tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9818962.post113093863987387145..comments2024-03-20T13:10:11.477+05:30Comments on nanopolitan: Endowments :-) and corpus funds :-(Abihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06790560045313883673noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9818962.post-1131166938618764342005-11-05T10:32:00.000+05:302005-11-05T10:32:00.000+05:30Dear Abi,[No need to thank me for visiting. Itis ...Dear Abi,<BR/><BR/>[No need to thank me for visiting. It<BR/>is a pleasure and I hope I will not drag<BR/>it down to the level of sci!]<BR/>Thanks for your comments.<BR/>A couple of clarifications: I have not<BR/>argued that Universities do not need money.<BR/>In this regard, it is a matter of concern<BR/>for me for where the money comes from and<BR/>with what strings (if any) attached. I am<BR/>sure this is a concern for you too as<BR/>you have mentioned in one or another context.<BR/>You have the confidence that our academics<BR/>have the integrity to not be influenced by<BR/>donors, and perhaps the benefit of the doubt<BR/>should be given to them. So let me, for<BR/>the sake of argument, say that I do not<BR/>oppose endowments, although I will not <BR/>suspend my worry about indiscriminate<BR/>endowments.<BR/><BR/>All this does not answer the question of<BR/>where is the human capital today in the<BR/>Universities. Perhaps they all deserted<BR/>long ago. For the moment, let us think<BR/>about subjects that do not require very<BR/>intensive capital inputs. Let us not<BR/>think about physics, where a person may<BR/>require NMR, squids, STMs, or material<BR/>scientists who need all sorts of expensive<BR/>state of the art equipment. How about<BR/>the others? What is their excuse for<BR/>not putting out any worthwhile research?<BR/>How about humanities departments? Except<BR/>for a small number of well-established<BR/>Universities, nothing goes on these<BR/>departments: no research, practically no<BR/>teaching. How would giving money to<BR/>these departments help them come out of<BR/>their present state of suspended animation?<BR/>[As a aside, a physics dept. in a major<BR/>University received a grant to invite<BR/>several speakers from the DST's TPSC<BR/>program, along with many other institutions.<BR/>It was found that year after year their<BR/>grant lapsed simply because they could<BR/>not be bothered to invite anybody.]<BR/>There are many other ways in which<BR/>departments can get out of their stupor<BR/>by coming up with creative and attractive<BR/>programs, which cost no money. They could<BR/>offer new electives, offer evening courses,<BR/>etc., etc.. Now all this is general<BR/>academic activity. If the members of<BR/>departments want to do nothing and are <BR/>already so demoralized and feeling so<BR/>hopeless, do you think endowments could<BR/>inspire them? If yes, then I am for it!<BR/>But it must be noted that no one will<BR/>give endowments to completely inactive<BR/>institutions and indifferent administrations.<BR/>What I am trying to say is that individals<BR/>and departments must first try and strive<BR/>to do their best, even with shoe string<BR/>budgets, before they can say that lack of<BR/>money is their real problem.<BR/>Enough said.<BR/><BR/>Best regards, AnantAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9818962.post-1131101469168471712005-11-04T16:21:00.000+05:302005-11-04T16:21:00.000+05:30Anant, Thanks for visiting again and commenting. S...Anant, <BR/><BR/>Thanks for visiting again and commenting. Sure, the human capital is something that we have a huge shortage of. But, if you think about it, it still takes you back to money. In an earlier post, I spoke about how the unsuccessful faculty applicants to IISc, IITs etc (i.e., research oriented places) don't choose to work anywhere else in India. If they are already abroad, they choose to continue there; if they are in India, either they choose to work in the industry or go abroad. In engineering -- about which I have better knowledge, one would think that they should be willing to go to other places which are lower in the pecking order. And, they certainly would, if only the difference between the top-tier institutions and the next level is small. Everyone knows that it is HUGE, in perception as well as reality. <BR/><BR/>IMO, places like NIT's should be spruced up not only with more research infrastructure, but also governance structures. Thankfully, they have begun, but I feel the progress has been very slow.<BR/><BR/>It is almost a tautology to say that academically oriented people's first choice would be to stay in academics, other things being equal. But, we know that other things are not equal; and IMO, money is the main issue, and as academics, we cannot afford to shy away from dealing with this issue.<BR/><BR/>It is easy for us to say the government should provide all the necessary funds. Well, it's not going to happen. There are other more pressing priorities (such as -- sigh! -- developing weopons technology). So, those in academic institutions must seek ways of becoming as independent of government finances as possible. In any case, it is always a good idea to diversify one's revenue sources; you don't have to look deep into the past for bad times -- the period between 1990 and 93 would do!<BR/><BR/>I am talking about good institutions whose progress is hampered by lack of funds. Your examples (Ramaiah College and Ambani Univ) belong to a different category; I don't know your specific examples, but there are many entities offering professional courses that seem to exist only as a business. For them, education is a means to making money.Abihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06790560045313883673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9818962.post-1131076070447254242005-11-04T09:17:00.000+05:302005-11-04T09:17:00.000+05:30In my first comment I did mention that lack of mon...In my first comment I did mention that <BR/>lack of money is a problem. My question<BR/>was whether money alone will solve the<BR/>problems [and I provided some garden<BR/>variety examples]. I also emphasized that<BR/>the shortage that we face is one of human<BR/>capital. What are your views on this?<BR/>How shall we attract the best talent into<BR/>academe? To my mind this remains a/the<BR/>burning question.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9818962.post-1131021483115969282005-11-03T18:08:00.000+05:302005-11-03T18:08:00.000+05:30Sunil, Anant, Narasimhan, Anon: Thank you all for ...Sunil, Anant, Narasimhan, Anon: Thank you all for commenting here.<BR/><BR/>Anant and Narasimhan: Just what do you think ails Indian universities? If it is not money, what is it? If it *is* money, where is it going to come from? Certainly not from the government!<BR/><BR/>Right now, our current budget provides only for some poor quality of education in our numerous colleges and universities; even then, this education is available only for about 6 % of the relevant population (some 12+ % of higher secondary school graduates). When everyone is sure that more and more people should be able to access college education, and when the government is not willing to put in the required money, we leave it to shady private operators. <BR/><BR/>Under these circumstances, doesn't it make sense for those who can stand on their own -- the IITs and IIMs -- to build up a big endowment and save some money for the government to use elsewhere -- for example, starting new institutions?<BR/><BR/>About propaganda and other stuff: If a donor makes a gift that doesn't conflict with the institution's mission, I really don't know what is wrong in accepting the gift. If you are worried about the donors trying to peddle their own ideology and stuff, well, I can say that the government under NDA did precisely that, and it was using public money!<BR/><BR/>Finally, do you really think our major institutions so short of confidence that when a generous donor comes along, they simply bend over, drop their pants, and show their readiness to be ... spanked? Come on!Abihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06790560045313883673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9818962.post-1131003798302802742005-11-03T13:13:00.000+05:302005-11-03T13:13:00.000+05:30Perhaps MHRD, without being explicit about its int...Perhaps MHRD, without being explicit about its intentions, wants to keep an eye on the third party funding of Madarasas in view of the new global situation and IITs just happen to come under the same Department.<BR/><BR/>Perhaps the above suggestion is a rumour spread by the MHRD itself but actually it is the control-freak big wigs at the centre that do not want these institutes to take off and be independent. <BR/><BR/>All this reminds me of a popular situation found in several Indian movies. A middle class father has an intelligent son who gets hold of some merit scholarship and passes out of a great college. The son gets a proposal from a rich girl who loves him a lot and promises that he can really shine if he goes abroad for a while and comes back - she can help him out with the cash. The father does not like the idea because he feels he is losing his son forever. The son has this dilemma - to take off or to stay back. The perception is that taking off means being sold off and staying back means being loyal. The son actually takes off leaving his grudging father behind, weeps in the middle of the night about the misunderstanding, misses his dad a lot and is waiting to bring all together. The father ends up in a big trouble and the son comes back and helps out with his love filled cash, blood donation etc. The misunderstanding is gone, and the whole family lives happily together ever after.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9818962.post-1130991037829871152005-11-03T09:40:00.000+05:302005-11-03T09:40:00.000+05:30Dear Anant, That was a well articulated commen...Dear Anant,<BR/><BR/> That was a well articulated comment that you have placed here and I agree with the part that funding alone is not the issue.<BR/><BR/> As you righly point out, extravagant funding comes attached with strings. It is time we stopped comparing the happenings in US to indian situations. Every situation has associated with it a history. <BR/><BR/> When India moves into a knowledge based economy such things like educational philanthropy will happen in the right perspective. <BR/><BR/> All the talk of endowment happens only with respect to higher education, that too IIT and IIM because they have been successful. Talking about a successful system doesn't obviate the need for the real issues on hand. Nobody is really talking about the primary school system which is the foundation for any knowledge based economy and that has absolutely no support from private sector and the so called endowments. Who do we have to enter our colleges?<BR/> <BR/>With Regards<BR/>NarasimhanAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13441809988487585009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9818962.post-1130987966784006612005-11-03T08:49:00.000+05:302005-11-03T08:49:00.000+05:30It seems to me that there is too much ofdwelling o...It seems to me that there is too much of<BR/>dwelling on just money. The Ambani Univ.<BR/>in Gandhinagar, the Ramaiah Institutes<BR/>in Bangalore have no shortage of funds.<BR/>Does it mean that their academic profile<BR/>is going to rival that of JNU or Visva-Bharati?<BR/>I think that money is definitely a problem,<BR/>which can be sorted out by funding agencies.<BR/>Just saying that this or that is happening<BR/>in the US is no argument. There is plenty<BR/>of interference by powerful oligarchs in<BR/>affairs of Universities. One good reason<BR/>for keeping out private donors is because<BR/>Universities will turn into propaganda<BR/>instruments for them. These are all old<BR/>fashioned notions of private patronage of<BR/>knowledge. The real problem of course is<BR/>that in India there is no longer the<BR/>perception that education is something that<BR/>is important in itself. The most talented<BR/>individuals end up in Sycamore and Infosys.<BR/>If they, instead, chose to go to academe<BR/>affairs would have been much better. It is<BR/>because success is measured in terms of<BR/>dollars that matters are what they are.<BR/>It is the human capital that is really<BR/>missing in education. Enough said.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9818962.post-1130962063666932042005-11-03T01:37:00.000+05:302005-11-03T01:37:00.000+05:30this is something i've often worried about.....why...this is something i've often worried about.....why on earth can't indian universities accept endowments??<BR/><BR/>this is especially maddening when i see what's happening in universities here. Bill gates and paul allen have given ~200 million $ to the University of Washington....and many many more happen all the time. <BR/><BR/>Maddening...Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13441809988487585009noreply@blogger.com