US not good for education: Top Indian scientist

CHENNAI: Even as more Indian students are taking wings to the US for higher studies, a top Indian scientist today said "America is not at all good for education".

"Everything in (the) US is no good. They are (Indian students) going to some second rate institutions. Just because you go abroad, doesn't mean that you get good education. Now, there are excellent institutions in India doing research," C N R Rao, chairman of scientific advisory council to the Prime Minister, said here after delivering a oration.

"Most of the parents are sending their children even for schools to America, wasting a lot of money. I think we should give them good enough schools so that we don't send them for that (good schools). They should go there for specialisation in university or college."

Terming the focus on teaching and teachers, a "national emergency," Rao called for a mission spearheaded by the Union government.

Asked about his efforts to make education a national mission, he said a meeting with the Prime Minister was over and he will next meet HRD Minister Kapil Sibal.

He was worried that the country was not spending even six per cent of GDP towards education.

"Though there are 67 engineering colleges in Bangalore city alone, not many of them have enough teachers. Many colleges in the country have biotechnology department where there are no biotechnologists, computer science departments with people not having a degree in computer science," he said.

Exhorting the importance of quality teachers for the country, Rao said the government needs to focus on teachers as they create the future India.