers in the plantation and agri-business sectors,” says Dr V G Dhanakumar, Director, IIPM. Offering 2 year AICTE approved, post-graduate diploma in management in agri-business and plantation management, The institute offers first of its kind fellow programme in Management (FPM) and professional certificate programme in Tea Tasting and Marketing (TTM) and Tea Estate Management (TEM).

This year IIPM will be launching an International programme titled Post Graduate Certificate Programme in

Feeling valued within the country and global level, online web portal database by Masterstudies Marketing Group, Norway, reveals that Institute’s flagship Post Graduate Programme during December 2013 space, India, USA and France stood at the top 3 position out of 40 countries with respect to impressive nations on IIPM flagship program besides developing countries viz., Czech Republic and Uganda.

Moreover, top 3 countries visiting the course details of the Institute are France, USA and China out of 12 countries

IIPMB Retention of Faculty Retention of faculty at IIPM is enhanced by providing a full academic autonomy and opportunity for faculty members with required resources for creation of centres of excellence through academic research, MDPs, and consultancy assignments. Institute is undertaking collaborative assignment with industry, sector and Commodity Boards of India to attract the best-of-best faculty, as Chair Professor in sector specific discipline and academic interest of an individual faculty. The main attraction in retaining IIPM faculty is due to quality faculty in board and competitive level of salaries, honorarium and other perks at par with peer national and international institutions. In addition, faculty members are advised and nurtured through a high level academic and research committee comprised of representatives from the sector, government, and academics. Institute culture of high performance attracts and retains best performing faculty in retention. The mantra of IIPM faculty retention is “more faculty governance, less administrative interference; i.e. work toward eliminating top-down hierarchical rule.”

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Management: International Management(PGCM-IB) and will also initiate Professional Certificate Programme in Coffee Entrepreneurship (PCP –CE) under sponsorship of Coffee Board of India. “(PCP –TTM) have a great scope for girls. This course is just a 45 days course.

Many students especially girls have been employed. If your palette is good then you can shine as a managing director within 15 years,” adds Dr V G Dhanakumar.

(PGDM: ABPM) is an AICTEapproved course. The minimum eligibility is an undergraduate degree with minimum 50 per cent marks. Selection is on the basis of the CAT/MAT/ ATMA/CMAT/PAT scores, academic record, test scores, writing skills, group discussion, and personal interview. The institute also offers certificate programmes and ShortTerm Executive Programmes (STEPs). Reach-out Programmes are devised to address the requirements of the plantation and associated agri-business sectors. Awarded “2012 World Education Congress Award” under the category of “Institute with Best AcademicIndustry Interface” by the World Education Congress in Mumbai, IIPM has also bagged the “ Asian Learning and Leadership Development Award 2012” under the category of “ Outstanding Contribution to the Cause of Learning” by the Asian Confederation of Business in Dubai. With a very good placement history, most of the students of IIPM have made it to good positions in companies like Aditya Birla Group, Axis Bank, Cafe Coffee Day, Coca Cola, Himalaya Health Care etc “Faculty crunch is a major problem faced globally. It is a great challenge to get well industry experience faculty.

We have a fellow programme where we recruit and train our own students for 4 years and hire them as our faculty. We also have faculty who have EDUCATION INSIDER I February 2014

25 years of experience in the industry and are real assets of our institution, I have travelled around the world to study a variety of models adopted by different countries. I haven’t come across a model like ours in the UK, the US, or any country for that matter.” adds Dr V G Dhanakumar.

With modern library facilities equipped with internet access and a rich resource of books, journals, periodicals and project reports, IIPM has the state-of-the-art infrastructure providing a conducive and learning atmosphere for the students. Syllabus of IIPM is revamped every 2 years without changing the basic fundamental structure of the subject. With an aim to reach out more students, IIPM is gearing up for accreditation.

“Integrating research entrepreneurship in the value chain is the need of the hour and I feel every institute should follow this. We have a strong research focus on policy, managerial, and operational issues. We also undertake research projects in all major areas of plantation and agri-business, both at the national and international levels. We always make sure to be updated, catering to the needs of the industry. We have study abroad programme where 20 who volunteer can study. Our research initiatives are based on the Commodity Information Grid for plantation commodities, natural resources management, workers’ welfare and health, and rural empowerment and development, to name a few,” adds Dr V G Dhanakumar.

Being an exclusive sectoral school of management based on a new model of intensive institute-industry interaction, IIPM is today a centre of entrepreneurial excellence which acts as a think tank and an intellectual resource base for the plantation and associated agri-business sector.

Integrating research entrepreneurship in the value chain is the need of the hour and I feel every institute should follow this. We have a strong research focus on policy, managerial and operational issues

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Teaching New trends

Teachers taking on new roles

The international system of education has brought on a paradigm shift in the approach towards teaching and a changed perception on the roles of teachers

by Toby Blundell

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any Indian schools are taking on the best practices of international curriculum with the recent change being the increase in subject choices offered under the CBSE. Schools offering international curriculums like IGCSE, International Baccalaureate Diploma and A-Levels as a norm have smaller classrooms of 15-20 students with emphasis on interactive learning. Teachers play the dual role of a moderator or facilitator in this system

of education, and a child is trained to reason out the underlying concept of the daily lessons.

Roles of teacher The role of teachers is no longer limited to teaching; they also have to ensure that students enjoy the classes and are comfortable enough to explore a subject and ask questions without hesitation.

Introducing students to new topics and giving an overview of important points is also crucial. It is quite similar

EDUCATION INSIDER I February 2014

to pointing out the landmarks in a new city after which the best way to learn the city is exploring it. So every student must be encouraged to discuss and explore the ideas about the subject he is studying. Individual attention and guidance is also required to help the students when they are learning and solving different theoretical and practical problems.

It is important to follow a method of evaluation where the first step is to talk to the students, ask those questions and understand how they try to solve them, the answer that they form and the questions they then ask. Later, written classwork and homework are needed to evaluate their understanding and their ability to apply their ideas to new problems.

interesting part of being a teacher is the ‘ah’ moment, when the students understand an idea or problem that they previously struggled with. The vitality of talking with students as they learn to think and question their world and to reach their own conclusions is also necessary.

Role of mentor There are three steps that mentor should follow to help the students be successful in securing admissions to top universities. The first is to prepare them well for the examinations. Top universities look for students who demonstrate academic excellence. The second is helping the students make strong applications. This means researching courses and universities that they

The most interesting part of being a teacher is the ‘ah’ moment, when the students understand an idea or problem that they previously struggled with. The vitality of talking with students as they learn to think and question their world and to reach their own conclusions is also necessary

Finally, because final grades will depend on written and practical examinations, similar assessments are given to check how students perform.

An ideal school is one filled with curiosity, laughter and respect and is a place where people can ask questions and look for answers, where they can enjoy the process of learning and helping each other do so.

It is also a place where the teachers learn as much as the students do, albeit about different things!

Roles of student A student has several roles within a classroom: to think, to question and to enjoy. The most effective learning involves a combination of these activities where these skills are essential for success. The most

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have in mind and putting together an application that reflects their talents and abilities. This includes guiding them as they write a personal statement, a short piece of writing where the student explains why they would like to study at the university, and why the university would benefit from offering them a place. The final step involves helping students to prepare for any entrance examinations or interviews that the university may have. This may involve practicing the type of questions that can be asked and having a mock interview session. Bringing a new meaning into the teacher-student relationship, teachers will have to act as a catalyst in accepting and implementing this change.

Toby Blundell Toby Blundell is Physics and Theory of Knowledge Coordinator at EF International Academy-Oxford Campus. He pursued his Bachelor’s degree and postgraduate certificate in Education at Trinity College, Oxford, and graduated with an Honours degree in Cellular Biochemistry. Following his studies, he worked in the private sector before committing himself fully as an educator. He has taught in Oxford for several years and served as a Director of Studies prior to joining the EF International Academy faculty.

The role of teachers is no longer limited to teaching; they also have to ensure that students enjoy the classes and are comfortable enough to explore a subject and ask questions without hesitation. Introducing students to new topics and giving an overview of important points is also an important role played by teachers

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fresh beats

Metal mania

by EI Bureau

T

he pulsating music emitting from the combined skills of Nicotine is perhaps more addictive than the substance from which the band derives its name.

Nicotine, a metal/hard rock band based in Indore, was formed in 2006. Since then, it has not looked back, and has done a whooping 20 gigs and won in plenty of competitions.

Nicotine was the brainchild of a bunch of Metallica-loving college boys who set out to create the ultimate scene for hard rock Metallica in Indore. During its initial stages, the band struggled to form a stable lineup, with many members of the band backing out and new ones coming in. As a result, the band had to keep finding and replacing drummers and guitarists until it finally settled itself into a four-piece metal band.

The band steadily built momentum by playing in colleges

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and competitions within the city as well as outside in cities like Chandigarh, Bhopal, Nagpur, Jaipur and Pune.

The current members include Digvijay Bhonsale , lead vocalist and guitarist; Aniruddha Gokhale, lead guitarist and backing vocalist; Anuj Malkapurkar on bass; and Shaleen Vyas on the drums. The former members included Tanmay Ved, Piyush Bose, Vicky Soni, Prakhar, and Akhil Kael.

The band has done a number of individual gigs, several headlining acts and has won in various competitions, including the Campus Rock Idols ‘09 Indore (runner-up), War of The Strings 2.0 (winner), War of The Strings 3. (winner), LNCT Bhopal (winner), LNCT Indore (winners), Unison 2010 (winners), Acropolis Institute of Technology (winner), Geofferey’s Indore (runner-up), and Rock waves Medicaps (runner-up).

Headlining acts • • • • • • • •

Dark Horizon, Acropolis Institute of Technology Wizards of Rock, Quorum (with Demonic Resurrection) Metal-omania, Chasers The Pub, Indore VITS, Indore O2 The Lounge (with Assault &Blindfolds) Moshpit 4.0, On The House, Indore (with Grim Reapers) Headbangers Fury, O2 The Lounge (with Zygnema) Battle of the Bands, LNCT, Indore

Other major gigs • • •

Pub Rock Fest, On The Rocks, Indore (with October) Pub Rock Fest, On The Rocks, Indore (with Fire Exit) Distortion 2013 Finale, IIM Indore (Opening Act for Swarathma)

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Education Insider, Regn. No.KL/KTM/673/2012-14 Published on 29th January 2014