Educating India

Context: The National Education Policy (NEP) requires closer scrutiny, in terms of its implications for the marginalised, disciplinary spaces, autonomy and constitutional values.

Flaws in the NEP

• Lack of consideration for Marginalised Section: 

• • • No time-frame for Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Groups (SEDGs) to gain access to Higher Education Institutions (HIE).
    • No mention of reservation in academic institutions, whether for students, teachers, or other employees.
    • Passing reference to educational institutions inn tribal areas – designated as ashramshalas.

• Compromised Multi-disciplinarity:  Although a wide array of subjects from Arts to Sports have been mentioned to provide diversity in the curriculum selection, major subjects have been ignored:

• • • For E.g. Women’s studies or Gender studies, Cultural studies, Media studies, Dalit studies, Studies of discrimination and exclusion, Environmental studies and Development studies.

• Lack of autonomy and choice: i.e selection of vocational subjects depends on States and local communities and as mapped by local skilling needs.

• Pushing through commercialisation of Education:

• • • Explicitly facilitates the presence of foreign universities within higher education.
    • More emphasis on privatisation of HEIs.

• Linear top down administrative practices: The setting up of the National Higher Education Authority (NHERA) would deprive members of HEIs of an opportunity to engage with the challenges of democratic functioning.

• Missed out focus on certain Constitutional Values: like occasional mention of fundamental duties and allusion (indirect reference) to fundamental rights.

Positive Educational Reforms

• National Testing Agency will serve as a premier, expert, autonomous testing organisation to conduct entrance examination in HEIs
• HEIs will now be run by a Board of Governors backed by legislative changes where required. 
• Regulatory Authority: NHERA will regulate financial probity, good governance, and full online and offline public disclosure of all finances, procedures, faculty/staff, courses, and educational outcomes.
• Multidisciplinary Education and Research Universities (MERUs) will be set up and will aim to reach the global status of universities.

Conclusion: It’s time to examine long-term implications of NEP and, if necessary, revisit it, before it is actually implemented.