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No world-class institute in India: CNR Rao
TNN | Jun 1, 2011, 12.54am IST; Times of India
BANGALORE: C N R Rao, chairman of special advisory committee to PM, has said there is not a single institute or university of global standard in the country.
While Rao was seemingly echoing Union minister Jairam Ramesh's argument that IITs were good only because of students not faculty, he said he was not responding or reacting to Ramesh.
Speaking at a programme on nano technology organised by the Karnataka State Higher Education Council on Tuesday, Rao said not a single science institution in the country was in the top 100 and may be at best one or two in the top 500. "We are nowhere in the scheme of things when it comes to being a world class science academic destination. Everything we do from now on should be geared to taking a place in the top 100 and then top 10."
Rao said money was no longer an issue in Indian science. "I did a degree from the US and I was paid a salary of Rs 500 during my time. Now professors get Rs 1 lakh. There cannot be complaints. If the money is put in the right direction, results should be forthcoming."
He was worried that there were no takers for physics, a fundamental necessity for work in nano sciences. "We have colleges offering biotech instead. Here is an irony - people are too specialized such that industry cannot respond with jobs. We are creating niche specialists who cannot be in general employment. Result is we are generating qualified science graduates in one area who cannot find jobs in areas other than that."
Rao said nano technology would be helpful in the areas of medicine, electronics, semi-conductors and biology. The immediate future will see plenty of nano applications helping people drink pure drinking water to administering insulin in easier ways to tackle diabetes.
Higher education minister V S Acharya who keenly listened to Rao's observations said the state was planning a road map for nano technology. "We are working on the overall direction that nano technology should take in the immediate future. We will have a plan ready soon."
Source: No world-class institute in India: CNR Rao - The Times of India
TNN | Jun 1, 2011, 12.54am IST; Times of India
BANGALORE: C N R Rao, chairman of special advisory committee to PM, has said there is not a single institute or university of global standard in the country.
While Rao was seemingly echoing Union minister Jairam Ramesh's argument that IITs were good only because of students not faculty, he said he was not responding or reacting to Ramesh.
Speaking at a programme on nano technology organised by the Karnataka State Higher Education Council on Tuesday, Rao said not a single science institution in the country was in the top 100 and may be at best one or two in the top 500. "We are nowhere in the scheme of things when it comes to being a world class science academic destination. Everything we do from now on should be geared to taking a place in the top 100 and then top 10."
Rao said money was no longer an issue in Indian science. "I did a degree from the US and I was paid a salary of Rs 500 during my time. Now professors get Rs 1 lakh. There cannot be complaints. If the money is put in the right direction, results should be forthcoming."
He was worried that there were no takers for physics, a fundamental necessity for work in nano sciences. "We have colleges offering biotech instead. Here is an irony - people are too specialized such that industry cannot respond with jobs. We are creating niche specialists who cannot be in general employment. Result is we are generating qualified science graduates in one area who cannot find jobs in areas other than that."
Rao said nano technology would be helpful in the areas of medicine, electronics, semi-conductors and biology. The immediate future will see plenty of nano applications helping people drink pure drinking water to administering insulin in easier ways to tackle diabetes.
Higher education minister V S Acharya who keenly listened to Rao's observations said the state was planning a road map for nano technology. "We are working on the overall direction that nano technology should take in the immediate future. We will have a plan ready soon."
Source: No world-class institute in India: CNR Rao - The Times of India
