Govt unveils sweeping changes in education
Greater flexibility in exam system, curriculum pattern, medium of instruction
NEW DELHI: The Union Cabinet passed India’s first new National Education Policy in at least 28 years, recommending primary education in local languages, facilitating the possible entry of foreign universities in India, creating a single higher-education regulator, and easier board examinations -- wide-ranging reforms aimed at making the Indian education system more contemporary and skill-oriented. NEP also renamed the HRD (human resource development) ministry as the education ministry.
The policy also sets ambitious targets: increasing the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) to 50% from the current 26%, creating an additional 35 million seats in colleges, and increasing the education budget to 6% of the GDP from the present 4%. The NEP lays down that by 2040, all higher education institutions (HEIs) shall aim to become multidisciplinary. It also says that by 2030 there will be at least one large multidisciplinary institution in or near every district. It also moots Special Education Zones (SEZ) in backward districts.
Information and broadcasting minister Prakash Javadekar, flanked by HRD minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and HRD secretaries Amit Khare and Anita Karwal, said it was after 34 years that India’s education policy was being overhauled. Indeed, while the last policy was announced in 1992, it was essentially a rehash of a 1986 one.
The policy, drafted by a committee headed by former Isro chief K Kasturirangan submitted its report last year.
The new policy brings with it a range of initiatives that touch every aspect of teaching and learning from the pre-school level to higher education including research.Some, like the recommendation on local languages or mother-tongues may be controversial. An early draft was criticised for this very issue, with allegations that the government was using it as a way to impose Hindi on people in nonHindi speaking parts of the country. It is not clear whether the recommendation will be a rule or a guideline.
SCHOOLS
The policy has emphasised that the mother tongue, local language or the regional language should be the medium of instruction at least till Grade 5, but preferably till Grade 8 and beyond. It also said that Sanskrit will be offered at all levels of school and higher education as an option for students, including in the threelanguage formula.
“The policy makes it clear that mother tongue should be the preferable medium of instruction wherever possible. However, there is going to be no imposition of any language. It will be for the states to decide,” said a senior HRD ministry official who asked not to be named.
Several foreign languages will also be offered at the secondary
level. Indian Sign Language (ISL) will be standardised across the country, and National and State curriculum materials developed, for use by students with hearing impairment.
The 10+2 structure of school curricula is to be replaced by a 5+3+3+4 curricular structure corresponding to ages 3-8, 8-11, 11-14, and 14-18 years, respectively. This will bring the hitherto uncovered age group of 3-6 years under school curriculum.
The National Council for Education, Research and Training (NCERT) will develop a National Curricular and Pedagogical Framework for Early Childhood Care and Education (NCPFECCE) for children up to the age of 8. The NEP 2020 also calls for setting up of a National Mission on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy. A National Book Promotion Policy will also be formulated.
Every state or district will be encouraged to establish “Bal Bhavans” as a special daytime boarding school, to participate in art-related, career-related, and play-related activities. Free school infrastructure can be used as Samajik Chetna Kendras.
A common National Professional Standards for Teachers (NPST) will be developed by the National Council for Teacher Education by 2022, in consultation with NCERT, SCERTs, teachers and expert organisations from across levels and regions. Children with disabilities will be enabled to fully participate in the regular schooling process, it says.
The NEP also envisages exams for students from Class 3 onwards. All students will take school examinations in Grades 3, 5, and 8, which will be conducted by the appropriate authority. Board exams for grades 10 and 12 will be continued, but redesigned with holistic development as the aim.
A new National Assessment Centre, PARAKH (Performance Assessment, Review, and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development), will be set up as a standards-setting body .
The policy also suggests options to make exams stressfree. For instance, school boards could provide options to students on whether they want to take a tough maths exam or the comparatively easier version. It could be done for other subjects as well, secretary, school education, Anita Karwal, said at the press conference.
Meanwhile, assessment reports will present a more holistic picture of the child’s development.
Special emphasis will be laid on socially and economically disadvantaged Groups (SEDGs) which include gender, socio-cultural, and geographical identities and disabilities. This includes the setting up of a Gender Inclusion Fund and also Special Education Zones.
For governance, the policy states schools can be organised into complexes or clusters which will be the basic unit of governance and ensure availability of all resources including infrastructure.
The policy proposes that states and UTs set up independent State School Standards Authority (SSSA).
Self-disclosure of all the basic regulatory information will be used extensively for public oversight and accountability.
HIGHER EDUCATION
In higher education, NEP once again hopes to improve enrolment numbers, from a Gross Enrolment Ratio of 26.3% (2018) to 50% by 2035. It plans to add 35 million seats to higher education institutions.
The policy also aims at encouraging top Indian institutions to establish campuses abroad and also pave way for the best foreign universities to come to India. This will be done through a separate legislation.
The policy aims at breaking disciplinary barriers. Institutions, including the IITs, will become multi-disciplinary; degrees will have more flexibility; and students will get more choice in terms of subjects. Graduation can be in three or four years with multiple exit options and appropriate certification. For example, a certificate after 1 year, advanced diploma after 2 years, Bachelor’s Degree after 3 years and Bachelor’s degree with Research after 4 years.
An Academic Bank of Credit is to be established for digitally storing academic credits. Multidisciplinary Education and Research Universities (MERUs), at par with the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) will be set up as models of best multidisciplinary education.
A National Research Foundation will also be created.
Regulatory bodies University Grants Commission (UGC) and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) will pave way for a Higher Education Commission of India (HECI). HECI will be an overarching umbrella body for the entire higher education sector, excluding medical and legal education.
The definition of university will allow a spectrum of institutions that range from researchintensive universities to teaching-intensive universities and autonomous degree-granting colleges. Affiliation of colleges is to be phased out in 15 years and a stage-wise mechanism is to be established for granting graded autonomy to colleges.
The policy aims at making “India a global knowledge superpower”.
THE INDIAN WAY
One of the stated aims of the policy is to instil a “deep-rooted pride” in being Indian, not only in thought, but also in spirit, intellect, and deeds, as well as to develop knowledge, skills, values, and dispositions that support responsible commitment to human rights, sustainable development and living, and global well-being.
The policy also aims at “light but tight” regulation by a single regulator for higher education as well as increased access, equity, and inclusion.
A National Mission for Mentoring will be established, with a large pool of outstanding senior/ retired faculty – including those with the ability to teach in Indian languages.
Efforts will be made to incentivise the merit of students belonging to SC, ST, OBC, and other socially or educationally disadvantaged groups. Private institutions will be encouraged to offer larger numbers of scholarships to their students.
ONLINE
The policy, which comes at a time when the Covid-19 pandemic is raging, also suggests the creation of a dedicated unit for the purpose of orchestrating the building of digital infrastructure and digital content in the HRD ministry. An autonomous body, the National Educational Technology Forum (NETF), is to be created to provide a platform for the free exchange of ideas.
To ensure the preservation, growth, and vibrancy of all Indian languages, NEP recommends setting an Indian Institute of Translation and Interpretation (IITI), National Institute (or Institutes) for Pali, Persian and Prakrit, strengthening of Sanskrit and all language departments in HEIs, and use mother tongue/local language as a medium of instruction in more HEI programmes .
The policy also says that the Centre and the states will work together to increase public investment in Education sector to reach 6% of GDP.
“The NEP 2020 advocates major reforms in higher education -- holistic and multidisciplinary education, flexibility of subject choices and programme durations, etc. The concept of a Multidisciplinary Education & Research University (MERU) will find resonance in our young campus. We welcome the creation of the National Research Foundation (NRF). With freedom comes responsibility. I am particularly appreciative of the forward-looking “common norm for public and private HEIs” -every institution should be held accountable, in a progressive and fair way,” said Rupamanjari Ghosh, vice-chancellor, Shiv Nadar University, Greater Noida.
AN ACADEMIC BANK OF CREDIT IS TO BE ESTABLISHED FOR DIGITALLY STORING ACADEMIC CREDITS