University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign began an ambitious initiative in mid-August to repeatedly test for free all students, faculty and staff for novel coronavirus using a rapid saliva-based test that was developed in-house. This model has now been emulated by other American universities. As educational institutions in India are set to open to students under … Continue reading A few U.S. universities rely on rapid tests for safe return to campuses
Education
Reopening schools in India before coronavirus spread is reduced can be disastrous
At a time when coronavirus cases in India are showing a rising trend and when daily fresh cases reported are over 60,000, which is the most in the world, any decision to open schools before the spread is reduced can turn disastrous. The Israel experience of how cases spiked when schools were reopened in end-May … Continue reading Reopening schools in India before coronavirus spread is reduced can be disastrous
Nature denounces violence inside India’s university campuses
Nature has, in an editorial, denounced the violent attack on students inside university campuses. The “government and state authorities must step in and stop violent attacks on academic campuses” it says. In an editorial published on January 14, 2020, Nature, one of the most respected and reputed journals in the world, has said that the … Continue reading Nature denounces violence inside India’s university campuses
UGC’s half-hearted attempt to teach research ethics
Finally, UGC is set to introduce a course for PhD students on research and publication ethics. Ironically, the course will not be teaching even the basics of preparing images for publication. India has the highest probability of containing problematic images in published papers. After years of ignoring the elephant in the room, the University Grants … Continue reading UGC’s half-hearted attempt to teach research ethics
Tenure track system at IITs is a recipe for failure
Flogging a small subset of young faculty to improve research and teaching metrics using the threat of tenure track while leaving the large majority of senior faculty completely unmonitored will do very little to achieve the prime objective. In a marked departure in the way assistant professors, who are the lowest rung of the academic … Continue reading Tenure track system at IITs is a recipe for failure
Debate: Can the National Medical Commission Bill address rural healthcare deficit?
On August 1, the Rajya Sabha passed the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill, 2019 which has a provision to train people connected with modern medical profession to practice modern medicine. The Commission intends to grant about 3.5 lakh licences. The duration of the training programme has not been specified. The licensed Community Health Providers will … Continue reading Debate: Can the National Medical Commission Bill address rural healthcare deficit?
‘Tenure track system: Incentivising performance better than making insecurity as a model’
MHRD has called for a meeting of all seven IISER directors to discuss the merits of tenure track system and alternative systems for evaluating the performance of new faculty members before they are made permanent. The directors have been asked to send their views prior to the meeting. A meeting of all seven directors of … Continue reading ‘Tenure track system: Incentivising performance better than making insecurity as a model’
Paper publication prior to PhD thesis submission rule may go
Balaram committee has recommended to do away with the current UGC rule requiring PhD students to publish a paper prior to thesis submission. Many institutions have abdicated the responsibility for PhD quality by outsourcing it to journals, says Prof. Balaram. Prof. VijayRaghavan's alternative solution is to allow students to submit thesis chapters to a preprint server … Continue reading Paper publication prior to PhD thesis submission rule may go
Examination without invigilation – An experiment in trust
By Sharad Patil It is generally acknowledged that there are many things seriously wrong with our system of education. Otherwise we could not have become so corrupt or so incompetent. Of course it is possible to argue quite convincingly that because we are so corrupt and incompetent, we have produced the present system of education. … Continue reading Examination without invigilation – An experiment in trust
Editorial: Educating students for free
Published in The Hindu on May 15, 2012 In a spectacular initiative that could transform our understanding of the ‘classroom', Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have announced that they will soon start providing free online courses. Giving students, particularly those in the developing countries, free access to quality education will produce the same … Continue reading Editorial: Educating students for free
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