Knowledge
HRD panel recommendations a harbinger of an effective National Education Policy
An HRD panel has made a number of recommendations on the overall education scenario in India in an effort to bring in an effective National Education Policy.
A Human Resource Development Ministry’s panel has made a number of recommendations aimed at ultimately evolving a national education policy. Some of the key ones dealt with framing legal standards and benchmarks for coaching institutes, limiting 'no-detention' till Class V, grading schools and introducing a new curriculum framework to replace the 2005 National Curriculum Framework (NCF).
The committee, headed by ex-Cabinet secretary T S R Subramanian pointed out that textbooks and pedagogy should strive for nurturing better human beings and so should carry high ethical content. It has also recommended a review of curriculum every 5 years instead of every decade as is the case now. If this proposal goes through, NCERT textbooks will change in the next few years.
These and other recommendations will be discussed with states and the HRD ministry plans to launch 25 programmes as part of the new education policy. The policy proposals will be soon sent to the Cabinet.
Other recommendations included teaching in mother tongue in elementary level and a massive programme of remedial coaching in government schools. A recommendation that has the potential of increasing the reach of government schools is the setting up of composite schools enabling many schools in an area to make common use of laboratories, playgrounds and other resources. It is noteworthy that composite schools are already functional in Uttarakhand and Chhattisgarh.
In a sensible move, the committee stated that students should face examinations after class V, thus summarily setting aside the 'no-detention' policy.
Besides structural changes, the committee also recommended rewards for performing states. Also, it is envisaged that extra support would be provided to teachers who have contributed by way of outstanding papers and research. Bringing more clarity for interested foreign universities, the committee stated that foreign universities will need to have a domestic partner and will not be allowed to set up stand-alone campuses in India.
The committee also had the functioning of existing institutions on its radar. While it was recommended to completely overhaul the National University of Educational Planning & Administration (NUEPA) due to its failure to deliver desired results, the All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) was praised for being proactive and transparent while it was pointed out that UGC needs to be more transparent.
It is a good sign when a government panel has its ear to the ground and actual sees the ground reality without distortion. The panel duly noted despite a large scale expansion, quality remained one of the biggest bugbears of Indian education system. "In the last more than six decades, massive investments have been made in education but there has been a big question on quality. So far the tendency has been to make big-bang announcements without carrying out reform at ground level," a source said.
"Grading system will help government to find out why some schools are doing better and what intervention will be needed by the government. We are also serious about IES," the source said.