Dr.R.Nagaswamy #CD853F "Nearly 70% of our students, wants a change in the present education system in universities", according to a opinion poil conducted by the National Youth Cultural Association, published in the 'Hindu' 18.11.77. They are right and are naturally concerned as it affects their life immediately. In the present system of our education there seems to be a yawning gap between the education imported and the actual realities of life, so much so most of the professions, both in the governmental and private sector, either introduce or insist some from practical training suited to that job. This means the education obtained at such enormous cast and time, loses it value in actual life. It is atleast so in most of the fields of humanities, such as Literature, History, Archaeology, Economics and Indian Culture. Most of our students, above 85% of them are industrious law abiding and willing to learn, take to these subjects in the fond hope that they will get the highest degree possible and immediately settle in life to give a helping hand to their family. But when they come out they find the degree they have obtained, provides very limited scope, almost confined to one profession. A single profession cannot certainly absorb all the candidates, and the young graduate is not siuted for any other job. The result is an unfortunate frustration in the society. For example let us take the teaching of history. There are separate courses in ancient history and modern history. More than 50% of the course is oriented towards the western civilization, like the American War of Independence, or the British Constitutional history of many other abstract and obselate theories. History will have no meaning unless it has some bearing on the present society, a society which has its deep root in the past, the people have invited many customs, faiths and manners - some of them being absolutely useless fit to be discarded, others being unique virtues, deserve to be ratained and cherished and yet others neither harmful nor good but worthy of retention, just for the variety of human existence - from the very remote past, a proper understanding of which is essential when one has to deal with social behaviour and social conflicts. But our history graduates know nothing about the history of our people and can do very little in the society except to serve as teachers repeting the same old history to the next generation. So also literature is not taught, to take delight in aesthetic joy, but for providing jobs in schools and colleges. Is there any practical use for literature students of Tamil, English or other Indian languages but for teaching profession and how many of these could be absorbed in this profession? Again in the field of Indian philosophy and culture, there is a desire to teach everything about them. The philosophies are sufficiently complicated, often confused and abstract, that it would take several years to understand even one branch of it and then what is the use of them in practical fields of service?. There cannot be one uniform education throughout. More than 70% of the students, have neither the inclination nor opportunities to go out of their state in search of employments. Each state has its own potentially, needs and problems. For example Tamilnad is very rich in inscriptions and temples. There are over 40,000 temples, and equal number of inscriptions, so far copied. More than 50% of the population of Tamilnadu, are in one way or other connected with temples even to-day neither as devotees, or as agricultural tenants or workers. The knowledge about our temples, the historic role they played in the region, the way they came into possession of landed properties, jewels etc., and the pathetic state of their existence and preservations is appalingly por. We need inteligent people to administer, and participate in their affairs but very few know about them. For a proper understanding of the historic role of the temple a study of inscription, architecture and agamic lore is essential. The need for experts to study ancient script, and epigraphy, analyse them in their historic perspective and tell them in an unbiased manner is now being felt. There is also a need for candidates who can study manuscripts and edit them. There is certainly a growing awareness among our people to know more and more about the temples, and historic places. There is a demand for intelligent and useful guides. Recently a course was introduced at the graduate level, a course named tourism. This author had the opportunity to peruse the syllabus recently and can assure the reader, that the syllabus is sensible and purposeful. But before the first batch of the graduates, could pass out, the course has been hastily with drawn. The argument given in favour of such a withdrawal is that there is no scope of employment, for those students. If that is the only criteria, then there are many other courses which should have been withdrawn long time back. What is said is that the highest educational authority without thinking ahead, introduce courses and withdraw even within two years. It is necessary that educational authorities take note of the requirement of the employers, both in the Government sector and private sector. There is an urgent need to establish a dialogue with them, so that the syllabuses are made suitable and meaningful. Many of these courses could profitably be integrated into one upto M.A. degree level and basic outlines imported as a multi pointed study, so that when a student comes out, he has many avenues, not only to chose, but in fact, be suited for them. Such integrated courses should be discussed in all their aspects, not only by the university professors alone, but with people who are actually in the field of employment so that it does not face the same disaster that fell on Tourism course. One point, which cannot be ignored at this stage, is that the success or failure of any course do depend on the teacher at the highest level. In our rigid appointment systems, the highest academic distinction suffers either due to prevalent atmosphere or finds no place there. Often the less qualified serve as a drag, on well intended reforms saught to be introduced, by eminent educationists in charge of universities. However a bold departure is required, at least in some faculties to begin with, to throw open the professional posts to men of highest distinction to serve on a term of contract which may bring in teachers of education, responsible and responsive to the requirements of the employer's needs. That seems to be one of the practical ways, of narrowing down the gap between Education and Employment realities.