"Bridgers Are Required, Especially From Research Angle " - Dr. D. Venkata Madhusudan Rao

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1. Tell us more about your experience as an educator.

Being the son of a Principal, younger age onwards, I have seen/given tuitions to many students a at their place/ in my home. Why this has to happen? Whose fault it is? Teacher / Student/ Parent/ System. Earlier days tuitions were given to feed their families due to low salaries, but now it became a business trend. 

Ones results based system is implemented, tuitions will reduce. Subjects, Syllabus, teachers, pedagogy, technology, and tools need an overhaul to generate employment. 

Institutes are mass producing low skilled persons of knowledge, leads to unemployment and suicides. No one is going for wisdom, think of our history, where are now? BPO / LPO/KPO centres hub.


2. What is your opinion of the Indian education system and how would you like to change that?

It’s a very long process. One nation, One education system first. Education is basic right, but became costly now-a-days. Government institutes number to be increased, stricter controls on private institutes. Research focused, Outcome based education needed. Permissions/ extensions are based on results.


3. What changes in the teaching methodologies have you seen in the recent times?

If we take COVID-19 situation, do we have technology? Answer is straight No. In teaching, after how many months technology was used by majority of institutes and at what level? We observe in news so many students specifically rural side, still not having equipments.

Educational applications are (Zoom,...) banned recently only, Lecture method only leading even through technology is used. Cooperative Teaching-Learning methods (Jigsaw, STAD, case study, projects, simulation…) long way to go. 

Why IITs/IIMs/IIScs…. are at front? It is their Project based teaching, teacher is a guide/ mentor. Are these not FLAWS?


4. How does education help one do well in their career?


Education gives knowledge on any subject(s), if practiced Skill(s) developed, leads to modified behavior/ attitude, ultimately Wisdom. It can be of individually or in teams. Eg., cooperative, humanity, leadership, trustworthy.


5. Do you think teaching as a profession is viewed at par with corporate jobs?

Definitely No. Teaching is known as a profession, but where are the ethics from Educational institutes side and from teachers side too (comparatively less). Institutes are profit minded, with faster Return on Investment. They invest in technology to show off to get admissions, but not for utility.

Computers, A/Cs will exist, but softwares, internet are for short time with low speed or no permissions due to spoilage or of doubt. Majority of Private institutes, care teachers less, eventhough they are the bread winners. 

No chances are provided to improve their knowledge, skills, industry/association linkages. Seniors or higher positioned feel less secured with younger knowledgeable ones, hence selections are low skilled, less paid, extra work hours, and with a bonus of late pay day terms.

Increments are marginal compared to industry, which is ok due to low skill. At the time of joining, institutes collect teachers’ educational certificates and blank cheques. Are these professional ethics? So it cannot be compared with Corporate jobs.


6. How can we adopt technology to make teaching more effective?

Adopting Technology with Change is a MUST, one need to be updated with the subject, technology and their seamless integrity/ utilisation. Then only students will also show interest and update themselves. As the world is moving at franatic speed, to cope up/ bridge with them we need to adopt technology. 

If not we will go backward / perish. Eg. Covid-19 situation, Institutes/ we realised the importance of technology and started using it. But from the point of outcomes, it is lesser due to majority of teachers are learning or infact experimenting.

In a simplified view, check any University syllabus, it boasts of latest topics, but where is the technology in institutes, number of skilled teachers in latest topics, literally nill. It is the reason for growing unemployment. Hence industry to institute linkage required to update technology/methodology. 

7. Why does India need more educators like you?

Our India is blessed with so many jewel educators, they may be from academia or industry. We need their wisdom to bridge or surpass with the developed world. In Management field, in my opinion we are 30 years behind. Hence Bridgers are required, Especially from research angle in any field.


- Dr. D. Venkata Madhusudan Rao , Professor

- Interviewed by K. Anusree

- Edited by Shilpy Sharan