Quality of higher education very uneven: Shashi Tharoor

Newly appointed Minister of State for Human Resources Development on Friday lamented that the quality of higher education in the country was extremely uneven. He felt that a stronger emphasis on specialised training could be one of the solutions. Speaking at the 2^nd Convocation of the Max Institute of Medical Excellece (MIME) said 'Our biggest asset is brain. But those minds need to be shaped, they need to be nurtured and they need to be trained. When it comes to higher education, the quality is extremely uneven. On the one hand, we have world-class institutes like IIT and IIM,' he said.'And on the other, we have second rate and even third rate universities which produce graduates. But most of them end up unemployed and this is the reality which we face,' the former UN diplomat told students.

The vocational training system is an interesting prescription. The model is based more on the German model of education than the American model where the emphasis is on specific training rather than a more grounded overall education.

Degrees to future healthcare professionals were awarded at the function Dr Shubnum Singh, Chief of Medical Affairs, Max Healthcare added that MIME has designed over 50 courses that are significant to the (healthcare) industry. It also offered specifically designed modules to train non-medicos including executives and school students.

MIME was incorporated in 2004 as a specialized centre of Max Healthcare for education and training of doctors, nurses, paramedical staff and even non medicos. MIME offers Diplomate of National Board (DNB) program in more than 15 varied primary and super specialties. Presently more than 50 students are undergoing this course. In partnership with Jamia Hamdard University, New Delhi, MIME conducts a three year B Sc in Emergency and Trauma Care Technology.