He is four score years and six, yet age sits light on his shoulders. It is a pleasure to watch this workaholic octogenarian scientist and educationist being lost in his laboratory engaged incessantly in his research and imparting training. Padma Shri Prof Prafulla Kumar Jena is an internationally-known scientist with specialisation in metallurgical engineering, industrial waste management and environmental science. He was instrumental in setting up of the Institute of Minerals & Materials Technology (IMMT), formerly known as Regional Research laboratory (RRl) in Bhubaneswar belonging to the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), a research institute of international standing. Subsequently, Dr Jena rose to become the Director General of the CSIR, New Delhi from 1972 to 1989. During this period, he played a pivotal role in setting up the Pathani Samanta Planetarium and Science Centre, presently known as Science Park, in Bhubaneswar and he was the first chairman of both organisations. Prior to his joining as IMMT Director, he was a Senior Scientist at the Bhaba Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai and then Professor & Head of the Department of Metallurgy at the Banaras Hindu University. During the 1990s, he was invited as First Distinguished Professor of Tata Chair in Metallurgical Engineering at the IIT, Kharagpur and then Senior Visiting Professor at the Tohoku University, Japan and the Catholic University of Rio-de-Janeiro, Brazil. Presently, he is the Chairman of the Institute of Advance Technology & Environmental Studies (IATES), and President of Natural Resources Development Foundation (NRDF), Bhubaneswar.
Prof Jena has made pioneering contributions through planning and executing a large number of R&D projects in the area of conservation and development of mineral resources, industrial waste and environment management. Some of his exemplary contributions include development of processes for extraction and purification of high-valued metals like niobium, tantalum, vanadium, tungsten and molybdenum, installation of pilot plant facilities in the areas of mineral processing, hydro and pyrometallurgy for metal extraction, recovery of values from industrial wastes and development of special materials. He is a life Fellow of the Indian Academy of Sciences, a life Fellow of the Institution of Engineers (India), a life Fellow of the Indian Institute of Metals and a life member of the Indian Science Congress, a former Member of the Planning Board of Odisha, a former President of Vigyan Academy, Odisha, s former Chairman of Engineering Group of laboratories, CSIR, a former President of Engineering Section of Indian Science Congress, etc.
Prof Jena has received a large number of prestigious awards and recognitions including National Metallurgist award in 1969, Padma Shri in 1977, Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industries award, Institution of Engineers (India) award, Distinguish Services award from the BHU, life Time Achievement Award of Excellence, (Institute of Minerals & Materials Technology, CSIR, life Time Achievement award for Outstanding Contribution in the field of Scientific Research (Rajiv Gandhi Professional Award 2012), Distinguished Scientist Award 2012 for Outstanding Contribution in the field of science & technology (Bengal Engineering and Science University, Shibpur, in association with Millennium Institute), Bhavan’s Samman Odisha award.
Dr Jena today is shocked over the deteriorating quality of higher education countrywide and especially in Odisha. In an interview to The Pioneer, he spoke to Sugyan Choudhury at his research institute in Bhubaneswar on the ills afflicting and remedies concerning higher education in the country.
What is the state of higher education in India at presentIJ
leading educationists of India as well as those from some developed countries have expressed great concern regarding the degrading quality of higher education in India particularly when the country is heading for various socioeconomic developmental programmes with “Make in India” projects. From a recent survey, it has been found that not a single university, NIT or IIT in India finds place in the top hundred higher educational institutions of the world. It is a fact that rarely there is a break through research result which has been developed in India and being used for the benefits of the mankind. Again, some scientific and technological findings developed in different disciplines do not reach the doorsteps of people in the country because of lack of coordination amongst scientists, industries and the government. Further, a lot of unrest and unhealthy atmosphere prevails in most of our educational institutions mainly due to political interference directly or indirectly.
What are the reasons of the lower standard of higher education in IndiaIJ
I feel the lower standard of teaching and research in our higher educational institutions are our own creation because of the causal attention given by the concerned authorities in the following areas:
In most of our educational institutions, there are insufficient infrastructural facilities and modern equipments for carrying out teaching and research programmes. In the world, knowledge and technology are progressing fast. In India, the facilities in the institutions without interactions with their counterparts in the world’s leading institutions are a reason for the lower standard. They teach the courses of studies without incorporating additional knowledge in the area. Most of the faculties get little facilities for improving their knowledge in their area of specialisation. As a result, they remain backdated and contribute very little to the students to improve their skills. Further, they have very little interaction with the user organisations and, thus, fail to train their students in the required areas. It is unfortunate that private institutions are found to be more concerned for making money than improving the quality of education. In most of the higher educational institutions, practically there is no proper assessment of the quality of teaching staffs as well as the assessment on the performance of students. Indiscipline and unfavourable educational atmosphere prevail in most of the institutions; and these are largely due to political interference.
What are the remedial measures you suggest to improve the standard of higher educationIJ
In order to improve the standard of higher education and research, the following measures may be considered and implemented:
Developing necessary infrastructural facilities for teaching and higher research with a greater emphasis on application-oriented activities; Closer interaction of the educational institutions with concerned research organisations, industries or other users as the case may be; Improving the qualification of the faculties through quality improvement programmes like organising short courses offered by eminent scientists and educationists in the respective areas; Providing necessary incentives regarding improvement in research activities in advanced areas; More interactions with sister institutions in India and abroad in advance and special areas, particularly in research; Proper monitoring and evaluation of the teaching and research performances of the faculties regularly and steps to be taken to assists them to be motivated in the right direction; Keeping political activities away from the educational institutions and; allowing them to work peacefully should be the objective of all concerned.
What should be the role of both the Central and State Governments to improve the teaching and research atmosphere in the educational institutionsIJ
The Government should give assistance in creating various infrastructural facilities and recruiting talented teaching faculties, helping in creating congenial atmosphere in the institution for learning and also providing necessary incentives in teaching and research.
Facilitating proper interactions with concerned research organisations and user institutions including industries and providing better interactions of the faculties with their foreign counterparts and assisting in conducting workshops, national and international symposia/ conferences, etc.
Both the State Governments and the Central Government should ensure that the university library buildings should be the highest, higher than the State and Central Secretariat buildings, thereby inspiring the future generations of our country to be enticed to teaching, learning and higher research and higher education.
Based on his accumulated knowledge and repository wisdom, Dr Jena is of the opinion that there has been erosion in quality education especially in the higher educational institutions in India. He suggests some measures for intoning and invigorating the higher education scenario for the benefit of the future generation.