Opinions on Education, Goa and Open Source

I switched to teaching in a college around the time one is expected to have the mid-career blues. Sadly, I found that our education system is very rigid.

While I was teaching at PCCE associated with Goa University, I became convinced that with greater flexibility, most of our colleges and universities would improve. Some may misuse the freedom; however, it seemed awfully stupid to group all with the same brush and prevent innovative education for fear of the black sheep. Just making information about the colleges and institutions available on their web sites and making them liable for incorrect or misleading information on their web sites and advertisements would have introduced a self-corrective mechanism.

It still saddens me that we as a society seem bent on creating more institutions of "excellence" rather than taking simple steps to improve education for most if not all. Although these articles were written in 2003-4 period, nothing seems different now(2009).

Express Computer

The changing face of the software industry, 3 February, 2003

Implementing IT on a Shoestring Budget, April 7, 2003

The Third Innovation of Michael Robertson, 7th July, 2003

Never Too Old to Program, 25 August 2003

Why Indian companies should sponsor Open Source projects,19 July, 2004

Help! Education Drowning, 26 July, 2004

Chasing a product dream, 9 November, 2004

IT's impact on education, 24 January, 2005