Expert envisages new wave of education reforms

Tiruchirapalli, Oct 12 (UNI) Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Haryana Principal Advisor Y S Rajan today envisaged a new wave of education reforms and liberalisation releasing human resources from the 'presently existing state of rationed scarcity' before 2010.

Delivering the 24th Convocation Address at the Bharathidasan University here, Mr Rajan said the reforms would enable many Indians to equip themselves to face the challenges of the global economy.

India would emerge as a global education hub not only for the locals but also to those from other countries as well.

Foreign companies would be discovering the talents of Indians by opening more and more research and development centres whose number were likely to go up to 5,000 from the current 300 by the end of the decade.

The Indian economy appeared to have attained stability for fast growth and this benefitted the bottom 20 percentile of the population.

However, despite political and populist slogans, it will be realised Indian agriculture required major reforms for increasing productivity and yields to ensure better incomes for those whose livelihood depended on farming.

Mr Rajan said 65 per cent of the Indians were dependent on agriculture and no other industrial sector could create so much employment For increasing productivity, the agriculture sector needed more investments, improved technologies, consolidation of lands and better delivery systems, making the sector a viable option for even the educated youth.

University Vice-Chancellor M Ponnavaiko said as many as 470 students received their degrees today.

University Chancellor and Tamil Nadu Governor Surjit Singh Barnala presided and presented the degrees.

UNI