Draft National Education Policy 2019: Few Proposals

The Draft National Education Policy 2019 has been submitted by Dr K Kasturirangan Committee to the Government of India and the HRD Ministry has solicited proposals from the general public on the Draft. After Education Policy 1968 and 1986/1992 this is the third endeavour by the GOI for a new education policy for millennials for a new dimension in Bharat. In this context here below few proposals have been provided for consideration of the competent authorities.

In the Draft the whole educational system has been divided into several relevant areas: School education, Higher education, Education governance, Technology in education, Vocational education, Adult education and Indian Languages in education.

Firstly, School education. The Draft Policy has rightly covered children of the age-group of  three to eight years under Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE). But there should be a legal authority to oversee and control all pre-primary educational institutions. In the Draft there has been the proposal of conducting state-level State Census Examinations in classes 3, 5 and 8. But considering the pressures on children there should be one state-level examination only in class 8. Again, in the proposed Secondary stage there should be district-level examinations in classes nine, ten and eleven with the final board-level examination in class twelve. Further,  the proposed amendment to RTE Act, 2009 should cover all children from 0-18 years old.

The noble proposal of setting up of ‘School Complex' must include ‘special child’ institutions and all private and minority educational institutions in the concerned locality.

Next, Higher education.  At this stage the Draft  has proposed to set up a single National Higher  Education Regulatory Authority (NHERA).  But, our proposal  is to include  all types of regulatory bodies of academic, vocational, technical and professional disciplines under this proposed national authority. Again, there is another issue of ‘Collaborative Studies'. We must introduce this type of class sessions with one or more teachers discussing one topic collectively for a subject-issue with collaborative mindset.

We must teach our children the history of science, arts, literature, and technological inventions of Bharatiya Dharmic traditions from the very beginning of primary stage. It is very much complimentary and compatible with the proposal of Liberal Arts education by the Draft Policy.

Now Education governance. The ‘National Education Commission' proposed by the Draft Policy has been very important proposal as it will act as an apex policy-making body under the chairmanship of the  Prime Minister. But the proposal to rename the HRD Ministry as Education Ministry may be reconsidered and it be named as ‘Education and Human Resources Ministry', because education and human resources have been complementary to each other.

Again, our proposal regarding the composition of governing bodies from the primary schools to the universities and other bodies is that all institutions must follow the pattern of Rajya Sabha to fill up the governing bodies to ensure the continuity of education governance.

Next is Educational finance. In respect of distribution of educational investment we propose that out of the additional ten percent of government expenses the majority portion must be made in the lowest levels of the educational structure. And, by amending the Company Act the corporates must be ensured to expense at least twenty percent of their Corporate Social Responsibility fund towards the foundational and primary education. We must acknowledge that over 85 percent brain development of a child occurs in six years. So to develop future human resources, we have to invest as much as possible in children of age-group of 0-6 years.

Now, Technology in education. Electricity connection is must in each and every educational institution. But without enacting a comprehensive law on data security the use of online digital repository may be dangerous.

In Vocational education India has been lagging for years. Our proposal is to establish a statutory ‘National Vocational Education Authority' to oversee all vocational institutions. We need to break the watertight compartments of academic and vocational education so that a balanced educational system develops in India.

Again, for adult education, ‘Central Institute of Adult Education' must be given commensurate power and autonomy to implement the proposals of the Draft regarding adult education.

Now the debatable issue of the Policy of Three Languages in education. The Draft committee has already made enough clarification regarding Hindi language. But we bear in our mind that the Bharatiya way of life has been traditionally rooted in Sanskrit language. For that purpose we should create a statutory ‘National Sanskrit Education Commission' and ensure the study of Sanskrit in school complexes.

Lastly, one of the vexed issues on minority rights and education. As per the Constitutional provisions, the minorities enjoy the educational and cultural rights. Now the question is: how far the New Education Policy can be implemented in those minority educational institutions? Again, given the context of the education in the concurrent list, the implementability of the New Education Policy by the States remains a big question mark. The Draft has been more or less silent on the issue. We propose to further amend or enact relevant laws to this end.

So, in a nutshell, here below the proposals:

• Legal authority to oversee and control pre-primary institutions.
• State-level examination only in classes eight and twelve, and district-level examinations in classes nine, ten and eleven.
• Amendment of RTE Act, 2009 to cover all children from 0-18 years of ages.
• School Complex must include ‘special child’ institutions, and all private and minority institutions in the locality.
• The proposed NHERA must include all types of regulatory bodies of academic, vocational, technical and professional disciplines.
• Collaborative studies to ensure a holistic approach commensurate with the Liberal Arts education.
• HRD Ministry may be renamed as ‘Education and Human Resources' Ministry.
• Governing bodies of all institutions should follow the composition pattern of Rajya Sabha of our Parliament with one-third members to retire every two-years to ensure the continuity of educational governance at all levels.
• Major proportion of additional government expenses to be made on foundational stage, and amendment of Company Act to ensure at least twenty percent fund of CSR to pre-primary and primary stage.
• Use of online digital repository of educational data of all stakeholders after enactment of a comprehensive data-security law.
• To establish a statutory ‘National Vocational Education Authority' to oversee all vocational institutions.
• To establish a statutory ‘National Sanskrit Education Authority' and ensure the study of Sanskrit in school complexes.
• Necessary amendment or enactment of laws to ensure the proper implementation of New Education Policy in States and minority educational institutions.

@ Sujit Roy

24.07.2019