Pitroda wants major reforms in education sector

With the Planning Commission allocating close to Rs 3 trillion in the Eleventh Plan to education, National Knowledge Commission (NKC) chairman, Sam Pitroda, feels this is the right time to think about major reforms in the education sector.

The NKC chairman, who called on Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy on Tuesday, also expressed the hope that the state government would take the lead in this regard.

"In the last two years, we have submitted recommendations on almost 20 different topics including libraries, networks, primary education, distance learning, vocational education, and universities education. Many of these are state subjects," he said.

According to Pitroda, the task before the NKC is to take steps that will give India the 'knowledge edge' in the coming decades, especially in ensuring that our country becomes a leader in creation, application and dissemination of knowledge.

The chief minister assured the NKC chairman that the state would certainly take advantage of the 11th Plan initiatives in education and knowledge improvement, according to an official press release.