Knowledge Commission mulls networks across universities   

BANGALORE: The National Knowledge Commission (NKC) is looking at 20 different
activities and areas that could empower India as a knowledge society. 

In his keynote address at the Infovision Summit in Bangalore via
videoconference, Sam Pitroda, chairman, NKC, said that the next big success for
India would be to use technology to improve the lives of those at the bottom of
the pyramid. 

The areas of focus include education, languages, translation, modernizing and
upgradation of libraries, building national portals and a strong focus on
primary and university education. 

He said that the committee is looking into the setting up of national
knowledge networks with gigabyte facility connecting all libraries,
universities, science and research organizations and academic institutions in
the country. 

“We are talking to players like BSNL, Bharti and Reliance about creating
virtual networks that can connect thousands of nodes with high bandwidth.” 

Pitroda added that following the success of the National portal on water,
similar portals would be created on education, environment and health, with the
participation of the Government, NGO and private companies. He stressed on the
importance of revamping the primary education system in the country “that has
failed miserably.” 

“There is a need to change the mindset that has been prevalent over the
last 60 years. We believe that there is a need for participation, private
participation and better teachers to meet the needs of a global society.” 

Pitroda cited challenges such as increasing the number of seats in
universities from the current eight million to 20 million and improving the
content of syllabus. He urged the industry to tap the huge IT opportunity in
healthcare that accounts for 16 per cent of the US GDP. 

On the e-governance recommendations that were brought out by NKC early this
year, he said that these have been predominantly accepted and await execution. 

MM Pallamraju, Minister of State for Defence, said that knowledge management
has become a mature reality today in today's globalized and highly competitive
world.