Almost every day, one sees media reports that colleges and institutes are mushrooming across the State and the country at large.

This translates into hundreds and thousands of young job aspirants turned out by these institutions of higher learning. Though, whether jobs are being generated proportionately to employ the students passing out is a moot point.

In the past five years or even a decade, one has learnt that the country of ours has slowly evolved into a knowledge super-power.

Even the top leaders, no less than former President of India A P J Abdul Kalam or for that matter the premier Manmohan Singh, have without doubts claimed it to be so.

Notwithstanding the statements of these two stalwarts, the country has emerged as a fertile ground for overseas students to explore more, learn more and consequently earn more, and with the nation on the threshold of being a super-power, students from abroad, have been arriving in droves to make use of the education system in India.

Are we not destination healthcare, already? Though ironically we may also be the diabetes capital of the world. Okay, is not Chennai, another Detroit where high-end automobiles are being turned out?

The nation’s every leader and orator in public life screaming out from the roof-tops that we have the largest asset in the whole wide world – the youth power,and this could be realised if only harnessed in the proper way.

Because, it’s today’s young who are going to shape India’s tomorrow and in the process give meaning to the vision of the erstwhile rocketman Kalam that India could become a world super-power.

Is not the placing of five satellites in space by the recently launched PSLV a precursor of how things are going to be with the advancements being made in science and technology?

Having conquered and made discoveries in the realms of this vast universe, the nation is virtually entering the earth’s hall of fame. If only the modern day torchbearers continue to pass on the torches to those following them.

Union Law Minister M Veerappa Moily probably thought this to be an opportune moment to exhort all universities and institutions of higher learning and research to march towards excellence and face challenges within the country and abroad.

He said while speaking at a convocation function that there was an imperative need to ramp up standards to be maintained by professional, scientific and research centres. Moily minced no words while saying that globalisation and liberalisation are related to higher education as India was a founder member of the World Trade Organisation and hence had certain obligations.

While seeing the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), a pact within the WTO, as a sign of progress, the Minister said that restructuring common syllabus, standards of evaluation, recognising credits and grades, were the need of the hour.

Varsities and other institutions must assume the responsibility of making informed decisions that have a bearing on their position and standards of education as well.

As a step in this direction, they should initiate building a network both within the country and overseas through tie-ups.

Another Union Minister, the Central HRD Minister Kapil Sibal has said that he was awestruck by democracy and empowerment in classrooms brought in by the Tamilnadu government through activity-based learning and active learning methodology and has urged all the other States to follow suit.

Kudos to Chief Minister M Karunanidhi and his Minsterial colleagues in the State Education Department for steering Tamilnadu to the  numero uno position and making it into mecca of Education.