Empowering nation with education
India has one of largest higher education systems in the world and as Education is a key factor in determining the nation’s progress in our country more than 20 million students enroll for high school and approximately 10 million students enroll for pre-graduate degree courses. Since Independence the number of universities in India as grown to 578 approximately and the number of students pursuing higher education is approximately 11 million.
According to a US based consultancy India produces over 2 million university graduates per year. The overall enrollment of students in the collages is growing at an average of 7%to9 % per year and they are taught by five lakhs faculties employed in different higher education institute and universities. There has been a uniform growth in the number of students enrolling in self-financing educational institutions however the quality and quantity of teachers / faculty continues to remain a major thrust area of concern, As globally most premier educational institutions are facing an acute shortage of teachers and are failing to meet the guide lines as required “the student- teacher ratio” as specified by the statutory and regulatory bodies with large number of student enrolling every year and faculty size remaining all most stable there is a continues distortion in “Student teacher ratio” at all levels varying from schools to institute of higher education the rate of growth in teaching profession is far lower as compared to the growth rate of number of students.
Bearing in mind the Continual rise in enrollment of students every year in different universities to pursue higher education, and to ensure the quality guidance to these students, At least we can do is improve student teacher ratio by recruiting more faculty, Shortage in teaching staff often leads to Unfinished or Rushing through course curriculum well in academic calendar to complete the time frame as already the education institute face problem of being overburden by specified govt. holidays. On the vice-versa the student strength is growing constantly and the number of teaching faculty is falling short, the system of higher education is therefore in shambles. This has to be sooner or later handled properly otherwise the student loss will cascade on quality of education in particular and National Development in schools and colleges.
There are THREE major reasons behind the shortage of faculty.
One, not many students opt to join academics these days.
Two, with the limited resources in educational institutes and nominal pay packages offered by the govt. , the quality teachers looks forward to join private educational institutes for better remuneration.
Three: At the same time as compared to teaching corporate sector offers handsome packages, growth opportunities and future avenues further the engineering graduates are offered excellent packages which are two to three times the salary of a teacher.
It is under these circumstances that an individuals prefer other careers comparatively to academic world, however the hefty pay packages alone cannot guarantee rush of talented candidates to the academic world, here there is need to transform and orient the academic environment by making it conducive for intellectual and academic growth especially in non premium institutes, better economic supplements can be achieved by promoting research options for teachers by providing opportunities for future growth facilities like more promotions, Interdisciplinary research, travel grants, study leave, in- service training, emphasis on workshops, conferences, seminars, academic exchange programs, introduction of latest and hi- tech methods of learning and dissemination of knowledge, well equipped laboratories and well stocked high tech laboratories contribute a lot for innovative education.
As in United States and in Europe, the academicians are encouraged to take-up different research for central and state bodies and even the consultancies for industry and corporate that would help in supplementation of income of the teaching individual.
The teaching and research enjoyment in academic institutes has to be improved in number of ways so as to attract and involve the talented and not to create an environment where the talented individuals repel rather than attract. More often than not it is the push factor that supplies the teachers from the leftover pool of candidates who could not make elsewhere. It is imperative to make teaching and research attractive so as to pull in the desired set of candidates towards the teaching profession, in order to already quality and quantity crunched academic world of teachers.
With very warm feeling we appreciate your role in nation building. The exercise of national building begins with committed teacher, who is not only a fountain head of idea, talent and creativity; at the same time build the very foundation of our culture. What can bring us together are our common passions that are: welfare of teacher and nation building thereof.
We are a resource based interface facilitating educational activities organization- the central goal is to help teachers realize their own potential. We also embrace a policy of internationalization across the whole globe and facilitate exchange programs of teachers and students.
We want to work with you; there is need for a positive teacher’s role to achieve quality learning. Help in our attempt to establish more empowered teacher’s base, because you train those who train the steel pillars of our nation-young hopes, students.
We are sure that our shared commitment in national building will bear true fruits of development. Cheers!
Priya Mathur
Public Relation Officer