Nair set to retire; bemoans poor quality higher education

ISRO chief G Madhavan Nair, who is to retire by this month-end after an illustrious career at the space agency, bemoans that the country's higher education system is not up to the mark, churning out graduates only for routine jobs.

Nair, also Secretary in the Department of Space, called for improving quality to produce high-class technologists and scientists.

"The level of education and knowledge being imparted by many colleges...They are not up to the mark. Instead of concentrating on quantity, these institutions should concentrate on quality," he told PTI in an interview.

"I am not happy with the education system in the country. The bulk of applicants (who applied for scientific and engineering jobs at ISRO this year)...They are not able to get even 50 per cent marks in our entrance tests."

Nair said if the quality level is not up to the mark, then one would only get people for clerical or routine jobs. If real technologists for manufacturing and scientific research were to be produced, the quality had to be far better.

Appointed as chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation in 2003, Nair's tenure saw realisation of 27 space missions, of which 25 were successful, with India's maiden moon mission Chandrayaan-1 being the pinnacle of glory for the country's space agency.

Nair got two extensions in 2005 and 2007.