The degree of irrelevance in education

At most institutions in our nation, the quality of the undergraduate programmes and courses on offer leaves much to be desired. I speak of the content and the pedagogy involved in the implementation of these courses and offerings. I am aware that this is one of the challenges that the National Education Policy (NEP) has addressed in a clear and purposeful manner.

A significant source of concern for me, however, is the fact that there is a larger purpose behind the recommendations of the NEP, which a large number of our institutions have failed to grasp and address. Of course, it is not that the errant universities are doing this on purpose. It is more a question of their inability, for many reasons, to recognise the larger picture. 

Let me illustrate. At many universities, we have a staggeringly large number of students who enrol in programmes that offer a specialised degree in disciplines such as mathematics, history, commerce or Hindi literature. This is a representative, but not an exhaustive list. Each year, all across India, thousands of students obtain their bachelor's degree in each of these undergraduate programmes. These students are inadequately prepared for the real world at large.

The three years of studying history or mathematics -- or most disciplines -- has not prepared them for anything useful. All that they can think of is to sit for a competitive examination with almost negligible chances of success or take up sundry jobs that offer next to nothing. For the vast multitude of graduates, the future holds little, since studying Hindi literature prepares them for next to nothing. In any case, it is not as if they are any good in their chosen areas of specialisation. They have almost no communication or analytical skills or, for that matter, any idea of how to use IT to their advantage. 

The NEP has asserted time and again throughout its pages that institutions must impart, in a practical manner, skills that shall help students to better realise their talents. In addition, the NEP has visualised a larger picture that shall reduce the irrelevance of the degree programmes. For instance, in today's world, no discipline can do without data-based skills imbibed through IT. 

In addition, the NEP speaks of using trans-disciplinarity by creating synergy between disciplines via collaborative problem-solving in groups. As an illustration, mathematics and coding can be used to gain insights into Pingal's discoveries in mathematics through Sanskrit poetry. If students of Sanskrit can work hand in hand with students of mathematics and IT, much good shall result for all of them. That is the larger picture the NEP is trying to portray.

Dinesh Singh is former Vice-Chancellor, Delhi University; Adjunct Professor of Mathematics, University of Houston, US. Twitter: @DineshSinghEDU