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embarrassment for the BJP govern- up foreign university campuses in
ment. I agree with Prof. Geeta King- India is warning that this initiative
don that domestic testing can never will have few takers.
compare with international testing. I fully agree with Dr. Pratap Bha-
PISA 2022 was indeed a ‘missed op- nu Mehta that universities cannot
portunity’ to measure the standing of flourish without academic freedom
our 15-year-olds against their global and autonomy. For the world’s top
counterparts. universities, autonomy is a serious
Sandeshana Jain and live issue. If we want to attract
MYSURU the world’s best to India, our higher
education regulators need to learn to
respect this concept.
Discriminatory & casteist Vikram Sen
IN YOUR Education News titled KOLKATA
‘Toilets cleaning row’ in Karnataka
(EW January), it’s not shameful
JANUARY 2024 that children are being made to Red carpet caution
clean toilets of their schools. What’s YOUR SPECIAL Report ‘Half-heart-
shameful is that only children of ed invitation to foreign universi-
Neglect outcome government schools are being made ties’ (EW January) was interesting.
YOUR COVER story analysing the to do so. Prof. Seetharamu has cited However, I don’t fully agree with
reasons why India pulled out of PISA the example of Japan where all your argument that the UGC regula-
2022 (EW January) was well argued. children — including those in private tions are onerous and will dissuade
Let’s face it! The time has come schools — are assigned classroom/ foreign universities from setting up
for India to accept that years of toilet cleaning duties. But it’s clear campuses in India.
education neglect has resulted in from the Karnataka incident that Let me bring to your notice that
poor student learning outcomes. We only poor children are being asked to officials of Deakin University, the
need to devise strategies to overhaul clean toilets. This is discriminatory first foreign varsity to set up a cam-
teaching-learning. Running away and casteist. pus in Gujarat’s GIFT City, have been
from competition can never be a Ramabhadran quoted in the media detailing how
solution. BENGALURU the formal process was smoothly
Mahmood Ali completed within 11 months, a time
VISAKHAPATNAM frame that they are happy about.
Inspirational stories Laying out a red carpet is good.
THE SUCCESS stories of two young But let’s remember it is our house
Missed opportunity achievers (EW January) — Anand- and we can’t let everyone in. Checks
THE FIRST issue of the year made kumar (speed skating) and Anahat and balances are required.
absorbing reading, especially your Singh (squash) — raised in sports Bindu Shah
thought-provoking cover story loving families was inspirational. AHMEDABAD
‘India opts out of PISA: prudence It’s very heartening that pro-
or cowardice?’ (EW January). The gressive parents are encouraging
BJP government’s U-turn on India’s children to take up sports without Exciting development
participation in OECD’s global read- being overly obsessed with aca- YOUR Teacher-2-Teacher essay
ing, science and math attainments demics. Also, it’s great to read that ‘ChatGPT can reshape children’s
test for 15-year-olds is disappointing, schools/colleges are offering budding learning’ (EW January) succinctly
especially after it expressed its firm sportspersons institutional support explains how AI’s immense power
resolve to participate. to pursue sports professionally. can be used to make teaching-learn-
The writing is clear on the wall. Jatin Handa ing more personalised.
Our K-12 education system is ob- DELHI The advent of AI is an exciting
solete and addicted to rote learning development in education and I
and memorisation pedagogies as hope that all teachers will be trained
manifest in the pathetic outcomes of Serious issue adequately in deploying this wonder
our students in PISA 2009. The NAS YOUR WELL-WRITTEN Special Re- technology in their classrooms.
(National Achievement Survey) 2021 port detailing the UGC’s discretion- Ramana Rao
survey results are also a national ary rules and regulations for setting MADURAI

24 EDUCATIONWORLD FEBRUARY 2024