Policy & Governance

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 06 feb 2014

Open and distance learning (ODL) system in India is not new and first started in 1962. Over the years it has grown and now more than 4 million students (22%) are enrolled in higher education through ODL mode. The regulatory mechanism of ODL system was governed by DEC (Distance Education Council) established by IGNOU (Indira Gandhi National Open Univeristy) in 1991. Madhav Menon Committee, constituted in August 2010 by MHRD (Ministry of Human Resource and Development) to suggest measures for effective and efficient regulation of distance education, questioned DEC's authority as the apex regulator on the basis of 'conflict of interest' (DEC being under the control of IGNOU), lack of adequate manpower and technological support. Based on the findings and recommendations of Madhav Menon Committee, MHRD and IGNOU dissolved DEC by an order in May 2013 and transferred the regulatory authority for ODL system to UGC (University Grants Commission) and AICTE (All India Council for Technical Education). Article provides detailed historical evolution of ODL system in India and the current regulatory dynamics. Moreover it suggests that more sustained reforms in this area are required to safeguard the interests of millions of students and there is need for 'independent' and 'effective' regulator for better coordination and consensus on important policy matters. The quality of ODL system has to be enhanced and upgraded. Moreover to attract more students into the ODL system, use of latest educational technologies should also be considered. Read on...

The Financial Express: The future of distance education in India
Authors: Rajat Mukherjee, Rupesh Mishra

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Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 11 jan 2014

Effective norms and guidelines related to corporate governance are essential to ensure accountable and transparent relationship of corporations with their stakeholders and to enhance investor confidence while dealing with entities of capital markets. SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India), the market regulator, is expected to soon come out with detail framework on corporate governance structure with new models related to CEO salaries, succession planning and whistle-blower policy at listed companies. The other issue that might be included considers the number of directorships an individual can hold as an independent director. Currently according to Companies Act a person can be independent director of 10 publicly listed companies. Mr U. K. Sinha, SEBI's current chairman, mentioned that the regulator has kept checks and balances on its search and seizure powers. Read on...

The Hindu: SEBI to soon come out with norms on corporate governance model
Author: NA

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Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 11 jan 2014

As India's economy continues to grow and expand, the need for energy security becomes a critical component of the overall development policy. Currently most of the fuel is imported from Middle-East and Africa where political instability in some countries is a growing concern. Although India has vast coal reserves and presently uses it as main energy source, but there are issues at the policy level to pursue sufficient mining. Moreover there are environmental concerns related to overuse of coal. India intends to diversify its energy supply by focusing on wind, solar and nuclear sources. But it also has to encourage and expand exploration and production of oil and gas within the country. In last 15 years the investment in exploration has only been US$ 16 billion which is less than half of what Brazil has spent and much less than what India's own companies have invested in foreign exploration activities. Read on...

The Economist: A price worth paying
Author: NA

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Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 04 jan 2014

Architects play an important role in building and developing both personal and public infrastructure and participate in the growth of nations. India is undergoing rapid urbanization and it is critical for the government and private sector to plan, facilitate and manage it with collaborative and converged approach. India's 1500 architects recently came together at IIA's (The Indian Institute of Architects) National Convention 2013 to discuss and consider various aspects and issues facing architecture including urbanization, sustainability and innovation. The convention concluded with recommendations called 'Chennai Charter' - To work for the establishment of Ministry of Architecture, Regional and Urban Planning' & Public Architecture Department, both at national and state level; Based on provisions of the Architect Act (1972) promote employment of architects in government projects; Formation of agricultural university at location where sufficient architecture schools/colleges are present. Read on...

The Hindu: Building the future
Author: Hema Vijay

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Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 03 jan 2014

The two most important constituents of the Indian demographic, the rural population (nearly 70% of the 1.2 billion) and youth (65% of the population is under the age of 35) should be the main focus while gauging or predicting the future of India. In the article Adil Zainulbhai and Barnik C. Maitra, co-editors of McKinsey report 'Reimagining India', provide their views regarding the changes that India is going through and what are the opportunities and possibilites to drive speedier inclusive development of its population. They mention that India's innovative use of technologies at lesser cost to provide healthcare services in remote and rural areas, efficient delivery mechanisms for government's social services and benefits availed by the needy population, access to MOOCs from world-class sources through better internet connectivity and cheaper devices to enable and facilitate a learning revolution, application of innovative processes in the areas of infrastructure and energy by leapfrogging the traditional models, and utilizing similar innovative and technology enhanced methods in other areas like retail, banking, finance, agriculture etc to reach every Indian citizen will help India achieve better and faster inclusive growth and development. Read on...

CNN: How India can leapfrog to the future
Authors: Barnik Maitra, Adil Zainulbhai

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Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 28 dec 2013

Urbanization is a reality and a challenge that India continues to face and manage. According to recent studies 350 million Indians are expected to migrate to urban areas by 2030 and this number may increase to 700 million by 2050. In the article Amitabh Kant (CEO & MD of the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor Development Corporation) shares his views and insights to effectively and efficiently manage the exodus of rural population towards cities and inturn make it a growth and development platform for the better future of India. He mentions examples from China that managed similar urbanization process with sucessful results and built new cities as part of industrialization and modernization policy. According to him agriculture can only sustain a growth rate of 3% while Indian economy requires 9-10% growth to uplift vast segments of its population out of poverty. He says that cities are centers of growth, innovation & creativity and India has to take active steps to upgrade infrastructure of current cities and evolve a framework to build and develop new cities with focus on sustainable urbanization. Read on...

Mail Online: The future of India's growth process lies in its cities
Author: Amitabh Kant

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Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 25 dec 2013

Local and global economists have diverse views and approaches to assess and predict India's economic future. Particularly since the elections for the next parliament are due in 2014 the debate has got further exacerbated on which model will evolve after the formation of the new government. Jagdish Bhagwati and Amartya Sen debate has currently been in the news with Professor Sen focusing on investments in social infrastructure and inclusive development while growth will follow and on the other hand Professor Bhagwati advocating growth as the primary and main catalyst for development and long term sustainability of the economy. In this interview Professor Arvind Panagariya of Columbia University, and co-author of the book 'India's Tryst with Destiny' with Jagdish Bhagwati, explains his views on various aspects of Indian economy, political and economic scenarios and future prospects for India. He suggests three things that the government can do to steer the economy in the right direction - (1) Speedy clearance of projects to continue economic recovery (2) Build infrastructure at faster pace (3) Reforms need to happen with long term perspective and would include land and labor market reforms and replacement of a large number of welfare programs. He also suggests further opening of FDI and scaling back public distribution system. He mentions that Food Security Bill will not have any impact to boost cereal consumption and India will surpass China in terms of growth rate. Read on...

The Wall Street Journal: Arvind Panagariya on Fixing India's Economy
Author: Sriram Balasubramanian

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Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 14 dec 2013

Finance Minister of India, Mr. P. Chidambaram, provides analysis of the past 33 years of economic reforms and performance of the Indian economy during this period. He also shares his perspective on how the future of India's economy will shape itself and what would be the critical and game changing ideas and steps that should be taken to achieve inclusive and balanced growth. According to him in the past the game changers of the Indian economy were - Making the rupee convertible on the current account (1991); Slashing of tax rates (1997); Value added tax (VAT) that replaced sales tax (2005). While in the future the game changers would be - Direct tax code; Goods and Services Tax (GST); Insurance and pension reforms; Uniform financial code recommended by the commission for financial sector legislative reforms; Aadhaar and Direct Benefit Transfer scheme. He also suggests that India has to find the right balance between the three main institutions of democracy - Executive; Legislature or Parliament; Judiciary - for better governance. He mentions that in recent times the balance has swung away from the executive and also from legislature and more power seems to have gone towards judiciary that might have altered the balance that is required for governance and sustained long term growth. Read on...

The Economic Times: Future of India depends on inclusive growth and reforms driven by game changing ideas, institutions
Author: P. Chidambaram

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Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 06 dec 2013

According to Dr. Madhav Deo, member of Academic Council of MCI (Medical Council of India), the estimated 90% of healthcare providers in rural India aren't even graduates. While mentioning the government's recent scheme to create mid-level rural healthcare professionals by providing a Bachelor of Science in Community Health, he also said that it will not completely solve the rural healthcare challenges and there has to be a nationwide debate regarding the condition of rural healthcare and solutions have to be evolved. India's healthcare direction seems to be similar to what US has gone through in 20th century, particularly regarding the state of healthcare education. This bleak period in US medical education history is often referred to as Pre-Flexner Era. Abraham Flexner, an educator, submitted a report regarding the condition of medical education in 1908, and provided the recommendations that became the blueprint defining the future of healthcare in US. It considered Johns Hopkins School of Medicine as the benchmark and model for medical schools in US and helped standardize medical education all across the country. India may not have to fully copy and adopt this model but it has to create its own ideal medical school considering local realities (AIIMS can be a model to follow) and standardize medical education in the country with strict norms and conditions keeping in mind the numerous challenges and issues that medical education and healthcare services delivery are currently facing in the country. Read on...

India.com: Is the government pushing medical education into the dark ages?
Author: Nirmalya Dutta

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Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 30 nov 2013

Indian economy can only benefit from its 'demographic dividend', with one of the largest youth population in coming years, when these youths have right education, required skills and available work. At present Indian job market is in a strange situation, with graduates unable to find suitable work while companies can't find candidates with required work skills. According to a report by FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry) and Ernst & Young India has less than 10000 vocational training institutes with a capacity of only 1.3 million. The government's skills development plan to provide skills training to 500 million people by 2022 in partnership with private sector is a policy initiative in the right direction. Read on...

BBC News: Training India: Is skills gap holding the economy back?
Author: Yogita Limaye

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