Page 36 - EducationWorld June 2020

Cover Story

Ranjan Pai sity (SMU). All of them are highly
Chairman, Manipal Education & Medical Group regarded and respected.
My mission is to develop them
n alumnus of Kasturba into national institutions and over
Medical College, Manipal time, international institutions of
Awith a fellowship in hospital excellence. MAHE is the legacy my
administration from the Children’s grandfather TMA Pai left for my
Hospital, Wisconsin, USA, Dr. father Ramdas to build into India’s
Ranjan Pai is chairman and CEO of #1 private university and Institute of
the transnational Manipal Education Eminence. Moreover he promoted
and Medical Group (MEMG) which MUJ (2011) and SMU (1995). I have
comprises three universities in India set myself the target of developing
and three abroad in Malaysia, Dubai MAHE into a Top 200 university in
and Antigua (West Indies) with an the World University Rankings of QS
aggregate number of 44,532 students and/or Times Higher Education.
mentored by 4,043 faculty.
Damodar Goyal
The Covid-19 crisis has majorly dis-
rupted the education system. How has President, Society for Unaided Private
the Manipal Group responded to this Schools of Rajasthan
challenge?
commerce graduate of
All our universities in India and A
Rajasthan University,
overseas have transitioned to online, Damodar Prasad Goyal is
digital and virtual modes of learning. What are your Top 3 proposals for reviv- president of the Society for Unaided
Although it has been a challenging ing and reforming higher education in Private Schools of Rajasthan
period for us to quickly adopt this India? (estb.1997). Under his leadership,
teaching-learning methodology, our The first is to provide greater au- the society challenged s. 12 (1)
faculty and students have adapted tonomy to universities to allow them (c) of the RTE Act, 2009 which
to it enthusiastically and there is, to focus on building quality and mandated that all private schools
generally, high appreciation with the excellence in learning, research and reserve 25 percent capacity in
speed and quality of switch to digital knowledge creation. elementary school (class I-VIII) for
education. The second is to encourage poor children and provide them
universities to focus on research.
What are the major challenges confront- free-of-charge education with
ing higher education in the new Covid-19 Grants and monetary support should partial reimbursement from state
era? be provided for this. Great academic governments. The society’s writ
The essence of university education institutions are centres of excellent petition was partially upheld by
research and intellectual capital
is the experience of life and learn- the Supreme Court. Goyal is also
ing on campus. This will change in leading to discovery and innovation management consultant to a large
that drives the progress of nations
the near term with the ‘new normal’ number of private schools across the
mandating physical distancing and around the world. country.
And finally, if private universities
wearing of masks. These new rules How have private schools responded to
will bring new challenges. However, and higher education institutions the Covid-19 disruption?
have to attract the best students, they
life on university campuses will not
be the same anymore and we are not should be highly affordable, offering The Covid-19 pandemic broke
liberal scholarships, fee subsidies
abruptly and schools were not
entirely sure how students will ac-
cept this change. and financial support. We should prepared to deal with the situation.
look at western models where uni- However given their commitment
Several state governments have issued versity endowments go a long way to to the cause of continuous learning,
fees waiver/ deferment circulars to pri- address this need. The government private school managements and
vate school and college managements. should encourage the creation of en- teachers have ensured that children’s
What’s your comment? dowment corpuses of universities by education continues with minimal
Most Indian private academic insti- providing tax incentives to alumni, disruption. Accessing off-the-shelf
tutions depend almost entirely on donors and philanthropists. readily available technology, within
student fees to operate, attract and What are your future plans? no time teachers started e-teaching
retain good faculty, and to expand The Manipal Education Group has through videos, work-sheets, assign-
infrastructure. Institutional rev- three universities in India — MAHE ments and interactive classes.
enues from grants, endowments and recognised as an Institute of Emi- What are the major challenges confront-
financial aid and support is either nence by the Union government and ing K-12 education in the new Covid-19
negligible or non-existent. Fee waiv- ranked India’s #1 private university era?
ers and deferment will severely dis- by EducationWorld for the past four A major challenge is the nega-
rupt their operations, at a time when years, Manipal University Jaipur tive attitude of parents, media and
they have to invest substantially in (MUJ) and Sikkim Manipal Univer- government towards private schools.
technology.

36 EDUCATIONWORLD JUNE 2020