Winds of change on the education front

Context: The National Education Policy (NEP) announced has opened a small window for the long-awaited reforms in the university sector. 

Reforms needed in university education:

• The change in nomenclature:  From ‘Human resource ministry’ to a robust ‘Ministry of Education’ for the small new beginning. 

• It can also be clubbed with ‘culture’ to promote our vast traditional knowledge systems. 

• Focus on Indian ethos: For transforming India sustainably into an equitable and vibrant knowledge society by providing high-quality education to all.
• It requires: 

• Restructuring of the entire educational architecture.
• Reaching out to outstanding scholars to seek their services to leading universities.

• Attitudinal change towards education: Society needs to sacrifice old habits such as proverbial neglect and fossilised attitudes. 

• It needs to place knowledge upfront rather than money, position or power. 

• Effective implementation: There is a need for an inbuilt mechanism for a periodic review of the NEP. 
• Light but tight regulatory mechanism: The proposed four-layered structure of regulation, accreditation, funding, and academic standard-setting will need to have a clear demarcation of responsibilities.
• University Excellence Commission: Proposed Higher Education Commission needs to be graced with the futuristic nomenclature of University Excellence Commission of India to promote a ‘culture of excellence’. 
• Reaching out to the best talent: Every genuine teacher needs to be valued, respected and entrusted with responsibilities to lead the universities. 

• Providing competent leaders through the rigorous, impartial and competency-based process to the universities.
• Need to have a provision to promptly jettison incompetent persons and prosecute them, if proved guilty. 

• Dynamic political leadership: The Prime Minister needs to give education top priority by handling the education portfolio for himself.