Exemplary visionaries

Your excellent cover story  ‘21 higher education leaders racing to develop India’s high-potential human resource’ (EW July) has surely brought considerable cheer to many parents like me who are disillusioned with the quality of India’s higher education system.

I was comforted by reading the interviews of the 21 exemplary education visionaries who outlined their game-changing prescriptions for transforming India into a $30 trillion economy by 2047. 

Keep up the good work!

Divakar Shenoy on email

Surprising omissions

I am surprised that eminent higher education leaders of excellent universities such as Ashoka, Krea, Nalanda and Plaksha have not been featured in your cover story titled ‘21 higher ed leaders racing to develop India’s high-potential human resource’ (EW July). What’s the explanation?

1. Parthasarathy

Bengaluru

They were contacted for interview but failed to respond. Perhaps because they are not racing to develop India’s high-potential human resource — Editor

Enriching Indian education

Thanks for the detailed feature on the inaugural India-USA Global Education Leadership Summit 2025 (EW July) held in Hillsdale College, Michigan that brought together school and higher ed leaders from both nations.

The themes discussed including educational leadership, civic responsibility, liberal arts, and the role of values in curriculum, are important issues in today’s globalised yet polarised world. Such initiatives not only deepen cross-cultural understanding but also open avenues for our school leaders to engage in meaningful pedagogical exchange and curriculum innovations. Looking forward to more such international engagements enriching India’s evolving education landscape.

Soumya D via email 

Urgent! Revive UN

Re. your editorial ‘Regime change necessity in global village’ (EW July). With the Israel-Palestine conflict intensifying and a dire humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza, I fully agree this is a pivotal opportunity to revive the United Nations (UN).

As your editorial compellingly argues, global interconnectedness makes it clear that regional conflicts have global ramifications. The paralysis of the UN and its affiliate organisations is severely undermining effective multilateral action in the Gaza, Ukraine, and other wars. It’s time to reform, revive and empower the UN to act decisively during wars and humanitarian crises.

Keerthana S

Kochi

Worthless certificates

Harshil Sharma’s Teacher-2-Teacher essay ‘Action plan for bridging India’s yawning skills gap’ (EW July) was thought-provoking and insightful. The need for a focused action plan to align skilling programmes with industry demands is undeniable.

The plain truth is that most skilling curriculums are bookish and outdated. Therefore the certification of training institutes is worthless in the job market. What’s urgently needed is a total overhaul of vocational training curriculums to include hands-on and apprenticeship-based learning to prepare youth for jobs in industry and commerce.

Rama Mathur

Delhi

Hope & prayer

Your ‘Dimming star’ Education News report from West Bengal (EW July) has highlighted the unending saga of scandals and gender crimes confronting the state, the most recent being the horrific gangrape of a law student in Kolkata.

Most people have lost hope that the Mamata Banerjee administration will make things better. In less than a year, the state is headed for elections. Let us hope and pray that people vote for positive change.

Dipankar Dutta

Kolkata

Urgent appeal

As a regular reader of EducationWorld, I want to draw your attention to growing, compulsive smartphone addiction in children that is negatively impacting their physical, mental and social well-being. Children are experiencing sleep deprivation, anxiety, depression and other socio-emotional behavioural issues. It has also adversely affected their academic performance. Moreover, excessive screen time has reduced children’s love for outdoor activity.

This is an urgent appeal to educators and parents countrywide to limit children’s screen time and ensure they have a wholesome life beyond digital screens.

Jubel D’Cruz

Mumbai