An encounter with Dr. F. C. Kohli

When an opportunity comes across to meet an eminent person like Dr. F. C Kohli to present QTIME learning framework, who would refuse? When he has pioneered an adult literacy program where words become the basic building block to learn a language and to communicate, who would not be eager to listen? What an opportunity to get a perspective from the top! And that I did.

Here are some of my recollections of the presentation and the insightful comments that I received

  • Problem with the way our University System is structured – they are distant from the Students – also, they only prepare the students for the exams, they are not preparing them for thinking;
  • Address certain practical problems. Are there hindrances intentionally or unintentionally put there by politicians & bureaucrats? How to modify the system that has ben established for 60 years?
  • Visit COEP (College of Engineering Pune) perhaps as a model college to attempt any kinds of reform.
  • If dropouts are high during the high school education, the students who are in their teens may get swayed one way or the other to become either talented individuals or may become a terrible burden to the society – may be as terrorists, criminals,
  • Bureaucrats generally think they know all & are not open to listening;  look at such fundamental problems
  • Look at vernacular education – 900 M people do not speak English – need computers in local languages – look at China, they program in Cantonese – problems in India are very different from the ones in AUS, US, etc.; people can think better in their language; many Indian languages are based on Sanskrit which has a 10,000 years history & has a sound grammar; should be able to program in local languages & computation should be done in local languages
  • We have a population which is 3 times that of US, so why not expect having 3 times the number of bright people – are we looking after them?
  • Theoretical aspects are important, but there are unique problems;consider marrying innovation with research
  • Society is a part of the learning process and putting an emphasis on the societal trust is an important facet of learning
  • Work on a financial system to implement QTIME; concept of “burden on beneficiary” merits some serious look; Let banks give a lakh or two to the institutions per year for each student who adopts QTIME– student pays back after 3 to 5 years of working
  • IITs should be only graduate school; improve what you have
  • Theory is OK, but how to go forward?  try to grow the individuals – hide the weaknesses & accentuate the good points / strengths;
  • This is a serious problem & it is a professional’s job – not a place for politicking or for bureaucrats

I felt so good after receiving these insightful comments, I felt energized. I just wondered if we could find a way to energize people the way Dr. F.C. Kohli did, I think we may have a way to turn the nation around onto the right path and complete the nation building exercise, perhaps, with flying colors.