That education — and higher education in particular — in Uttar Pradesh, Indias most populous (166 million in 2001) and arguably most socio-economically backward state (adult literacy: 56.3 percent), has always been lower on the states development agenda than building statues of departed political leaders and incumbent chief minister Ms. Mayawati, is a widely accepted reality. But even so, a revelation given much play in the media that a high powered committee constituted by the state government to draft a higher education policy for UP, which was to submit its final report last October, has met only twice thus far, has shocked the usually cynical academic community in the state. Unable to present even an outline of the policy, the panel has asked for an extension of three months to submit its report in February.Following the states 24 universities and 1,637 collegiate institutions receiving much flak from the Delhi-based University Grants Commission (UGC), last June the state government constituted a high-powered committee headed by Dr. Hari Gautam, former UGC chairman, to draft a higher education policy for UP. The committee was asked to recommend measures to improve quality and ensure social equity in the states institutions of higher education.
Besides making recommendations for qualitative improvement of higher education institutions, the terms of reference of the new committee include suggestions for regulating admissions, fixation of tuition fees and grant of affiliation to colleges by varsities in the state. Moreover, it will report on infrastructural gaps in the system and recommend ways to remove them.
Academics in Lucknow, the state capital, are pleasantly surprised that the ruling caste-focused Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) government headed by Mayawati, which has acquired nation-wide notoriety for wasteful spending on memorial parks and statues, has shown sensitivity to the need for higher education reform and upgradation. Perhaps there is growing awareness within the state government that the mere 2.5 million students who enter UPs higher education system, are crammed into classes where the teacher-student ratio averages 1:100 because of chronic faculty shortage. Of 14,400 sanctioned posts in the states 24 universities, 2,500 are vacant.
Nevertheless, most academics in Lucknow are skeptical because this is not the first time such a high-powered committee has been constituted to reform and upgrade UPs deeply politicised, moribund higher education institutions. In 2006-07, the state planning department formed several committees headed by experts to suggest measures for qualitative improvement in teacher training. But their recommendations were never made public.
In 2007-08, following a statewide vice chancellors conference, several commi-ttees were formed to revamp collegiate fee structures and reform the exam-ination and admission systems, but their recommendations were cold storaged. Likewise, last year a massive exercise was initiated with the help of the Academic Staff College (ASC), Lucknow to train teachers and make the states colleges worthy of accreditation by the Bangalore-based National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC). Very few ASC suggestions were implemented. Comments Nishi Pandey, director ASC: In UP there is too much discussion and very little action, resulting in huge waste of potential.
Little wonder that very few — if any — academics are enthused that the Hari Gautam Committees report on rejuvenating UPs crumbling higher education system will work wonders. If and when it is actually written.
Vidya Pandit (Lucknow)