Page 24 - EW January 2025

Education News

in March 2023 because they had less than 30 children THEY SAID IT
on their muster rolls. Even at the higher end of the K-12
education continuum, class XI-XII students are dropping “Even though just one-third of Indians
out in large numbers — 3.9 lakh between 2022-24. who are of college-going age actually go
Consequently, Bengal’s gross enrolment ratio (GER) in
higher education has also taken a sharp dip. In 2021-22, to college — that share is about 80 percent
West Bengal’s GER was 26.3 percent, against the national in US and UK — 13 percent of Indians with
average of 25.4 percent and way below Delhi (49 percent), advanced degrees remain unemployed, one
Telangana (40 percent) and Kerala (41.3 percent). More- of the highest shares in the world. In US, that
over, with only nine colleges per 100,000 population, share is 2.3 percent and in UK 2.7 percent.”
West Bengal is far short of the all India average of 25 Chandrima Banerjee, journalist, in an essay titled 'UGC
colleges per lakh. With 955 undergrad colleges, the state is chasing 'flexibility' in a blind maze' (Times of India,
accounted for only 2.69 percent of colleges countrywide. December 10)
Against this backdrop, legislation of new private uni-
versities, which raises the number of universities to 44, “The country's education system measures
will create capacity in the state’s higher education system
as well as significant employment opportunities. Howev- success only if one becomes an engineer or
er, the inauguration on December 19 of the development a doctor, or joins the IAS/IPS or gets into the
centre of IT major, Infosys Technologies which has offices forces, which is just one or two percent of our
in more than 50 countries worldwide, marks a major mile- population, and 90 percent of our population
stone for Chief Minister Banerjee and TMC. is never going to do this. Our education sys-
Built at a cost of Rs.426 crore on a 50-acre campus on tem disregards many things, it undervalues
the eastern fringe of Kolkata, this business development many professions and overvalues these four
centre will employ 4,000 IT professionals. “This state-of- or five professions. So those are the types of
the-art facility, where IT professionals will drive innova- things that I would like to change.”
tion, stands as a symbol of inclusivity, sustainability, and Rahul Gandhi, leader of the Opposition, addressing IIT
excellence,” Banerjee tweeted enthusiastically. Madras students (The Week, January 5)
nfosys is the latest megacorporate to set up shop in Ben-
Igal. An estimated 2,200 IT companies have offices in
the state, including TCS, Wipro, IBM and Accenture. A “The new UGC regulations granting gover-
new Silicon Valley involving an investment of Rs.27,000 nors broader control over VC appointments
crore is also rising on 200 acres in New Town, Kolkata and allowing non-academics to hold these
with the potential to create 75,000 jobs. Moreover, NTT posts are a direct assault on federalism
Tokyo (the fourth largest telecommunications company and state rights. This authoritarian move by
in the world in terms of revenue) completed construction
of the first phase of its data centre campus in Kolkata last the Union BJP government seeks to cen-
March, and CtrlS Datacenter (Asia’s largest data centre tralise power and undermine democratically
operator) announced an investment of Rs.2,200 crore to elected state governments. Education must
develop a data centre in the city. remain in the hands of those chosen by the
Although in recent years, Banerjee’s leadership has people, not dictated by Governors acting at
been dimmed by rampant corruption allegations and the BJP government’s behest.”
the RG Kar Medical College rape and murder incident of M.K. Stalin, Tamil Nadu chief minister, on new
August 9 which greatly eroded public trust, these latest guidelines issued by the University Grants
developments offer her a chance to rebuild her image with Commission (The Wire, January 7)
the influential middle class which highly values education
initiatives. And Infosys’ entry signals an expanding tech
footprint in the region and reinforces the state’s reputa- “There isn’t a snowball’s chance in hell that
tion as an emerging IT hub. Canada would become part of the United
Political pundits believe that with focused implemen- States. Workers and communities in both
tation of her development agenda — education, employ- our countries benefit from being each other’s
ment, and industrial growth — Banerjee can regain public biggest trading and security partner.”
trust, present herself as a forward-looking, action-orient- Justin Trudeau, former Canadian PM on US President-
ed leader and consolidate her position before the 2026 elect Donald Trump’s statement that the US is ready
assembly election. to make Canada its 51st state (Business Today,
Baishali Mukherjee (Kolkata) January 8)

24 EDUCATIONWORLD JANUARY 2025 “