Govt. to go for private partnership in education

Kolkata, July 11 (UNI) In a bid to expand the base of scientific education among the masses, the Government will promote Public-Private Partnership (PPP) for adequate funding in scientific and technological research, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said.

''We are committed to rebuilding science-based universities. We will promote Public-Private-Partnerships to increase funding for frontier areas of scientific and technological research,'' he said while laying the foundation stone for the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research(IISER) here.

Expressing concern that the country's ''best minds'' were not taking to science and that research had taken a backseat, the Prime Minister said reconstruction of the country's university system was the top priority area of his government in order to make the nation a true knowledge power.

''We cannot have pretensions about being a leading knowledge power if we do not substantially upgrade our scientific and technological expertise both in quality and quantity...We cannot be satisfied with what we are doing in the field of education in science and technology,'' he said.

Observing that the condition of Indian universities had been deteriorating over the past two decades, the Prime Minister said the government had an obligation to invest in education at all levels.

The government was committed both to excellence and widening access to education, especially higher education and research, for which participation of private investment was the need of the hour.

''We need to recognise the contribution of the private sector in the expansion of our education system and must evolve a co-operating partnership for harnessing all possible resources,'' Dr Singh said.

Pointing out that China and South Korea were far ahead of India in investing in the field of science and technology, he said, ''The country needed to do much more in this vital area if it had to keep pace with the evolving global economy.'' Regretting that an 'increasing disconnect' between teaching and research was plaguing the Indian universities, Dr Singh said efforts must be made to end this ''dichotomy''.

''With increasing the investments by industry in research, it is necessary that the link between teaching and research be strengthened further,'' he said.

He also lamented that the deteriorating health of the country's universities over the past two decades had 'hobbled' the scientific research base. ''It has not grown fast enough, commensurate with our need. While a few good scientific institutions have come up in recent years, they cannot be a substitute for the spread, vitality and vibrancy of the university system,'' he observed.

It would be the government's endeavour to create synergy between new initiatives in science and technology and the university system, he said.

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