Dr. Mukti Mishra

President, Centurion University of Technology and Management & Chairman, Gram Tarang, Bhubaneswar

Where would you place education on your national list of priorities?
Gandhiji said, “What is really needed to make democracy function is not knowledge of facts but right education.” My priorities are education, health and livelihood in that order. 

How best to upgrade government ITIs?
The best solution is to converge teaching-training-production and incentivise ITI teachers to become nano, mini and micro entrepreneurs. 

Thinker/philosopher you admire the most.
Gandhiji remains my most adored and admired thinker.
 
Your favourite Nobel laureate.
Dr. Elinor Claire Ostrong, an American political economist who shared the Nobel in 2009 and is the only woman to win the Nobel Prize in economics. 

Your leadership style.
According to time and need, I switch between action-cum-thought and thought-cum-action leadership. 

Your favourite book on education. 
Two books are my favourites — Capitalism, Socialism and Democracy and The Theory of Economic Development by J.A. Schumpeter.  

How satisfied are you with the progress of the Union government’s National Skill India Mission?
The National Skill Mission is a herculean task. Since this is not a scheme or programme but continuous action, it needs to be judged after a couple of years. 

Should the education outlay be doubled by cutting defence expenditure?
No. The Central government should increase GST on gold and diamonds to fund education.

How satisfied are you with the growth and development of Centurion University?
In institution-building, satisfaction translates into acceptance of the status quo. The word ‘satisfaction’ is elusive and enigmatic. 

Pessimistic or optimistic about the future of education in India? 
Optimistic. I am sure all regulators and councils will converge and overregulation and under-supervision will be reversed to strict supervision and enabling regulation.