Expert lists challenges for Knowledge Commission

Hyderabad, Aug 17 (UNI) Indian Institute of Technology Delhi Chairman V S Ramamurthy today said educated manpower, sector specific R&D, entreprenuer development and a strong platform for debates by scientists were some of the challenges facing the National Knowledge Commission.

Delivering the inaugural address at a workshop on 'Issues before the National Knowledge Commission' at the Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI) here, Prof Ramamurthy said building educational infrastructure was basic to a meaningful extension of knowledge society.

The development of the knowledge base had to come from a more intensive extension of facilities for higher education.

''But this requires what has been termed the 'massification' of primary and secondary education with special emphasis on mathematics and science subjects and in expanding the facilities for vocational education.

''The progress in building our education infrastructure has been inadequate, patchy and uneven,'' he explained.

Stressing on sector specific R&D, Prof Ramamurthy said that the inadequacy of research facilities and absence of conducive environment for research was another major area of concern.

''Entreprenuership development should be encouraged in a big way.

Our country presents a paradox that despite a poor quantitative record in literacy and school education, we have been exporting scientific and technological manpower to some developed countries of the world. It is to the bottom and middle of the educational pyramid that attention needs to be paid,'' he said.

Prof Ramamurthy expressed the need for a platform to promote strong interaction between social scientists, scientists, technologists, academicians, bureaucrats and judiciary.

''We dont have such a platform in the present scenario'', he claimed.

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