Do away with quota mindset in higher education: Advani
October 24, 2008: The Hindu
BELGAUM: The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Prime Ministerial candidate of the Bharatiya Janata Party, L.K. Advani, wished to do away with the “quota mindset¶ in the field of professional and higher education, even as he announced that there would be an elevation of the Indian education system to international standards if the National Democratic Alliance returned to power in the next Lok Sabha elections.
“If the NDA gets the mandate in the next Lok Sabha polls, we will make our education system ‘equivalent’ to world standards as reflected in the Super Express highways constructed under the Golden Quadrangle project, which was conceived and implemented by the NDA government, led by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee,¶ he said. “But, we have to shed away the quota system,¶ he added.
He was addressing a function after inaugurating the three-day silver jubilee celebrations of Karnataka Law Society’s (KLS) Gogte Institute of Technology here on Thursday. He unveiled the stone plaque to mark the foundation laying ceremony for the new building for the computer centre of GIT. Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa and his Ministerial colleagues, BJP MPs from Belgaum district, KLS directors and GIT staff were present.
Drawing attention to the growing challenges before the nation, including demographic, without pointing a finger at any State, Mr. Advani said education at an affordable cost was the key to most of the problems.
“While education at affordable cost is the key, how we do it is the challenge,¶ he asked.
Mr. Yeddyurappa said his government would soon make available educational loans for pursuing higher education at six per cent interest for loans up to Rs. 5 lakh.
http://www.hindu.com/2008/10/24/stories/2008102454830600.htm
