M. SRINIVASAN
Principal, GEAR Innovative International School, Bangalore

Where would you place education on your national list of priorities?
Topmost. The well-being of a nation and its contribution to the world depends on the quality of education.

How best to upgrade government schools?
A daunting task as the reality is far from what is projected as ‘education’ by the Central and state governments. Enormous funds and other resources are going down the drain. I believe best results can be achieved if communities are permitted to run their own schools.

Thinker/philosopher you admire the most.
Socrates.

Your favourite Nobel laureate.
Einstein. Such a wholesome, brilliant and yet humane mind.

Your leadership style.
Lead from the front. Help leaders emerge. Lead where you are an expert, or follow.

Your favourite book on leadership.
Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by the late Stephen Covey and Good to Great by James C. Collins.

For or against the RTE Act mandating 25 percent reservation for underprivileged children in private schools?
Fantastic in objective but drafted without sufficient understanding of implementation problems and the school system. Only time will pronounce judgement on it.

Should education outlay be doubled by cutting defence expenditure?
No point in starving one to favour the other. We need to increase the efficiency of current expenditure in education manifold. Without the participation of people who have delivered good education and produced proven results, larger outlays won’t work. Productive research is another forgotten but vital aspect of education.

How satisfied are you with the growth and development of GEAR School?
Very satisfied. We have undoubtedly mapped the future and could have achieved much more if there was positive soft infrastructure support from various quarters.

Pessimistic or optimistic about Indian education?
Optimistic about the potential of India’s children and educators, but less optimistic about the process of policy formulation and encouragement of futuristic research.