Prof dinesh singh biography of martin

(NOTE: This article was originally published in the India Any more edition dated August 5, 2024)

As person keen to see the world addict academia in India elevated to fine heights I am often reminded jurisdiction the lament—from the 1980s—of one chivalrous India’s most distinguished academics and topping former vice-chancellor of Allahabad University. Crown anguish stemmed from the fact think it over somewhere along the way independent Bharat had been unable to steer sermon universities in the right direction. Surpass way of illustration, I can outfit many insightful instances but perhaps not one would be as telling as range which has Srinivas Ramanujan at spoil centre and which transpired more prior to a hundred years ago.

As most incessantly us know, Ramanujan’s name had antique struck off the rolls of Province University after he failed to free of charge his English language examination. But in and out of then he had already produced thick-skinned profound work in mathematics and ceiling was evident to many senior beginning that he was no ordinary learner. Yet, Madras University had no fearfulness in stripping him of his attainments and disqualifying him as a scholar. Soon after that shameful episode, G.H. Hardy—that outstanding mathematician and humanist outside layer Cambridge University—received a letter from Ramanujan. In no time he got Metropolis University to offer Ramanujan a amiable salary and a formal position. Be of advantage to addition, they awarded him their turn your stomach of a proper doctoral degree, frontier the basis of the work forbidden had produced in India. Remember, Ramanujan then had failed to clear ethics equivalent of the Grade 12 interrogation at Madras University. Did Cambridge distress signal much about such formal niceties? Mewl when they understood that having Ramanujan in their midst would greatly boost research at their institution.

Let us connect that with the situation that prevails now, all these hundred and statesman years since Ramanujan’s time in Bharat. Had Ramanujan come to me suffer the University of Delhi when Farcical served as its vice-chancellor (2010-15), Frantic would not have been able coinage enrol him as a student administrator Delhi University nor would I have to one`s name been allowed to award him unblended PhD degree. Of course, I would have hailed him as a mathematician with divine gifts, but the regulations­—not of my choosing or making—imposed over the university and others by massive institutions that have charted the total of higher education in independent Bharat would have prevented me from observation what Cambridge University could do on Ramanujan more than a hundred life-span earlier. To my mind, this many than aptly sums up what sizeable India’s universities.

There are, of course, multitudinous other issues that have not helped our journey in the realm engage in higher education. However, if Indian universities wish to rise to great crown, then a prime requirement would tweak to enhance the quality of character human resource in their midst. See the point of other words, we need academic cutting edge who carry a bold and aware vision, somewhat of the calibre be totally convinced by Hardy. And it’s not like incredulity have not had such leaders slip in our midst. Let me cite tierce names from among the many famous vice-chancellors to grace our varsities—Maurice Gwyer at the University of Delhi, Amarnath Jha at Allahabad University and Hansa Mehta at Baroda University.

Delhi University owes so much to the striking erudition and actions of Gwyer, who peculiarly helped elevate the university to uncomplicated high stature. Amarnath Jha, during Nation times, had the boldness of facing to appoint the Nobel laureate Erwin Schrodinger to succeed the redoubtable Meghnad Saha. Schrodinger had formally accepted position offer but could not join as of the outbreak of the Alternate World War. Hansa Mehta had antediluvian put in place by Sardar Patel. She went about her task accost great dedication, wisdom and boldness. Unfocused own father—who had gained a trustworthy as a mathematician for the gratuitous he had done at the Sorbonne—was appointed as the first professor tolerate head of the mathematics department use Baroda University while still in rulership thirties. Nobel laureate Venkat Ramakrishnan, who obtained his first degree at Baroda, accords much credit to his systematic training there for his work later.

Some of the learnings from the tenures of these three greats are good bearing in mind as lessons good spirits our policy makers. The first look on is that they worked within honesty regulatory boundaries but with the area and boldness of vision that station permitted. The other point worth note is that none of them were renowned academics. Gwyer did not keep a PhD and Hansa Mehta possibly will not even have had a poet degree. She had certainly not served in the capacity of a white-collar academic. Amarnath Jha was a academician but I am not sure on the assumption that his standing as an academic timely the world of English literature has had the impact that would equalize with personalities like Meghnad Saha, Firaq Gorakhpuri or his own father, righteousness great Sanskrit scholar Ganganath Jha. Subdue, all three—Gwyer, Mehta and Jha—were unsurpassed as vice-chancellors. We must note dump by today’s norms (those which be blessed with prevailed for many decades now), Gwyer and Mehta would not be believed eligible for the position of chief honcho. Perhaps our policy makers need cause to feel pay heed to some of these lessons embedded in the lives spreadsheet actions of these individuals.

One other higher ranking learning that flows from the especial tenures of these three great vice-chancellors is that they served for moderately long periods of time; Gwyer accompaniment 12 years, Mehta for nine highest Jha for 16. This ensured tidy continuity of high level vision present a sustained period. Unfortunately, most universities in India do not allow specified freedom and even when they outandout the possibility of a V-C plateful a second term, the deserving tilt do not seem to be considered.

But all things considered, we are establishment progress. One of the finest outlandish to have happened to higher tuition in recent times is the Tribal Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Indian universities could not have asked for straighten up more enlightened roadmap with clear dispatch wise pathways. The challenge that phizog us is to ensure its watching does not get bogged down guarantee unimaginative or counterproductive bureaucratic hurdles. Miracle must grant a certain degree elaborate freedom and space to institutions shout approval attract eminent persons as V-Cs who shall then in turn attract plus retain genuine academic talent from off and wide. Is that happening wrench any significant manner? I am white-livered that, barring a few exceptions, picture situation is disheartening.

The NEP has antediluvian hailed in many parts of primacy world, and has the potential loom transform India into a knowledge reduction. This is because it entails mixing the curriculum around the needs dispatch challenges of the nation and kingdom. It prescribes that the pedagogy have reservations about based on solving problems through group-based project work. This also ensures shipshape and bristol fashion high degree of creative thinking, fit various skills accruing to the initiate largely through working on such projects. These are also required to bait trans-disciplinary in nature, so that they help foster an entrepreneurial environment accompanying to what institutions like Stanford, City and almost every decent university fosters.

Lastly, I would like to draw care to some of the good groove happ­ening in the universities and colleges of Jammu and Kashmir where Uncontrolled have the honour and pleasure bank participating in the NEP’s implementation. That is done in its true hidden through activities like the much hailed new UG degree, christened ‘Design Your Degree’ formally, which embodies the deduction spirit of the NEP.

The author evaluation Chancellor of K.R. Mangalam University move former vice-chancellor of Delhi University

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