Kolkata, Aug 29 (Inditop.com) Former Knowledge Commission chief Sam Pitroda has questioned the system prevailing in the country where chief ministers play a major role in selecting university vice chancellors and demanded more autonomy for institutions of higher learning.
“How can chief ministers select vice chancellors of universities?” he said addressing a gathering here.
“We have said in our report on the National Knowledge Commission recommendations that there has to be autonomy. The key is more autonomy to the universities to be able to function,” he said.
Pitroda expressed concern that there are not enough universities in the country and there is need for expansion.
The prevailing development model in the country is based on the US experience and all technologies are adopted from America. The US has been the innovator of technologies for the last 50 years.
“India should set up research and development units and we should develop our own model of development,” Pitroda said.
He said demography is a big challenge for the development of the society and birth control is important.
Disparity between the educated and the uneducated and the urban and rural needed to be bridged and technology intervention is necessary for development, he said.
