81 lakh children in the country between the age group of 6 and 13 years still refrain
from education
Dropout rates and children who still refrain from schooling
are big challenges before the government, Chagan Bhujbal, state minister of Public
Works Department, said here on Thursday, 22nd Sept. Bhujbal was speaking
at the release of the commemorative volume on platinum jubilee year of S. B. Mujumdar,
Founder and president of Symbiosis Society at Symbiosis Vishwabhavan auditorium.
Bhujbal said, According to a survey conducted by the Union Ministry of Human Resource
and Development, 81 lakh children in the country between the age group of 6 and
13 years still refrain from education. Out of this 94% have never seen a school
and 25% drop out half way. The right to free and compulsory education has been implemented
60 years after independence; hopefully, it will be able to change the situation.
Bhujbal, who released the commemorative volume, said, the government has decided
to give permission to foreign universities to set up in India. Few Indian universities
have expressed concern. Such universities must raise their standards and face the
competition. Symbiosis, which will easily be able to face this challenge must lead
from the front and help these universities to identify faults and improve standards.
Mujumdar expressed concern that the government is not doing enough for expansion
of higher education in the country and often interferes in the functioning of universities.
He said, none of the universities in India figure in the top 200 of the world. This
is disappointing and one of the reasons is too much government interference. India
received independence in 1947 and in 1991, it received economical independence,
but India is yet to receive educational independence.
The function was also attended by renowned cartoonist R. K. Laxman and his wife, Kamla
Laxman, besides, Raghunath Mashelkar, former director general of the Council of
Scientific and Industrial Research, Bhushan Patwardhan, vice chancellor, Symbiosis
International University, Vidya Yeravdekar, principal director, Symbiosis Society,
veteran leader Mohan Dharia, wife of S. B. Mujumdar, Sanjeevani and A. V. Sangamnerkar,
vice-president, Symbiosis Society.
Courtesy: Times of India
