What do you think about the upcoming Ashoka University?

I have first hand experience of giving lectures at Ashoka University. I think this is the best thing that has happened to the Indian education in a long time. We needed a top class liberal education university at a time everyone wanted to setup only engineering and management colleges. And with the fantastic track record of YIF , I can confidently say that they will be the first university from India in one of the top 100 lists within the next 10 years.

I think their intention is good. And results should be borne out of that intention. Of course, you might say that 'good' is subjective, so let me clarify that here good means constructive in the context of the Indian education system. I have experienced first hand how important it is to be exposed to different schools of thought when you step out of your home for the first time. I consider 18 to be a very young age for deciding what one wants to do for the rest of one’s life, but that is how the system works here in India. If there are people who are trying to change that state of affairs (by not forcing one to become an engineer even before one has figured out what the engine is supposed to do exactly [forgive the lame joke]), I am willing to give them the benefit of doubt. We all need scientists, biologists, physicists, mathematicians and the like, but we also need well rounded individuals who know about egalitarianism and why it is wrong to treat women like cattle. The importance of their ilk can hardly be underestimated in a country where literate people have the talent for sounding quite uneducated. Granted, the venture might prove to be unsuccessful, but its failure will not be due to not having tried.

Although I appreciate their attempts to modernize Indian education, I do not understand why they have copy everything from universities in the United States. Not everything from US can be applied in another country since each has different set of values and culture. Indian students have different needs and courses might not even be relevant here (For example: if a student is learning history of Washington when he wants to be a historian in India and likewise for an English major). There is also the question of whether they will popularize Bengali, Sanskrit, applied Hindi in 21st century Arabic because US colleges (usually) don't have these courses. Another problem seems to be shortage of faculty. There is more of visiting faculty than regular faculty which might result in irregularity and confusion. Their lack of experience might also effect how the college will be run. Since they are just starting out, there might also be a few problems regarding the infrastructure which is still not fully completed and safety issues as it is currently in the remote area of Kundli. Administration will definitely take 4-5 years to sort all the issues regarding the same. Because it is a liberal arts college, people might not warm up to the idea who would rather just learn the practicalities of a field and get to earning money soon. Example: Their course for journalism  only teaches throeotcal knowledge but does not provide practical education and even mass communication studies like other private colleges. I hope they overcome these issues as we need more modern liberal arts and good colleges for the Indian youth who is interested in studying liberal education in an environment that does not judge on the same.

I think it's brilliant. High time someone started a Liberal Arts-oriented culture in the Indian education scene.