Chapter 3: Copycats of the Central Himalayas: Learning in the Age of Information

Uttarakhand (previously called Uttaranchal), Central Himalayas, has become synonymous with spiritual exploration and learning, of sadhus and swamis for disciples here and abroad. While thousands of pilgrims flock yearly to this area in search of spiritual learning, another wave of pilgrims has been coming here for its more institutionalized learning—that of its schools and universities. In recent years however, there has been a migration of youth to the neighboring cities such as Delhi (Sati & Sati, 2000) for higher education. This has been primarily attributed to the dearth of high-end technologies within Uttarakhand’s higher institutions, seen as failing to meet the needs of the current generation for relevant IT skills. In the last 3 years, the new state of Uttarakhand has sought to reinvent itself through high-end technologies, putting itself on the fast track to e-readiness (Uttarakhand E-Gov). In particular, it has launched an ambitious project of disseminating computers to all intercolleges in its state (11th and 12 th standard) as a means to reclaim its reputation by leading India in e-learning. With 45% of its population below 25 years of age, a critical need is felt to reshape its schooling in order to equip the students with skills appropriate for this new information and global age.