17 Nov 2011
The central government has agreed to set-up a 'Meta University' that will let students pursue more than one course at a time from different universities. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced this while unveiling a report to the people of the National Innovation Council headed by Sam Pitroda. The world's first university of this kind will let a student of Indian Institute of Technology enroll for ancient history course in Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi. “Such creative reconfigurations are expected to create “new minds” conducive to the growth of innovation,” remarked Singh.
The council’s proposal to set up Meta University, which has got HRD ministry’s approval, will roll out in academic year 2012-13. “The basic idea of a Meta University as a collaborative platform where a network of universities offer a customized learning experience in eminently applicable in the Indian context,” the report said.
The university will use the National Knowledge Network, where a large number of Central and state universities and higher education institutions have been connected through a high speed (multi gigabit) fibre based broadband network. Not only the students who are already enrolled the ones outside the higher education system would get a chance for education if they are able to meet the prescribed standards.
“They (students) would be tested for their competencies before enrolling into a particular programme in another university and will be awarded degrees,” Pitroda said.
The new pedagogy of the university will be more in tune with the knowledge requirement of the 21th century.
The Meta University is an attempt of the UPA government of inclusive innovation with Singh pointing out that advancement in technology and innovations has helped rich without adequately solving problems of the poor.
Another initiative in this regard was setting up of Rs 100 crore Indian Inclusive Innovation Fund. Pitroda said the fund would increase to Rs 5,000 crore in few years with private partnership. The government believes that philanthropic contributions for innovation will help the fund to grow.
[Source: Hindustan Times]
