The topic, Quality
Assurance in Education and Research, comprising of four words,
is quite important and it is one of the vital subjects being discussed
extensively these days all over the world. Why so? Before knowing and analysing
this, it would be appropriate to get familiarized with the meaning of and the
spirit behind the four words that make for this heading.
Education: A lifelong
process, purpose of which is to realize what already exists within; to develop
virtues and on the basis of this to ensure all-round progress of one’s
personality. This is the only truth about education, both from the meaning and
the spirit point of view. That is why; more than two thousand four hundred
years ago Socrates [469-399 BC], a great philosopher from Greece had rightly
said, “Education means to bring out what already exists within.”
Approximately seventy years ago, Mahatma Gandhi also said, “All-round development of one’s
personality on the basis of virtues is education.”
Research: Generally, it is
a process to systematically add to a knowledge pool. Moreover, it serves to
divulge the reality on the basis of studies and intensive analysis and paves
way to make the available knowledge adaptable to the future needs. In short,
research is a method, process and system for the addition and advancement of
human knowledge, which opens new doors in the field of education for the larger
welfare of mankind. Therefore, research is essentially connected to the process
of education. It is an inseparable aspect of education, which makes the process
of education worthwhile.
Quality: A virtue that accords expected top-end
result, or delivery on the strength of organization, observation, checks and
balances, and control. It aims at making the modus- operandi of education and
research relevant and result-oriented for the present, and dynamic, exemplary
and modifiable for the future, i.e. to make education truly welfaristic in a
lager interest as per the demand of time and space. The process of education,
evidently, calls for assessment and observation, comparative evaluation, and
must deliver on promised objectives; therefore, the quality is one element that
cannot be compromised with. It is indispensable for the process of education.
It is rightly said that the quality is the means through which an institution
ensures that such conditions as enable students to achieve the standards set by
it or by another awarding body, are put in place.
Assurance: It is the commitment to accomplish a given
task. Making sure that the needful is done timely and rightly. Moreover,
assurance consists of responsibility, dedication and reliability as its chief
attributes. Hence, assurance is an indivisible aspect of educational process.
Hence, the subject in hand, Quality Assurance in Education and Research
is, as a whole an important and significant topic. All the four word
incorporated in it –education, research, quality and assurance, eloquently
reveal its importance. Now, after getting familiar with meaning and spirit in
the root of all of these four words separately as well as their syntax union,
the value and worthiness of the subject become crystal clear, and nothing more
can be added to enhance clarity and understanding in this regard.
Thanks to its sanguine importance,
practical value and central significance that it is being discussed at all
levels –local, regional, national and international, particularly so because
education system is lacking in values and delivery mechanisms. The level of
commitment in the process is much below expectations. People are busy
individually as well as collectively in more than one million researches in
different subjects of sciences, commerce and arts, in hundreds of thousands of
universities and institutions of higher studies or learning [colleges] all over
the world. Internationally known organizations such as the British Council, the
NAFSA [National Association of Foreign Student Advisor;
it is for International Student
Exchange and Aid with its headquarter in Washington, USA], the CONAHEC [Consortium for North American Higher Education Collaboration comprising membership of universities
and colleges of the US, Mexico and Canada]*, the HEDBIB
[Bibliographical Database on Higher Education], and the UNESCO [United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization]** are extending full support
to the vast body of research works all over the world. The support is financial
as well as in the form of technical guidance. Organizations like the UGC
[University Grants Commission]***, the ICSSR [Indian Council of Social Science
Research], the ICHR [Indian Council of Historical Research], the ICPR [Indian
Council of Philosophical Research], the CSIR [Council of Scientific and
Industrial Research], the ICAR [Indian Council of Agricultural Research], the
ICMR [Indian Council of Medical Research], the SCHE [State Council of Higher
Education], and so many others bodies, both at the central and provincial
levels, work to assist, guide and support
research works all over the country.
Despite this, there is a lack of quality
assurance in education and research both at the national and global level and
it is indeed a matter of great concern. Situation is more serious in India for
several reasons. The foremost reason for this according to me is the lack of
morality, which emerges from the core intention of duty and responsibility. When
I talk about this, it covers the responsibilities and duties of all those who
are involved directly or indirectly, more or less, or at any of the levels of
the process of education.
Education and research, both, demand
dedication to duty and a keen sense of responsibility. This is, in fact, the
acid test of morality. Indifference to it results in lowering of quality and
commitment or assurance in education and research. The indifference is being
observed these days particularly on the following lines.
1.
Haste
and shortcut in most research works leading to pedestrian, unexpected and
unusable results;
2.
Focus
on individual gain in most of the works and worst thing that could be observed
in many cases is that research works are completed just to get the thing done
in formal manner;
3.
Deficiency
in developing new methods, which are critically required as per the demand of
time and space; and
4.
Lack
of healthy debates, critical analysis and logical conclusion calling for
concrete steps to be taken for a progressive future.
This is the situation in general, i.e.,
almost in all disciplines. However, it is more serious in subjects related to
humanities and social science. Even as this is the reality all over the world
in general, India is particularly lagging behind in comparison to many nations
of America, Europe and Oceania.
India was a World Guru in distant past. Right from the ancient times, sound
thoughts and contemplation, healthy and critical analysis, experiments and
discussions have been the part and parcel of Indian tradition pertaining to Shiksha – the education. Intensive and
result-oriented research formed the basis of the teaching methodology in India.
But, the current scenario is undoubtedly full of disappointment and, as stated
already, it makes the situation grim. It calls for serious retrospection and
troubleshooting with following three things in mind:
1.
To
work individually and collectively, both, with commitment at all levels for
quality assurance;
2.
To fix
the responsibility at state and institutional level, both, without compromising
with quality in any manner; and
3.
To
decide certain standard for education and research, both, for institutional
level in particular and to motivate students and researchers to work
accordingly.
It can be said in conclusion that
responsibility and duty, which are the acid test of morality, are the nucleus
of the process of education; they are the basics, the means to assure quality
in education and research. We ought to realize this and come forward to work
accordingly.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Note: This piece is based on
extracts of a speech delivered as the chief guest of the inaugural session of a
national seminar organized by the Guru Gobind Singh
College of Education [For Women] at Giddarbaha, Punjab [India].
*Formed in 1994 the CONAHEC is
promoting academic collaboration among institutions of higher education and
research, it has developed in outgoing years successful partnership with the
key national umbrella higher education organizations in the NAFTA [North American Free Trade Agreement Region], the ACE [American Council on Education],
the AACC [American Association of
Community Colleges], the AUCC [Association of Universities and
Colleges of Canada], the ACCC [ Association of Canadian Community
Colleges] and the ANUIES
[Association of National Universities and Institutions of Education Superior]
of Mexico.
**Founded on November 4, 1946 and
having 195 states at its members at present, the UNESCO is functioning as a laboratory of ideas and as a medium for international
co-operation, complementing and giving leadership to know-how for social and
economic development through institutions of higher learning, study and
research throughout the world.
***Established in 1956, the UGS is the key agency
promoting and guiding 567 universities in India as per the information
available up to June 2012 including 42 central, 285 state and 112 private
universities respectively.
*****
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