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Whither demographic dividend: Largest young population and severely short of teaching staff

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Whither demographic dividend: Largest young population and severely short of teaching staff

A skilled, educated person with the age and energy of youth is an asset. Without those qualities, a young person can be a problem. Having a huge number of them means serious trouble.

Unfortunately, that seems to be the plight of India, and it has progressively worsened.

India is one of the world’s top five economies and the country with the world’s largest working-age population – around 861 million aged between 15 and 64.

Yet, according to data in a report by India Spend, nearly two-thirds (about 64 per cent) of teaching posts are vacant in India’s central universities (India Spend calculation somehow puts it at one-third).

Moreover, no Indian university – India has 36.6 million university students – finds a place in the global top 100 and the highest rank achieved this year was 420 by Indian Institute of Science, a five-year low. Thus, by global standards, India’s 36.6 million university students get their education in low-grade institutes.

From India Spend:

Global Rankings Of Indian Universities, 2018-19
World Rank Institution National Rank
420 Indian Institute of Science 1
519 Tata Institute of Fundamental Research 2
615 Indian Institute of Technology Bombay 3
651 Indian Institute of Technology Madras 4
671 Indian Institute of Technology Delhi 5
676 Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur 6
726 University of Delhi 7
732 All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi 8
761 Jadavpur University 9
774 Banaras Hindu University 10

Source: Centre for World University Rankings

The report says the situation has worsened over the last four years, when the rankings of Indian universities have steadily declined.

In 2014, the highest rank an Indian university reached was 328, in 2015 it was 341, in 2016, it dropped to 354 and in 2017, it was 397, says the report:

Highest Rank For An Indian University (World Wide)
Year Institution Rank
2018-19 Indian Institute of Science 420
2017 University of Delhi 397
2016 Indian Institute of Technology Delhi 354
2015 Indian Institute of Technology Delhi 341
2014 Indian Institute of Technology Delhi 328

Source: Centre for World University Rankings

(These ranks primarily focus on the quantity and quality of research papers – 55% of the weightage – how many appear in top-tier or influential journals and how many are cited by other researchers.)

A dismal shortage of teaching staff could be the likely reason. Professors play a leading role in conducting academic research, apart from teaching duties. But, says the report, India is short of professors.

Minister of state for Human Resource Development, Satya Pal Singh, gave the following information about the number of posts sanctioned and the number of vacancies in the higher education institutions in the country:

Central Universities: sanctioned posts 17,092; vacant posts 5606;

IITs:  sanctioned posts 8,230; vacant posts 2,802;

NITs: sanctioned posts 7,435; vacant posts 3,235;

Vacancies have been affecting the quality of teaching and research, professors told IndiaSpend. “For the last 15-20 years, universities have been neglected,” said K. Laxminarayana, a professor from the University of Hyderabad. “There have been no teacher recruitments. A majority of the posts are vacant. When there are no teachers in the university, the quality of education will be low.”

Permanent teachers have the “time and responsibility” for research since they are not concerned with job security, Laxminarayana said. But “nowadays, the entire system is made up of contract teachers”.

Professors who do not have a permanent job – called “ad hocs” – find themselves on a contract that can range from four months to a year.

“Recruitments have not taken place for a number of years now,” a Delhi University professor told IndiaSpend on condition of anonymity.

“A lot of teachers have been working as ad hocs. The ministry has not given a nod to the recruitment process. Even if the recruitments don’t take place, the teaching has to go on. So a huge number of ad hoc teachers are hired, who don’t have a sense of belonging to the institution.”

The government said recruitment is controlled by universities, and the ministry and Universities Grants Commission only monitor the process. “Occurring and filling up of vacancies is a continuous process,” India’s HRD minister Prakash Javadekar told the Lok Sabha (Parliament’s lower house) on July 23, 2018. “Universities being autonomous institutions, the onus of filling up of vacant teaching posts lies with them.”

Funding appears to be a key issue in filling vacant teaching posts, said the India Spend report.

“The government says they don’t have enough money to recruit professors,” said Laxminarayana. “So, instead of hiring one permanent teacher, which costs around Rs 100,000 to Rs 150,000, the universities hire three to four contract teachers.”

India spent 4.13% of its GDP on education in 2014, according to HRD Ministry data. This is lower than the UK, US and South Africa–countries that spent 5.68%, 5.22% and 6.05% respectively, of GDP on education. Fifty one of the top 100 universities in 2018-19 were from the US and eight from the UK.

India News

Delhi LG VK Saxena directs probe into remarks against Kangana Ranaut by Congress leader Supriya Shrinate

The Delhi Police will investigate who was behind the said social media post and whose mobile phone was used for the purpose.

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Delhi lieutenant governor Vinai Kumar Saxena today sought a detailed probe from Delhi Police commissioner Sanjay Arora in relation with the alleged defamatory social media post made by Congress’s Supriya Shrinate against actor-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut.

Reportedly, BJP candidate from New Delhi Bansuri Swaraj had given a complaint to the LG seeking probe and registration of an FIR against Shrinate for outraging the modesty of a woman. Subsequently, the Delhi LG has forwarded the complaint to the Delhi Police Commissioner, directing a scientific investigation in the matter and initiation of legal action, if necessary.

Reports said that the Delhi Police will also investigate who was behind the said social media post and whose mobile phone was used for the purpose. A major controversy erupted on Monday after an objectionable post from Supriya Shrinate’s social media handle against Kangana Ranaut, who has been announced as the BJP candidate from Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi.

Responding to the remarks, Kangana Ranaut said that they must free the daughters from the shackles of prejudices and must rise above the curiosity about their body parts. She added that people must refrain from using sex workers’ challenging lives or circumstances as some kind of abuse or slur. She concluded that every woman deserves her dignity. As the controversy intensified, the Congress leader asserted that someone else had posted the objectionable content from her handle. 

Meanwhile, the Election Commission on Wednesday issued a show cause notice to Congress leader Supriya Shrinate for her derogatory remarks against Kangana Ranaut. The Election Commission observed that the remarks are undignified and in a bad taste. The election body asked the Congress leader to respond to the commission by Friday. In the notice, the Election Commission stated that the statements made by the leader is prima facie violative of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) being in force ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. 

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Bollywood actor Govinda joins Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena

Govinda on his official induction in the party by CM Eknath Shinde said he is joining Shiv Sena and it is a blessing from God. He said he thought he would not enter politics again. Govinda said Mumbai looks cleaner and better now.

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Bollywood actor Govinda joined Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena on Thursday ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra. In 2004 Govinda contested from Mumbai North Lok Sabha on a Congress ticket and earned the nickname of a giant slayer as he defeated BJP’s Ram Naik. He resigned from the party and said that he had decided to take a break from politics.

Govinda on his official induction in the party by CM Eknath Shinde said he is joining Shiv Sena and it is a blessing from God. He said he thought he would not enter politics again. Govinda said Mumbai looks cleaner and better now. He said his parents had a good relationship with Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray.

Shiv Sena leader Krishna Hedge met the Bollywood actor at his residence in Juhu. Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde said the actor’s joining the Shiv Sena does not come with a rider. Govinda said whatever work is assigned to him, he will do it to the best of the ability. He said he was a part of the 14th Lok Sabha and has returned to politics after 14 years.

Speaking about his role in politics, the actor said he would transform the film city of Mumbai. He did not reply when he was asked about contesting elections. Govinda said everybody has seen the same level of progress in Maharashtra in the last 2 years, as it has been seen in the country in the last 10 years. He said he is going to focus on the beautification of the state and work towards the growth of art and culture.

Rajya Sabha MP Milind Deora welcomed Govida into the party and said he has known the veteran Bollywood actor for almost 25 years. He recalled the 2004 election and said both of them had fought elections together.

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India News

To browbeat, bully others is vintage Congress, says PM Modi after lawyers express concern over attempts to undermine judiciary

Lawyers, including Harish Salve and Bar Council chairperson Manan Kumar Mishra, wrote to CJI DY Chandrachud, alleging that a vested interest group is trying to put pressure on the judiciary and defame courts, particularly in cases of corruption involving politicians.

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PM Narendra Modi on Thursday launched a scathing attack on the Congress party after more than 600 lawyers and some bar associations across the country wrote to the Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, expressing concerns over attempts to undermine the judiciary’s integrity using political and professional pressure.

Taking to social media platform X, PM Modi wrote that to browbeat and bully others is vintage Congress culture. He recalled that five decades ago, the party itself had called for a committed judiciary, adding that they shamelessly want commitment from others for their selfish interests, but desist from any commitment towards the nation. He concluded that no wonder, 140 crore Indians are rejecting them.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s comments followed after lawyers, including Harish Salve and Bar Council chairperson Manan Kumar Mishra, wrote to CJI DY Chandrachud, alleging that a vested interest group is trying to put pressure on the judiciary and defame courts, particularly in cases of corruption involving politicians.

The lawyers said the tactics used by the vested interest group are damaging the courts and threatening democratic fabric. They stated that Chief Justice Chandrachud’s leadership is crucial in these tough times and the Supreme Court should stand strong, adding it is not the time to maintain dignified silence.

Without naming, the letter also targeted a section of lawyers and alleged they defend politicians by day and then try to influence judges through the media at night. Furthermore, they claimed that some elements are trying to influence who the judges are in their cases and spread lies on social media to put pressure on the judges to decide in a particular way.

In addition, the All Manipur Bar Association had also written to CJI DY Chandrachud highlighting the need to speak out against underhanded attacks on the judiciary on Wednesday. In its letter, the bar association said that it was extremely concerned about recent trends where vested interest groups were trying to defame the courts with frivolous logic and stale political agendas.

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