India-China Education Leadership Gap Shapes Technology Divide

Shankar Sharma compared education leaders in India and China using a scoring model.

He says India’s scores were high in some earlier periods but much lower in several later ones.

China’s recent education leaders received generally stronger scores in his analysis.

Many of China’s ministers had science, engineering or academic experience.

Sharma believes education leadership affects universities, research and technical skills.

He also says India has sometimes spent as much as or more than China on education.

However, money and ministerial qualifications are not the only reasons countries succeed.

Teachers, schools, research institutions and government planning also matter.

Sharma warns that weak education and research can make it harder for India to compete in advanced technology.