Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants universities to get involved in various government surveys and to review their journalism courses "to make them more effective", an education ministry letter forwarded to all vice-chancellors says.

It does not explain what specific changes, if any, to the journalism courses the Prime Minister wants or why and in what capacity the universities should associate themselves with surveys.

Following education ministry instructions, University Grants Commission secretary Manish R. Joshi wrote to all vice-chancellors about this on March 23. Attached with his letter was a letter from the ministry, issued under the subject line "Suggestion of Hon’ble Prime Minister regarding association of HEIs with surveys and review of journalism syllabus".

"Universities and Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) may be associated on a challenge mode with various surveys being conducted by Government of India, Ministries/ Departments (such as MoSPI, MoHFW, etc). They may even be entrusted with the responsibility of undertaking certain surveys," the ministry letter said.

The National Sample Survey Office under the ministry of statistics and programme implementation conducts periodic national surveys on the employment or industrial situation, spending patterns and other subjects. The ministry of health and family welfare conducts the National Family Health Survey. "Syllabus in Journalism course may be reviewed to make them more effective. UGC & AICTE are requested to issue suitable advisories to institutions under your jurisdiction regarding the same matter," the ministry letter said.

While the UGC regulates general courses, the AICTE regulates technical courses such as engineering, management and pharmacy.

The letter does not specify whether students of all or certain specific courses should join the surveys, and whether they should be doing fieldwork or analysis or both.

Academic and former UGC vice-chairperson Bhushan Patwardhan welcomed the directive to review journalism syllabuses while suggesting that all higher-study courses undergo similar reviews to improve their quality. "Journalism is supposed to bring out the true picture of society…. With time, the syllabus should be revised," Patwardhan said, without elaboration.

He said the quality of higher education was falling in general, one key reason being the "quality of content".

"The syllabuses of all courses should be revised," he said. Patwardhan advocated the implementation of the UGC Quality Mandate of 2021 that emphasised teacher training, faculty development programmes, accreditation and assessment of institutions, examination reforms and industry linkage.

P.C. Mohanan, former acting chairperson of the National Statistical Commission, expressed scepticism about the deployment of university students in government surveys, saying they lacked the expertise. However, he said, universities can revise their syllabuses to include survey methodologies and findings.

"Universities can popularise survey and survey data. This will help get students ready to pursue careers in survey projects," he said. "The statistics courses in universities currently teach mainly mathematical concepts. Their syllabus should be revised to add more content on survey design, implementation, and data processing and analysis. Students of disciplines like economics, sociology and similar subjects can be sensitised on data interpretation."

Amitabh Panda, former NSSO additional director-general, advocated a middle path — that of training students in survey techniques before letting them join such exercises.