Nagpur: Director of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras, V Kamakoti, on Sunday said that India faces the risk of being among the least educated countries if the current enrolment ratio in higher education doesn’t go up in the next decade.
“Currently, the gross enrolment ratio (GER) in higher education stands at 30%. India has the largest population in the 15-35 age group, but inadequate access to quality education remains a major concern. If this issue is not addressed, India could become one of the most uneducated countries,” Kamakoti said at the Saptarishi Awards organised by Hindu Research Foundation here.
The National Education Policy (NEP) envisages increasing the GER in higher education to 50% by 2035, Kamakoti said. “While govt is formulating policies, citizens must also contribute actively to achieving this goal,” he said.
Kamakoti highlighted the importance of preserving India’s traditional knowledge while advancing modern technology. He also recalled IIT Madras’s efforts to develop indigenous microprocessors, which began in 2012. The institute successfully booted its first processor on Sept 21, 2021, he said, adding that he received news of another processor being booted just before arriving in Nagpur.
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