The thought of writing something on this topic has been around for quite sometime now. But somehow I managed to delay the temptation. Finally, after listening to Kapil Sibal's interview, 10 mins ago, I decided its time for another small write-up on the blog. The interview was about the recent reforms our ambitious HRD minister endeavors to bring about. Now to our topic.
The world is heaving a sigh of relief as the economy all over the globe is strengthening. Certainly, the Indian service sector, the driver of our economy, will benefit to a significant extent. Among the IT and ITES sector, L&T Infotech, Mahindra Satyam, TCS and Infosys, among others, have bagged multi-million dollar projects. But then is there another angle to this sweet, nice picture?
Lets go back in time by 20 years.
The 7th largest nation of the world had no major say on matters of prominence. It was labeled as a poor country, struggling to cover its deficits and in debt despite the best efforts of its far sighted leaders. A country with high corruption and crime rate despite having a voluminous and a well-compiled Constitution and a system with healthy decentralization of power.
I agree that I have not brought out the positives but whatever I have stated above is true.
In those days we had lots of Indians flying to the Arab nations for employment. They used to comeback after a few years and were certainly richer but the nature of the work was anything but respectable. Their employers hired them because they found it cheaper than the local workers. In short: Indians, and workers from similar nations, supplied what was the "cheap labour" and were easily available because of the high number.
With changing tides, literacy level has increased, we are more skilled and learned. The result: lots of Indians are placed in positions where they pull the strings. There are more CEO's, doctors and engineers of Indian origin in the US than migrants of any other nation. India today is an important strategic partner for the so called "developed nations". However, we are still called the cheap laborers. A customer in US has to narrate the problems of his Notebook PC to someone sitting in an air-conditioned building in Bangalore. The pay rolls of workers in UK is being monitored by a Software application made by an Indian MNC. Certainly I am not questioning the quality of the jobs we perform as software engineers but why do we get to do only limited things?
Why does Intel, Google have a R&D wing but TCS and Infosys don't? Why do we have only one Anand Kumar and only one group of Super 30 in the entire country?
The answer to these troublesome questions lie in the education system. Let us look at the various actors involved in the education system: the parents, the School Management, the Teacher in the School, the Environment, Neighbours of the student, the State government and the Central government.
Clearly the government alone cannot reform the system. Measures need to be taken by everyone involved. Thankfully we have a minister who believes he can bring about positive changes. But is that enough? Academicians all over the country have been pressing for a contemporary syllabus. But aren't we underplaying the increased burden on the students? What should be done to prevent the small but significant brain drain from the country? Why did C.K.Prahalad choose US ahead of India?
What do you think? Is India high on potential, low on application?
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With special thanks to S.Praveen Kumar sir, who suggested the topic.
With lots of love
Atul Mishra