Page 18 - EducationWorld November 2020

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the pandemic era. India can and stalwarts in defence of the Indian
must do the same. Council of Agricultural Research
Ajay Mathur (ICAR), I believe there is a funda-
GURUGRAM mental flaw in their perception of
the role of publicly funded agricul-
ture studies and research. If it is
PM: Act urgently! compulsory for MBBS graduates of
YOUR COVER STORY ‘Prime government funded medical colleges
Minister: Indian education needs to serve a minimum tenure in rural
pandemic aid package’ (EW October) areas, why should the same not apply
exposes the Narendra Modi-led BJP for graduates/students of govern-
government’s willful neglect of the ment agricultural universities? How
pandemic-battered education sector. good is research and innovation if it
In India’s 1.2 million government does not solve problems at the grass-
schools teaching-learning has all but roots level?
stopped since the nationwide lock- These are questions that should
OCTOBER 2020 down was imposed in end-March, cross the minds of bureaucrats
and an estimated 20 million children responsible for framing policies for
have dropped out of the school edu- these ‘ivory tower’ institutions of
cation system. agriculture education excellence.
Truly shocking neglect Worse, because of the closure of Chandrika Menon on EMAIL
THANK YOU FOR the cover story 1.4 million anganwadis, youngest
‘Prime Minister: Indian education children are being deprived of nutri-
needs pandemic aid package’ (EW tion, and in government primary Pathetic outreach
October). It’s truly shocking that the schools, of their free mid-day meal I AM A regular reader of Educa-
prime minister didn’t allocate even for the past six months. The situation tionWorld. Your excellent Special
Re.1 to the education sector in the of private schools is no better as hun- Report ‘India’s ivory tower agricul-
government’s Rs.20.97 lakh crore dreds of budget private schools have tural universities’ (EW October) has
economic aid/stimulus package an- shut down across the country with streamed a strong spotlight on the
nounced in May. managements reeling under massive pathetic outreach of 71 government-
This despite several education fees revenue loss. funded agriculture universities which
activists pleading with the PM to Prime minister Narendra Modi have failed to improve the country’s
immediately address the nutrition should urgently heed your appeal productivity or GDP. An eye-opener
and education deprivation suffered before it’s too late! indeed!
by millions of children enrolled in Gargi Banerjee Indira Sawhney on EMAIL
government schools. Moreover, KOLKATA
surely it’s self-evident that under-
privileged children don’t have digital Miracle Foundation lead
devices or Internet connectivity to Perception flaw I ENJOYED READING Educa-
access the free online classes the YOUR WELL-WRITTEN feature tionWorld’s September issue. The
government is beaming on its free ‘India’s ivory tower agricultural articles are well-researched and
online learning portals. Already the universities’ (EW October) did an very informative and inspirational. I
prolonged closure of schools has excellent job of suggesting ways especially liked the People story on
forced millions of children to drop and means to improve productivity Nivedita Das Gupta, country head
out of the education system and join of the country’s agriculture sector of the Miracle Foundation which is
the country’s massive child labour and implementing the Union providing education and nutrition to
force. government’s recent initiatives for abandoned and orphaned children
The Central government needs liberalising and deregulating the living in child care institutions.
to urgently allocate a pandemic aid sector. It highlighted the hitherto We need many more such activ-
package for education to ensure glossed over issue of farm-academia ists to come forward and provide
learning continuity for all children, gap in this crucial sector that financial support to underprivileged
especially those in government provides employment to the majority children who have been especially hit
schools. Several countries have made of Indian citizens. hard by the Covid-19 pandemic.
generous allocations to keep their Despite the arguments presented Ranjani Lakshmikanth
education institutions alive during by eminent academics and industry BENGALURU

18 EDUCATIONWORLD NOVEMBER 2020