Straight Talk: Plagiarism - its practice in an Indian context

Plagiarism is a serious offence in the academic world. Politicians and professors have lost their positions for it. Yet, Indian institutions are notably lax about it. Dr. Pushkar writes about what plagiarism is, and examines why it is so widespread in India.

Straight Talk: Foreign faculty will be immensely beneficial for Institutions of Eminence

The combined research output of all India’s central universities is less than that of either Cambridge or Stanford alone. Hiring foreign faculty will boost research and internationalization.

Straight Talk: Do College Rankings Matter?

Prospective students should not decide where to study based on college rankings alone, says BITS-Pilani Professor Pushkar.

Straight Talk: Who are the losers in India's Higher Education?

In the first of a two part series, Dr. Pushkar writes that if India’s higher education system stays broken, we can realistically let go off all expectations from our demographic dividend. Who are the biggest sufferers in India’s higher education system, and why are they suffering? Read part two of the series here.

Straight Talk: What You Need to Know During Admission Season

Here are a few points for both parents and students to keep in mind to make the best of India’s messy admission season.

Straight Talk: Building more colleges will not help India's youth; improving existing ones will

Constructing more colleges simply to accommodate larger numbers of students will not fix the real problem of absorbing graduates into the economic mainstream.

Straight Talk: Do you attend a model University?

Does technology alone make a model university or is there something more to it? Dr. Pushkar looks for a believable definition of the term ‘model university’.

Straight Talk: Put Merit First in Indian Education

A culture of meritocracy must replace a culture of mediocrity if Indian Universities seek to match their international counterparts.

Straight Talk: International students in China and India - A Brief Comparison

An impressive number of students from India and China head abroad for higher education every year. But the numbers of international students flocking to the two countries are not equally substantial. Why is there such a gap and how can it be bridged? Dr. Pushkar discusses below.

Straight Talk: Where will good teachers come from?

The prospect of PM Modi’s much publicized programs 'Make in India', 'Skill India' and 'Digital India' takes education for granted. Education which is the foundation for our economy and ambition. And yet, how big a draw is this sector for the country's bright young minds?