Page 58 - EducationWorld June 2022_Neat

International News

To enter one of India’s 23 IITs, applicants must pass a
rigorous entrance exam jointly set up by these institutions.
In India, many students prepare for years, often receiving
tailored tutoring, a fact illustrated by the country’s massive
home-grown coaching industry. “We are very particular (at
IIT-Delhi) that anyone who enters the undergraduate pro-
gramme has to clear our entrance exam — we’re not saying
that international students are not smart enough, but the
entrance examination is a very tough competition,” says
Prof. Sanghi.
Years ago, the IITs created a Direct Admission for Stu-
dents Abroad programme to admit international students
based solely on their high school grades. But it was limited
in scope, and once admitted, students often struggled, re-
calls Sanghi. Gender segregated Kabul University students
For now, at least, those barriers look unlikely to change
much. Without the willingness to change their entry crite- even in public. “We need a third person to bring messages.
rion, the prospect of IITs’ Indian campuses becoming more Everything becomes very ridiculous. In this century, we use
international in the future seems slim. a third person to communicate,” the lecturer says.
Another lecturer, who works at Herat University and
AFGHANISTAN also asked to remain anonymous, believes that sweeping
Grim future changes are in store for higher education — an opinion he
said is shared by his colleagues. “I think (the Taliban) will
ACADEMICS IN AFGHANISTAN FEAR THAT the change curriculums in all fields of studies, particularly law
past semester could be their last before the Taliban schools. They will add religious topics,” he says.
closes universities ahead of major reforms. Like others, he noted that the Taliban had already re-
The country’s fundamentalist regime, which took over neged on its promise to continue girls’ secondary education
nine months ago, has already put its stamp on higher edu- with closure of girls’ schools in April — not a good sign for
cation. It has forced out female faculty members and seg- universities, which, unlike schools, are co-educational. At
regated students by gender, establishing physical barriers least one university has stated that it will further separate
between men and women and changing schedules to divide male and female students, with men coming to campus
them into separate classes. on odd number dates, and women on even dates. The an-
In recent weeks, women have been banned from at- nouncement was made by Kabul University, but was be-
tending academic conferences or participating in gradua- lieved to come from the ministry of education.
tion ceremonies with men. But despite these increasingly
restrictive measures, many women students have at least SOUTH KOREA
been able to continue attending courses — something that Reform resistance
lecturers fear could change soon.
While the Taliban has denied rumours that it intends SOUTH KOREA’S INCOMING EDUCATION min-
to shutter universities, its reassurances have been met ister may struggle to make the sweeping reforms
with scepticism, with academics broadly believing that the necessary to address critical problems in the coun-
regime intends to keep institutions closed until it can re- try’s higher education sector.
structure university curricula to conform with its extreme Kim In-Chul, who is likely to assume the post after
religious outlook. “They have big plans for higher educa- president-elect Yoon Suk-yeol takes office in June, served
tion…and they want to just buy time to bring those changes two consecutive terms as president of Hankuk University
according to their own views,” says one academic, who re- of Foreign Studies, where he was a professor. He also head-
quested to remain anonymous for his safety. ed the Korean Council for University Education (KCUE),
He worries that the resumption of higher education un- which represents four-year universities in the country.
der the Taliban thus far is only a short-term measure “and But academics say that Prof. Kim will have to contend
that our rulers, the Islamic emirate, reached the conclusion with strong political forces to push through any meaning-
that it’s not a good idea continuing this system”. Already, ful changes to the sector, which is grappling with steeply
constraints imposed by the Taliban have forced faculty dropping enrolments.
and students to find roundabout ways of continuing daily South Korea is known globally for its strong education,
activities. In universities, male lecturers are banned from but the subject is also a political hot potato, with candidates
meeting female colleagues or students in their offices or for the presidency largely skirting it during their campaigns.

58 EDUCATIONWORLD JUNE 2022