AKHIL Bharatiya Rashtriya Shaikshik Mahasangh organised a two-day national seminar in Varanasi on September 11 on Emerging Trends in Higher Education: Challenges and Solution. Inaugurating the seminar Prof. Kapil Kapur, former Pro-Vice Chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University, said the Indian higher education system is suffering from ‘bowl culture’. “The outdated and useless things that we get in the ‘begging bowl’ from the West are becoming prime part of our education system. But at the same time we are neglecting our own precious and rich ancient knowledge,” he said.
He said the influence of western languages is increasing in the age of present globalisation. “Our ancient wisdom is being taken to abroad while we are blindly importing evils from the west. The whole world accepts the supremacy of Panini in grammar, but we do not teach it in our universities. Similarly, we do not know the contribution of Bharat Muni in the field of play. Similarly, the scientific and classical aspects of the Vedas are neglected. What is being taught today is not part of our traditions,” he emphasised.
Prof K Narhari, national president of the Mahasangh, expressed concern over the growing commercialisation of higher education and blamed the globalisation for it. He said the university should be the centre of social awakening and quality education. Prof JP Singhal, Dr Vimal Prasad and Dr RP Singh also spoke on the occasion. A total of 309 delegates from 15 states participated in the seminar.
(By Loknath, VSK Varanasi)
