Education tops agenda of philanthropists: ISB study

Hyderabad: Education tops the agenda of high-net worth individuals in philanthropy, according to a joint study done by the Indian School of Business and non-profit consulting firm FSG.

About 45 per cent of total support of philanthropists goes to education followed by community development and healthcare with 18 per cent and 13 per cent respectively, according to the finding of the study which was released here on Tuesday.

The support is generally extended to infrastructure and/or operating schools within communities rather than larger systemic issues.

On the operational front, Indian philanthropists prefer to operate through personal foundations rather than giving directly to non-Government organisations, institutions or beneficiaries largely due to concerns pertaining to NGOs.

“Philanthropy in India is still in a nascent stage. Philanthropists are more oriented towards charity mindset rather than one where they can play a role in engineering large-scale social change,” the study said.

On the way forward, the study, tilted ‘Catalytic Philanthropy in India', suggested that there should be more focus on the use of data to drive systemic change besides collaboration across sectors.

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/economy/article2943160.ece?ref=wl_industry-and-economy

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India's Sebi to hire professional agency to educate investors

MUMBAI, Feb 28 Asia Pulse - Indian capital market regulator Sebi will launch a big investor education programme through short films, TV and radio commercials in English and regional languages.
To spread the awareness drive, it plans to hire a creative agency having an annual revenue of at least Rs 100 crore (US$20 million) in the past three fiscal years.

The objective is "to create general awareness on securities market, various products available in securities market and facilitate the participation of the retail investors in the securities market to invest with knowledge," Sebi said.

The selected agency, will provide creative services including production of short films, TV commercials, radio spots and printing advertisements to carry out "Sebi's Investor Education and Awareness campaign" across the country.

Besides, there will be a separate agency for release of the creative work to various media.

Inviting expression of interest (EOI), the regulator said the agency to be contracted will have to provide in-depth knowledge on the communication strategy to be followed for this campaign.

"The main functions of the agency will be the creation of advertising products which will successfully convey the desired message to the target audience...," Sebi added.

The awareness campaign will be done through five 25-30 minutes short films, ten 30 seconds TV commercials, ten 30 seconds Radio spots and ten print advertisements.

http://www.lankabusinessonline.com/fullstory.php?nid=1177252951

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Cheap tablets from India – Lessons for us

LAST October, this column reported that India unveiled the world’s cheapest tablet computer, a feat actualized under a programme of the Human Resources Development Ministry called National Mission on Education Through Information and Communication Technology (NME-ICT).

Branded Aakash, the tablet PC was to be sold at the price of US$35 to post-secondary students. I further reported that two years earlier, the government of India had announced its intention to launch a low-cost computing device. Aakash was developed and manufactured by DataWind in partnership with IIT Rajasthan, under the programme mentioned above.

To refresh memories, Aakash is a seven-inch Android 2.2 touch screen tablet that has an HD video co-processor for a multimedia experience and core graphics accelerator for faster application support, and comes with DataWind’s UbiSurfer browser.

The device includes Wi-Fi connectivity and support for optional 3G modems.
Two USB ports are integrated into the unit allowing pen-drives, external keyboards, webcams, dongles and other peripherals to be attached, according to DataWind CEO, Suneet Singh Tuli.

Cheaper tablets from India
Barely six months after this, the Indians, not resting on their oars, have launched tablet PCs even cheaper than Aakash.
The India Today newspaper in its online edition of Monday 27 February reported that competition has arrived for Aakash with the launch of three tablets.

Here is the story, from the paper’s portal: “Giving a tough competition to low-cost Aakash tablet , The Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has now launched three tablets priced at Rs.3250, Rs.10,999 and Rs.13,500.

“The first tablet has a 7-inch screen with a resistive touch and runs on Android 2.3 operating system. The second comes with 7-inch screen and the third tablet comes with an 8_inch screen, both of which are capacitive but with a higher price.

“These tablets are designed keeping in mind students’ need. Also, the tablets come with a promotional offer of three_month free data download. BSNL is also giving 2G SIM along with all the tablets. “Developed by a Noida based company — Pantel technologies, the tablets will be sold at data plans from BSNL at reduced cost.”

With this development, IT penetration into the deep recesses of Indian population is almost guaranteed as the cheapest tablet is getting even more affordable at Rs3,250. If this magic happened here, nearly every secondary school student, even in those in primary schools will have one each. At current exchange rates, Rs 3250 equals N4,368.

Help our OEMs
That means with less than five thousand Naira, our children can have tablet PCs, and connect straight to the 21st century knowledge society.

But where we are, I still don’t see how this can be achieved here, despite the fact that we have more than what it takes to achieve. We have the manpower, we have the know-how, we have the market; if the telecoms sector can grow so fast with diesel power, its IT twin can also grow.

There is need for a conscious, deliberate, sustained effort to empower our OEMs so that ICT solutions like Aakash and BSNL’s of India can be delivered here. If we don’t take action on this, all that talk about Vision 20-2020 will remain talk; nothing happens with ordinary gas.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/02/cheap-tablets-from-india-lessons-for-us/

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President Obama is correct on post secondary education

While we do not agree with most of President Obama's stances on domestic issues, we — along with many of the country's governors — stand by the president's view that every student should have the opportunity to attend some type of post-secondary education ... even if it is for a year.

Furthermore, Mr. Obama called on the nation's governors on Monday to spend their money on job training and education and not to slice funding. Even Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, one of his staunchest critics, said she supports his message.

Unfortunately, Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum takes issue with the president, calling him a snob for suggesting that every student should attend college.

“I understand why he wants you to go to college,” Mr. Santorum barked. “He wants to make you in his image.”

On the contrary … the president specifically said on numerous occasions every American should be able to pursue some type of education for at least a year whether that education is at a university, community college (for those towns and cities lucky enough to have them and thier programs) or a trade school. Even those young men and women who join the military continuously receive education and are encouraged to further themselves with the various programs to pay for post-secondary costs.

Ironically, would Mr. Santorum be upset to learn, therefore, that Kennametal, which has its headquarters in his home state of Pennsylvania and a plant here in Fallon, encourages its employees to further themselves through post-secondary education? Did the former senator from the Keystone State not discover that when he toured the facility during his campaign stop in Nevada at the beginning of the month?

According to a Kennametal spokeswoman, the global company “supports funding and scholarships to secondary and post-secondary educational organizations that support skills and training in areas of manufacturing through the Kennametal Foundation. Specifically in Nevada, Kennametal supports scholarships to Western Nevada College.”

Perhaps, Mr. Santorum would rather see Kennametal hire an uneducated workforce and struggle for survival with a team of mules.

This is one time Mr. Santorum is out of touch with the rest of America when national poll after poll suggests that more than 90 percent of Americans consider post-secondary education as important to very important. The Nevada Association of Counties also went on record during its annual convention in Fallon that post-secondary education is important to the state's future.

Recently, we can see how vital post-secondary education is — especially in Fallon — when scores of people are expressing their anger and frustration with the Western Nevada College central administration in Carson City, the Board of Regents and the Legislature for gutting out many of the core and occupational programs at the Fallon and Douglas campuses.

Education is the cornerstone for our country to move forward in today's global economy, and nothing is more important than Americans furthering themselves with some form of post-secondary studies. This is a lesson for not only Mr. Santorum but also others in Nevada who control higher education.

Editorials are written by the LVN Editorial Board and appear on Wednesdays.

http://www.lahontanvalleynews.com/article/20120228/NEWS/120229904/1019&ParentProfile=1048

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La Trobe University, Australia, continues to expand by forging new links with Indian Industry leaders

New Delhi-- Professor John Dewar, newly appointed Vice-Chancellor and President of La Trobe University, Australia, has arrived in India on his first official visit to forge Strategic Alliances and sign Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with three leading Indian companies and institutions.

They are the global technology firm HCL, electric vehicle manufacturer Mahindra Reva in Bengaluru, and Birla Institute of Technology and Science in Pilani, Rajasthan.

The agreements focus on innovation, new product development and realization, industry collaboration, the commercialization of intellectual property and institutional links.

Professor Dewar was accompanied by Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President, Professor John Rosenberg, and senior delegates from La Trobe University.

The La Trobe University delegation is part of the Victoria Super Trade Mission, which will be taking place in India from 20 to 26 February. 2012. The mission is led by the Victorian Premier, Mr Ted Baillieu. More than 100 Victorian companies are participating in the trade mission.

Professor Dewar said: 'I am delighted to be in India as a part of the Victorian Super Trade Mission. La Trobe University is taking a number of significant initiatives during this mission to further enhance its presence in India.

'We are committed to our relationship with India and look forward to building increasingly strong research and educational collaborations with Indian companies and institutions, and welcoming more Indian students to our campuses in Australia.'

Professor Dewar said the alliance with HCL involves collaboration on research and development of leading-edge technology for Intelligent Transport Systems. It deals with traffic and infrastructure management, security, enhanced driver safety and logistics support for transport operations. It also involves recruitment by the company of La Trobe University graduates.

Professor Dewar will also sign a higher education exchange and co-operation agreement for research and teaching with the Birla Institute of Technology and Science in Pilani, Rajasthan.

The La Trobe University delegation will then travel to Bengaluru to sign a MOU with Mahindra Reva for joint research and development of an advanced 'green' energy management system at the company's new electric vehicle plant in Bangalore.

Technologies for both these systems were developed by La Trobe University's Centre for Technology Infusion in Australia, led by Professor Jugdutt (Jack) Singh.

They have already been installed, respectively, in a hundred cars for a major road and rail safety traffic research project in the southern Australian State of Victoria, and in Australia's first Zero Emission House, built last year by the Government peak science research body, CSIRO and private industry.

Notes to Editor

La Trobe University is a multi-campus university based in Victoria, Australia. Named after the first Lieutenant-Governor of Victoria, La Trobe University has been at the forefront of higher education in Australia for the past forty seven years.

La Trobe is renowned for its academic excellence and research achievements. It has five campuses in Victoria, in the south-east of Australia. More than 140,000 students have graduated from La Trobe University and have gone on to achieve great things in all walks of life, giving La Trobe its well-deserved reputation.

http://www.indiaprwire.com/pressrelease/education/20120223112871.htm

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Contemporary India and Science!

Think of a world without science, technology or math. How dull and difficult it would be - fairly unthinkable isn’t it? We are fortunate enough that science, which is one of the greatest blessings for humanity, has transformed our lives from impossible to possible, thus enabling an easier, comfortable and smoother life for us.

Today, as the nation unites in celebrating ‘National Science Day’, it is also a day to honour Indian physicist and Nobel laureate Sir CV Raman and his legacy. It was on this very day when the genius scientist announced the invention of ‘Raman Effect’ in 1928. Therefore, February 28th is observed as National Science Day every year in remembrance of him and his incredible discovery, for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1930.

On this day, universities, schools, colleges, scientific institutions and science-based agencies across the country celebrate science day in a relevant way by holding various conducts such as Science and Technology exhibitions, popular lectures, quiz and essay competitions and other appropriate activities to create more awareness of scientific temper amongst people. For this year, the focal theme for ‘National Science Day’ is ‘Clean Energy Options and Nuclear Safety’.

Clean energy is essential

Renewable energy is vital owing to various benefits--- environmental advantages, energy for our offspring, jobs, economy and energy security etc.

Everyday, we hear of the global warming threat and the fatal consequences it poses on our environment and human life. But the situation won’t improve unless we begin to act swiftly. Fuelling fears over future environmental strategy and public health issues, both government and non-government organisations in our country are trying hard for a clean and green social innovation.

India, blessed with loads of sunlight, water and biomass, now, has the world's largest programme for renewable energy. With an increase growth of 52% in 2011 in the country’s green energy, the solar force is also changing India into a clean tech thrust. According to data released by analysts Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF), solar investments in India piloted the growth with a seven-fold rise in funding, from $0.6bn in 2010 to $4.2bn in 2011, just below the $4.6bn invested in wind during the year. In 2011, a record 2,827MW of wind energy capacity was also added, which set aside India third behind China and the United States in terms of new installations.

India’s energy crisis

Nuclear power holds fourth-largest source of electricity in the country after thermal, hydroelectric and renewable sources. India has 20 nuclear reactors in operation in six nuclear power plants, generating 4,780MW while seven other reactors are under construction and are expected to generate an additional 5,300 MW, as of 2010.

However, concerns over building of nuclear plants have swelled up following the March 2011 Japanese Fukushima nuclear disaster. Putting the government in a tight spot, there have thus been mass protests at Kudankulam nuclear power plant in Tamil Nadu and Jaitapur in Maharashtra, raising questions about atomic energy as a clean and safe alternative to fossil fuels. Perhaps, the West Bengal state government has also refused permission to a proposed 6000 MW facility near the town of Haripur that planned to host six Russian reactors.

China overtake India

Despite India making a good progress scientifically, today- be it in space exploration, hi-tech innovation or in medicinal field, the country has been surpassed by nations like China in this field. Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, while speaking at the 99th Indian Science Congress in Bhubaneswar in January, said that China has overtook India in research and development (R&D), in spite of increased funding over the past few decades.

The Prime Minister urged women to take up careers in science where they are poorly represented. Singh also asked the industry to increase expenditure on R&D and help achieve the target of spending two per cent of the GDP on research by the end of the 12th Plan.

Adding more woes to Indian education system, a report from Prime Minister’s scientific advisory council, headed by chemist CNR Rao stated that India does not have any educational institutions that are in the world’s top 100. And since its universities have decayed owing to years of neglect, and that even its leading institutions “are not performing well”, South Korea and China have “out-classed our performance in terms of the number of PhDs scientific research papers and so on”, added the panel.

The need for an overhaul

There is an urgent need for radical structural reforms in the country’s education system. And, after proper review on the nation’s scientific scenario, and to preserve science, the government needs to adopt a suitable policy and take necessary steps such as- refurbish structural and educational systems, enhance fund for scientific research, and send as many students as possible to advanced centres overseas for PhD and postdoctoral studies.

However, the above ‘set outlines’ may be tough to achieve, unless, the government resolves the current leadership crisis, which is marred by a series of corruption cases. Then only, India can produce the next ‘big-bang innovations’, making the country a proud world leader in science.

http://zeenews.india.com/news/exclusive/contemporary-india-and-science_760915.html

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India outsourced: Manmohanomics 2.0

Haseeb Drabu and Anurag Behar, made two pertinent and interesting observations. Drabu said the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) was rapidly emerging the investor of last resort for the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) to make good its fiscal obligation of investing in the banks it owns to enhance their capital. Behar, in his column on the state of public education, explained the real significance (according to him) of the provision in the the Right To Education Act that mandates that private schools admit one student from underprivileged sections of society for every three students (from other sections).

Seen together, the two highlight an interesting (but undesirable) contribution of the UPA to policy formulation: outsourcing the policy response. Instead of looking at how public policy and governance principles need to be reinvented to ensure older institutions come up to speed, the preferred approach of this government seems to be come up with a method where its involvement is minimized.

This short-cut approach, while taking the responsibility of attending to the problem off the government’s shoulders—and making those who see a minimal role for the state happier—is creating long term systemic problems, both institutional and economic.

In the case of LIC, as Drabu points out: “As far as the government is concerned, it is in a win-win situation; it helps it trim expenses and yet maintain its ownership and control over banks. But in the process, a complex and cumbersome structure of cross holdings within the government which is detrimental to governance and growth is being created.”

Similarly, Behar argues, that RTE, though well intended, has a fallout: “Legislation cannot infuse social purpose and commitment. Good intentions are accelerating ghettoization and withering away of the public education system, and (creating) another nationwide opportunity for corruption which will be uncontrollable.” Instead of looking for a quick-fix solution to a problem created over decades, UPA may be advised to go back to the drawing board to see how the system can be made accountable.

Both situations dealt with by Mint’s columnists are structural solutions being proffered by the government; to be fair to UPA, this is a trick that previous regimes have attempted. The only difference is that it is now more a rule than an exception. Staying with Drabu’s point, it is clear that getting LIC to do the government’s bidding achieves two objectives. First, it takes care of the government’s responsibility of ensuring capital adequacy as required by regulatory standards. Second, and more importantly, by asking LIC to do this, it has kept the transaction off its own books—lower expenditure means that much less paper pressure on the already out of line fiscal deficit.

There is a pattern to this. The first indications came when UPA took charge in 2004. The creation of the National Advisory Council (packed with NGO representatives), under the stewardship of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, led to the outsourcing of social policy. Almost all entitlement schemes announced since have their origin in the NAC’s mandate. And since the government never owned the idea, it has always been a reluctant participant in policy formulation to execute it. The gap has led to less than optimal policy being put in place, but given the large spending associated with most programmes, it has introduced structural changes in the Indian economy.

Similarly, for the last eight years the government has simply ignored warning calls on the implementation of policy (as pointed out in Capital Calculus last week: It is not the image). Eventually, after the filing of a raft of public interest litigations demanding investigation into the implementation of policies, monitoring has now been outsourced, albeit unwillingly, to the courts. It has reached such a pass now that even the policy mandate is influenced by the apex court. Where does that leave the government? It is one thing to complain about judicial overreach (in some cases, this is justified) but another to fail to dispense the government’s primary responsibility: governing.

Meanwhile, progressive fiscal mismanagement threatens to usher in a fresh economic crisis. Managing the consequences of this, has once again been outsourced. The Reserve Bank of India is now entrusted with the task of ensuring macroeconomic balance in a circumstance where the union government has abandoned its role in defining and adhering to fiscal policy. So clever has been this manoeuvre that in public perception it is RBI’s failure to keep interest rates down that is being blamed for slowing economic growth—akin to blaming the fireman for causing a flood in the neighbourhood while putting out a fire.

Now, the state is attempting something similar to deal with corruption and leakages in gigantic social sector spending programmes. The latest mantra on offer is a shift to cash transfers to deal with corruption in the public distribution system—ignoring that in some states it operates perfectly well. Then, this approach simply outsources the problem of dealing with corruption. More dangerous is the shift in thinking that this short cut approach entails. Public policy is designed to deliver benefits and not prevent misuse—there is an entire policing arm of the government that is entrusted to deal with this task. It is not that public policy should not look at consequences of misuse; just that it can’t be its central focus.

Taken together, all this tells the story of how the constant outsourcing of its responsibilities is exacerbating the governance vacuum within UPA. With about two years left for its term to conclude, it may be time for the government to start worrying about its legacy.

Anil Padmanabhan is a deputy managing editor of Mint and writes every week on the intersection of politics and economics.

http://www.livemint.com/2012/02/27001636/India-outsourced-Manmohanomic.html

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Conference on Innovation in Higher Education- Focus on Kerala

New Delhi: The Indian education system recognizes the role of education in instilling the values of secularism, egalitarianism, respect for democratic traditions and civil liberties and quest for justice. It aims at creating citizens equipped with necessary knowledge, skills and values to build an inclusive, just and progressive society.

There are certain factors that make Kerala a preferred destination for higher education. It has adequate educational institutions, efficient and committed teachers, strong education policy of the government, and infrastructural facilitates for professional education. Notwithstanding these gains, the higher education system has not achieved many of its transformational goals.

The conference was inaugurated by The Hon'ble Minister for Education, Mr P K Abdu Rabb and the Keynote address was delivered by the Former Ambassador to UN & Executive Vice Chairman, Kerala State Higher Education Council, Mr T P Sreenivasan. The Conference focused on; • Revisit the notion of transformation holistically, focusing on issues of access, equity and quality in relation to the core functions of higher education; • Challenges Faced by the Education System in Kerala; • Discuss scope for improvement and practical recommendations; • Discuss on the way forward and developments in the present Education System.

http://indiaeducationdiary.in/Shownews.asp?newsid=11984

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SBI decides to cut interest on education loan by 1%

The country's largest lender State Bank of India (SBI) has taken in-principle decision to slash interest on education loans by up to 1 percentage point.

"The bank has taken in-principle decision to cut (interest on) education loan," SBI Managing Director and Chief Finance Officer Diwakar Gupta told PTI.

"Announcement would be made soon. The bank will issue the notification shortly," he added.

Without giving details of quantum of rate cut, he said, it may be up to 100 basis points.

Interest rates on education loans range from 12.25% to 14.50%, depending on their quantum and the duration.

The education loan book of SBI constitutes under 7% of its Rs 1.75 lakh crore retail loan portfolio. In the quarter ended December, the bank saw its education loan books swell by 14.17%.

SBI is also offering a concession of 50 basis points on interest rates for loans given to female students.

Earlier this month, SBI Chairman Pratip Chaudhuri had said the possibility of a reduction in base rate at this point of time looks bleak as the bank has absorbed last three RBI policy rate hikes without raising its base rate.

The lender's base rate stands at 10% as of now, which is the lowest in the country.

About the possible slashing of home loan rates, he had said the possibility was "less".

"The possibility of (reduction) in home loans is less as the rate is 10.50% and the base rate is 10%. Hence, the possibility is less. Moreover, the tenor of a home loan is 25-30 years, (so) we have to think about it a lot," Chaudhuri had said.

He, however, had said in case of further CRR cut by the central bank, the entire rate structure will come down.

On January 24, the Reserve Bank had reduced the cash reserve ratio (CRR) by 0.5% to 5.5% to infuse liquidity into the system, and indicated a reversal of tight money policy stance.

http://business-standard.com/india/news/sbi-decides-to-cut-interesteducation-loan/158882/on

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