INDIA NEEDS TO SPEND MORE ON EDUCATION

Mukesh Devrari 

No country can become developed country unless it spends money on creating world-class institutions for higher education. There is no short cut to success, not for individuals, not even for nation-states. Education is the most powerful tool to transform the fortunes of nation-states, yet not a priority of our rulers. In fact, corporate-controlled media in third world countries tries to describe it as avoidable government expenditure. It shows the shallowness of our understanding of the need to spend more on education and its potential impact on our coming generations.

India decided to ensure access to universal primary education in the early years of the 21^st century. It was a remarkable project launched more than five decades after independence. India is now reaping the benefits of increased literacy rate among its impoverished citizens. Still, it is difficult to quantify the real benefits. It is easier to spot a school-age child helping his illiterate mother in using the metro train in Delhi. 

You can see youngsters, who would not have been able to recognize the written word without universal access to primary education scheme launched by the Indian government two decades ago, reading newspapers, opening bank accounts, using ATMs, learning about social welfare schemes, using the internet to acquire more information and so on. Opportunities are generated when people acquire more and more information. 

India cursed two of its generation with illiteracy. If there is a god somewhere, s/he will not forgive the Indian ruling elite since 1947 for missing for many decades. It is not all over yet. But unfortunately, most of the people in higher positions are not competitive to lead our amazing country. They may be in a higher position, but they cannot imagine, that is their bigger weakness. They might have learned a few things deeply, but they cannot think to solve our problems.

Indian system corrupts individuals to the core and discourages independent thinking and imagination. One does not need more than common sense to know that if India will have many world-class centres of higher education in the field of computing, artificial intelligence, data science, robotics and so on, then some of the graduates of these institutions are likely to create companies and also work with advanced technology companies. 

Former judge of the Indian Supreme Court said ninety per cent of Indians are idiots. They can be easily misled in the name of religion. In fact, people in all countries can be misled easily, not necessarily because they are idiots but they are the victims of widespread propaganda of corporate media. Human beings are incapable of thinking in a vacuum. They need tools to think.

Masses have no idea along with the ruling elite which is also incapable of thinking and imagining ways to build a better world. It is more interested in maintaining the status quo. If there will be top-notch social science institutions, India will be able to form economic policies for benefitting its society. If there will be places for learning philosophy, level of debate and conversation is likely to increase considerably in our society, if there will be great places to learn the law, India will have a better administration of justice. If people will be highly educated, they are likely to choose better leadership. 

It is extremely unfortunate that national governments across the third world are not ready to understand the importance of spending more money in the education sector. It is utmost important for our national government to allocate more of its resources in building educational institutions. That is the only way to make progress in the long run.

It is highly unfortunate that governments can find a lot of money to buy weapons, maintain large armies and create other infrastructures like statues but no one is willing to spend on higher education. If there will be a god somewhere, he will hang all Prime Ministers of India since 1947 except Vajpayee for ignoring education in India. Right to education was launched during his tenure.

Ideally, India should have one university for a population of half a million people, that's a global standard. If we find it difficult to achieve then at least India should create one university per two million people. It is a crime, extreme ignorance and madness to think that private industries can come forward and create educational institutions to fulfil all our requirement. 

There are many private universities in India, none of them likely to feature among the top global university. Still, private individuals, companies and institutions should be welcomed and encouraged to create educational institutions, but they cannot look beyond profits, that makes their impact, potential, utility and scale extremely limited. There should be proper regulation to maintain at least minimum standards. The government should intervene and create educational institutions of higher learning across the country.

It is our collective responsibility as a society to create world-class educational institutions and ensure equitable access. Increasing the funding of existing institutions is equally important. We must reward people who are doing cutting edge research, provide more funds to them, invite people trained in top-ranked western educational institutions to serve in India, increase funding for research in STEM subjects, encourage funding in research and innovation by private companies and so on. Before it is too late, India must prioritise it. 

India is likely to fail the majority of its population if it did not increase allocation to education in budget every year. India can become superpower only by creating world-class education institutions. It will prepare India for rapid industrialization and create highly advanced technology sector. Country of India's size cannot make progress by relying solely on agriculture and service sector for economic progress.    

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