Idea Exchange: ‘RTE should be tailormade to suit Maharashtra’

Private universities are not seen just in Maharashtra but are a pan-India phenomenon. There is a need to implement the new Universities Act. The earlier government had introduced it. However, we will implement it after a few changes. Universities should be free from politics. Even self-financed or private universities should offer innovative courses. The idea, like former V-C of Mumbai University Ram Joshi said, is to make students shop around for courses. They should get a variety of courses to choose from. We plan to have skill development, and sports universities too.

Shaji Vikraman: In the light of the ASER report, the education scenario in Maharashtra doesn’t look good. What fundamental changes do you have in mind for school and higher education?

I don’t believe in any fundamental change in education. The trend of a new minister changing policies must end. I believe it (change) should be a continuous process. All decisions should be taken by academicians only, we (legislators) can only make suggestions. Teachers, educationalists, parents and college students must take decisions to bring in reforms in education. Vice-Chancellors, busy conducting exams, are unable to add value to academics. In 1984, there were only 80 colleges, the number has increased to 740. I am discussing with experts and academicians if we can have a state examination board that can conduct exams up to graduation. The board should be responsible for all logistics including hiring exam centres, printing and transporting papers to the centre, etc.

Shubhangi Khapre: You mentioned reforms in the RTE Act. What, according to you, is the mismatch between the RTE Act introduced by the Centre and its implementation in the state?

When the Centre introduced the RTE, they had in mind a picture of the whole country. They did not consider conditions specific to states like Maharashtra. We had been allowed to amend some rules within three years of implementation of the RTE Act, which we did not. So we accepted the RTE Act suggested by the centre. For example, What can we do through basic education to develop Intelligence Quotient (IQ) of students? We want to introduce a system to develop students through five Qs – IQ, emotional quotient, social quotient, spiritual quotient and entrepreneurial quotient. All this is not well planned in the Act.

Shubhangi Khapre: Are you planning to have the state’s own RTE Act?

Yes, We are looking at an RTE Act of our own. However, this will take time, at least six months. This needs thorough brainstorming, and the first reaction of people is criticism. This needs to be planned well as it will affect generations to come. Some rules of the RTE Act introduced by the Centre cannot be implemented. Schools in some areas of Mumbai cannot be closed down or penalised for non-compliance as it will not be practically possible for them. There are issues pertaining to academics and infrastructure that need to be amended.

Dipti Singh: You once said that the state is planning to opt out of the national common medical entrance test (NEET). When is the state planning to do that, and how?

We opted for the national medical entrance test and students from the state have been appearing for it since 1993. When we opted for NEET we had to sacrifice 15 per cent of medical seats, 340 seats, for students from other states. But when we reviewed the process we found that number of students from Maharashtra opting to study in medical colleges in other states over the past decade is negligible. Hardly 25-27 students take admission in other states. We realised we are wasting these 340 seats. Hence I felt the need to opt out of NEET.

Sandeep Ashar: When you talk about students getting to “shop” for courses, how will opting out of NEET help students get more options?

What are the options for students if there are no good colleges outside Maharashtra? There are hardly two to three good medical colleges which students prefer. The number of students from Maharashtra opting for medical courses is negligible. We want to get back these 15 per cent seats… The government will request the Supreme Court to allow it to opt out of the NEET.

Mihika Basu: Currently, unaided minority schools are exempt from the RTE Act. A lot of schools are applying for minority status. Hence these children are not able to study in elite schools. Are you going to change that?

The Supreme Court has allowed handicapped students from the minority community to be admitted to schools run by their community. They are not allowed to totally skip RTE. The SC has said they cannot be forced to take students from other communities. But in the RTE Bill, if possible, even if we do introduce this change, they have protection offered by Article 30, so finally it will not stand in SC.

Kavitha Iyer: Do you have a roadmap for reviving student politics in colleges?

I think there should be college elections. Principals and vice-chancellors brought a ban when a murder took place outside Mithibai College during student polls, but the murder was due to some personal rivalry. In February, we will hold a student leaders’ meet. I will note their proposals. And students will fill forms for UR and GS, not CR. Students contesting for UR posts will speak on why they should be chosen, and answer questions from students. The next day, the process will be repeated for GS aspirants. Students will have to vote through code numbers for each contestant. We will start this process in the next academic year.

Zeeshan Shaikh: Do you think there is a need for the state to re-evaluate aided schools? There seems to be a problem with rolls being inflated. Why can’t the government give scholarships directly to students instead of funding the institutions?

That would have been the right process, but we have crossed the halfway mark now, we can’t go back. Instead, if we could now bring everything online. If I own an institution and on paper if there are 45 students, I should be informed of that. There is manipulation in that. If there are 100 students, the institution gets three more teachers and these teachers are also on paper. If this is online, we can reduce 80 percent of corruption. We have started the process. It should be done in a year’s time.

Dipti Singh:You had quite a lot of representations to revise the syllabus and add Indian values. What do you mean by Indian values?

If I ask anybody about Shivaji. They would not know him in entirety. Even during his time, there were famine regulation systems, forest policies, water management policies and a taxation system. We do not teach those. After 60 years of Independence, we are not to teach about their tales of strength. Now we should be teaching about their administration. The thought process is changing every 5-10 years and education should be changed accordingly.

Zeeshan Shaikh: What is the government’s stand on opening of Aligarh Muslim University in Maharashtra? Two spots were identified —Malegaon and and Aurangabad.

I am asked to study what courses exist in this university which are not found elsewhere. If it is just a matter of an additional university, we have that. If there is a need, we definitely should go for it. If a university offers monotonous, routine subjects and faculty, what is the need for it? People must have identified these spots. If it is going to help education in Maharashtra, we welcome it.

Anant Goenka: There seems to be a hint of the Shiv Sena in you. You keep saying Marathi language should be spoken more.

The market is demand driven. If I get a call today and the caller starts in English, I would say I don’t understand. Then he would try Hindi and if I tell him he should speak Marathi, because that’s what I understand, the person at the call centre who may be a non-Marathi will learn Marathi because of this. You will have to learn Marathi for dialogue with the common man. This will be demand driven in the market. If 9 crore of the 12 crore people demand conversation in Marathi, businessmen would ask their employees to learn Marathi. And only if you know the language would you be able to secure the job. The employee would learn to speak Marathi. And if a Marathi lives in Kerala, he should speak some Malayalam.

Mansi Phadke: Can the state do anything to stop or regulate donation scams in schools? Schools often ask for donations.

Nobody complains. Parents should complaint against schools that ask for donations.