Sumer Singh

Principal, Daly College, Indore

Where would you place education on your national list of priorities?
Education, healthcare and food security should be the nation’s top priorities. Universal education will enable attainment of the other two.

How best to upgrade government schools?
Transfer control from politicians and bureaucrats to an Indian Education Service assisted by local community advisory panels.

Thinker/philosopher you admire most.
Gautam Buddha whose thoughts are simple and pure. We need to get closer to his teachings.

Your favourite Nobel laureate.
Rabindranath Tagore who has been an inspiration to many generations of Indians.

Your leadership style.
I try and transform all members of my team into leaders. Delegate and trust. I give credit for success and take responsibility for failure.

Sumer Singh, your favourite book on leadership.
I’m still looking for it.

For or against the RTE Act mandating 25 percent reservation for underprivileged children in private schools?
I am in favour of universal compulsory education, and private schools as part of society must participate and lead in attaining this national objective. Unfortunately RTE cannot achieve this objective as it is a flawed document conceived in isolated ignorance.

Should education outlay be doubled by cutting defence expenditure?
UK is the best example of the government diverting funds meant for fighter aircraft to schools. However, they took care to canalise these funds to proven private education societies. So yes, we need more funds for education, even if from defence cuts.

How satisfied are you with the growth and development of Daly College?
I am happy with many aspects of the way Daly has grown. The most significant and positive developments have grown out of our membership of Round Square, leading to more confident and well rounded students. However, every success leads to new challenges.

Pessimistic or optimistic about Indian democracy?
India has a vibrant and living democracy which is here to stay. 

Also read: LIfetime Achievement in Education Leadership: Sumer Singh