Amit Agarwal, Chairman, Unison Group of Institutions

Amit Agarwal, Chairman, Unison Group of Institutions, Dehradun

Are you satisfied with the importance given to education on the national development agenda?
Yes. In the 12th Plan, there is commendable emphasis on upgrading the infrastructure and faculty of existing institutes and strengthening Central universities, new IITs, IIMs and state universities.

How best to upgrade government colleges?
Government colleges have to be upgraded in terms of infrastructure, facilities, staff training and most importantly, motivation of teachers. Teachers are the backbone of any country, the pillar upon which all aspirations are converted into reality.

Thinker/philosopher you admire most.
Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam — practical thinker and education visionary.

Your favourite Nobel laureate.
Mother Teresa, for her unwavering commitment to aiding those most in need. Perhaps the greatest humanitarian of the 20th century

Your leadership style.
I believe in collective decision making. All decisions should be owned by people executing them. This enables more enthusiastic implementation and faster decision making. The strength of a team is always greater than of an individual.

For or against the RTE Act’s 25 percent reservation for underprivileged children in private schools?
RTE Act is an important step to facilitate inclusion of underprivileged children. It should be accepted as a social responsibility by private schools.

Also read: Why the RTE act should be scrapped

Should education outlay be doubled by cutting defence expenditure?
Education outlay and defence expenditure have their own importance independently.

How satisfied are you with the progress of IMS Unison University and Unison World School?
Our university’s goal is to redefine education through activity-led programmes in a research-oriented educational environment. Unison World School has made long strides in a short span of seven years and is ranked among the Top 5 girls residential schools in India.

Pessimistic or optimistic about Indian higher education?
Optimistic. Over the past decade, the scenario has changed dramatically for the better.