Dr. Shashi Tharoor, renowned author, orator, and Parliamentarian, has called on teachers to focus on teaching students how to think rather than what to think. “We need to foster innovative thinking,” he emphasized during his keynote address on the “4E’s of the Future of Education” at JAIN (Deemed-to-be University)’s Summit of the Future in Kochi on Sunday.
Tharoor, who was airlifted from Kozhikode in the afternoon, was greeted by a packed audience at the KINFRA International Convention Centre.
He harped on India’s tremendous growth after Independence and how the system should evolve to produce industry-ready graduates from our education system.
He said when the British left the country, India’s literacy rate was just 16 percent and the country had only four lakh college students. “But the country made humongous progress thanks to Jawaharlal Nehru’s vision. It helped India build its own system,” he said.
He said India focussed on 3 E’s in education – Expansion, Equity and Excellence – after Independence. Expansion of the education system empowered billions of Indians, equity ensured inclusion of those who were excluded from the system, excellence created premier institutions like IIMs and IITs. “I brought in the fourth ‘E’ – Employability – into the system when I became the Human Resource Development minister during the UPA rule. The aim was to produce graduates with skills needed for the 21st century,” he said.
He said employability is still a major cause of concern as industry honchos are still complaining about the quality of our graduates. He cited a survey conducted by the Kerala unit of the All India Professional Congress, which found that 66 percent of engineering graduates in the state were engaged in non-engineering professions. He also cited another study, which stated that only 16 percent of the graduates are ready for jobs. “So companies are forced to train fresh recruits for a year to fill the industry-academic gap,” Tharoor said.
He said education is not just a transfer of knowledge, but it is a tool to bring in changes in the society. “Education should be inclusive, dynamic and transformative. It is the foundation of the progress of any country. Education should be used to oppose hate-mongering and divisive agenda,” he said.
He lauded JAIN (Deemed-to-be University) for being the beacon of excellence and producing innovators and change-makers in the country.
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