New Education Policy: Backward or Forward

1st appeared in the HERALD

The shifting out of Former Education Minister Smriti Irani was probably the best thing that could have happened for education. Among the first things the new Education Minister Prakash Javadekar’s did was extend the deadline for seeking public opinion.

Not known to many, the NDA II government is currently drafting a new education policy “to meet the changing dynamics of the population’s requirement with regards to quality education, innovation and research”. This would be a perfect starting point for a noble cause given India’s push to become an intellectual super power on the back of an IT boom.

However, some things were just not right, why was this path breaking initiative kept under wraps, in fact only 43 pages of the entire report were circulated. Surely anyone studying such a condensed version would have more questions than clarity. Considering the report is in two volumes. The first, in 230 pages, contains nearly 90 suggestions; the second has over 100 pages of annexures, these suggestions supposedly evolved out of extensive grassroot study.

The panel has recommended significant interventions such as amending the Right to Education (RTE) Act to bring back detention of students after Class V, elimination of unviable schools and making minority schools reserve 25% seats for candidates of economically weaker sections (EWS). The last provision tramples the rights of the minority institutions (linguistic and religious) which is enshrined in the Constitution.

Thankfully this has been corrected with the release of the complete version and extension of the date. However, no visible effort is seen to make the policy widely available to schools, colleges etc for allowing proper debate.

We have had two NEP’s, 1968 and 1986, under Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. The National Education Policy (NEP) of 1986 was revised in 1992 when P V Narasimha Rao was PM. So it not something that is not or cannot be changed. What would be watched is the process and that has ruffled some feathers, especially the minority institutions who run many educational institutions and whose views should be considered given their experience. Hopefully under the new Minister this too will be considered.

From the official website, the NEP was formulated with a time bound BOTTOM UP approach and different from previous exercises which were supposedly TOP DOWN. Also rather than have experts this time the ministry opted for discussion village education committees across all 2.5 lacs Grampanchayats. Was Goa left out as nothing was reported or maybe Goa does not count. Not many in the education sector have heard of this new policy, which would mean the fault of the sector or the ministry?

The Ministry feels that previous policy consultations took between 3 months (really) to 6 years, hence this policy is going to be time bound. However time bound does not mean not doing things as planned in the “Consultative Framework”. The consultations with National education bodies was done over one day each. Considering the themes listed out in the Consultation document, it is too little time given the importance of the subject.

The themes are no doubt very good, especially focus on teacher training and quality.

Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai raised the issue of “neighbourhood school” as envisaged under the RTE Act, it was not being implemented, kids travel more than 1 km to get to school. Under the NEP this will be done away with. Schools which are small or are not viable will be consolidated. MLA Vijai is unaware that the NEP is already proposing to do away with what he is asking to be implemented.

Education is a State subject and the NEP will provide broad guidelines for the States to follow, should not the States be well aware and contributing so that the States plans and the National Policy do not oppose each other?

The current Minister is a product of student politics. Will he agree to the view that student politics is a distraction that should be eliminated from every campus. Will it be possible to prevent as envisaged, formation of student groups on the lines of religion or caste or politics, would it not violate the fundamental right of a student. Did the recent unrest or rather ham handed handling in the JNU campus have an effect on getting this issue included in the policy?

The most important issue to my mind that needs to be discussed is this. The guiding principle for the recommendations made in the NEP ….more than economic objectives, education should aim to “develop pride in India and in being Indian / with roots embedded in Indian culture etc”. So did the panel findings include the fact that those produced by the current education system are less nationalist or cultural misfits and hence this problem has to be addressed. Then contrast it with an objective of NEP, make student more employable, do corporates employ students who are culturally sound or those who have the necessary skill sets to do the required job. Where is the focus?

The NEP has raised more questions than provided solutions. The method of discussion or dissemination or consultations have left mush to be desired. There seems to be a knee jerk reaction to various happening and above all a scant regard for constitutional rights. It appears that the current draft policy has hidden agendas.

It would be therefore imperative for the Minister Mr. Prakash Javadekar to review the process and once again go back to having proper nationwide consultations with actual stakeholders so that the revised draft meets the minimum expectation of improving the quality of education and enhancing the employability, and in his own words, A STUDENT CENTRIC POLICY.