more viable higher education could be brought about in India? SK: I believe that India does not have financial resource constraints. With several lakhs of crores of rupees squandered re- peatedly in many corruption scandals, and with close to US$100 billion siphoned off overseas in black money every year, I be- lieve that there is no funding crisis in the country. It is a matter of leadership, priori- tization, allocation, and focus. IPM: You seem to be implying a cer- tain kind of urgency to bring about a change like NOW in India. What is the ur- gency and why? SK: As I look at India’s higher educa- tion system, I am deeply concerned about the challenges and excited by the opportu- nities to make an impact. Consider this— in the next 35-50 years, India must educate and prepare 700 million to 1.3 billion young men and women for their lives and careers. They will also need jobs. The chal- lenges and opportunities are immense. India’s higher education system is already struggling. We need fresh thinking, sweep- ing reforms, and a sense of urgency to transform the system. Transforming colleges and universities takes time. We must start the transforma- tion process now to make an impact at scale and in time. If we don’t, we could face unmitigated disaster. If we do, the up- side is a golden India, and a brighter world. SK: Yes. Building a golden India would require a massive push and a pull, and lots of hard work on the part of many. I would love for your readers to read my book and equally important join the con- versations and be a part of the movement that will build a golden India. Use the hashtag #IAmForGoldenIndia on Twitter or Facebook. The book can be purchased at: www.amazon.com/author/shailkumar For more information on the book or au- thor , visit: www.shailkumar.com Note: some of the materials is from Building Golden India and is copyrighted. The author and publisher have granted India Parent mag- azine the rights to publish those materials . IPM: Do you have any closing com- ments for the readers?
Most of India’s islands of excellence such as IITs, IIMs, AIIMS are single-field focused institutions. Increasingly, innovation and new ideas are coming at the intersection of multiple disciplines. For example, medical doctors collaborating with science and en- gineering faculty are developing new cost- effective diagnostics and surgical devices. Engineering faculty members are working with law, economics, and business faculty members to develop innovative solutions for energy and water challenges. Artists and humanists are working with architects, city planners, business school, and engi- neering faculty members to create more in- novative products, workspaces, and city designs. Universities such as Stanford, UC Berkeley and MIT are all world-class com- prehensive research universities. India, its faculty and students, and industry are missing the upside from not having such valuable institutions. On another extreme, in India, nearly 75 percent of the students are enrolled in affiliated college system. These are under- graduate colleges where the teachers do not conduct any research. Affiliating uni- versity sets their curriculum, fees, and exams. The average college size is around 720 students and 27 teachers. Imagine get- ting your undergraduate degree where there is no research and less than 30 teach- ers to prepare you for life and career! No wonder, according to one study, 75 percent to 90 percent of the students graduating in India are considered unemployable by the industry. IPM: Do reservations and affirmative action count a lot positively/negatively? How are they different in the countries you compared? SK: In my book, I have avoided any discussion of matters that divide us. Thus, I do not talk about reservations, which have been used by politicians to divide us on so many fronts for way too long. We must focus on providing “Excellent educa- tion for all”. It is not only possible but also desired by one and all. IPM: Keeping in mind the vast contra- dictions existing between India and the US (especially with high end universities such as Stanford and UC Berkeley that you have case studied) such as population, poverty, culture and politics, how do you think a
IPM: Are you passionate about writ- ing in general or just this topic, which evi- dently offers crucial reforms to Indian higher education? SK: As an IITian and engineer, writing does not come naturally to me. I am more comfortable developing strategy, solving problems, writing short e-mails, preparing power point slides, and making things happen. However, the topic of India and its higher education system is so important to me that I felt that writing the book was the best way to increase awareness and gener- ate enthusiasm for comprehensive reforms. IPM: What is the kind of response you got so far and what else are you expecting? Do you think your suggestions will be taken seriously in India especially under the current government? SK: I am delighted by the response from leaders and readers alike. My book has received rave reviews from several in- dustry titans, entrepreneurs, faculty mem- bers in MIT, Stanford, and UC Berkeley, President-emeritus, University of Califor- nia, young professionals, and students. As an entrepreneur and activist, I am naturally optimistic. I am also inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s words of wisdom, “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” I believe that many of the initiatives launched by the current central govern- ment such as Make in India and Digital India depend on a well-educated and well- prepared work force, at a large scale. A stronger economy also needs a stronger re- search, innovation, and entrepreneurship ecosystem. A transformed and vibrant higher education system can enable the current government in improving the econ- omy, creating more jobs, and ushering Acche Din for the masses. I am hopeful that they will see my book and its message as a win-win proposition. IPM: Can you give us a couple of ex- amples as to how Indian higher education is different from that which is available here? SK: In my book the differences, which are many and stark, are highlighted over many chapters. Let’s focus on two points: Almost seventy years after independ- ence India does not have even one world- class comprehensive research university.
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