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T.S.R. Subramanian Committee suggests measures in report
The T.S.R. Subramanian Committee suggests measures in its report, here are the top 10 recommendations.
Assigned with preparing a new education policy for India, the T.S.R. Subramanian committee submitted its report to the government in May suggesting measures that the country needs to take to improve the sector that serves to over 300 million students in the country.
The report found glaring holes in the existing system from primary to tertiary level. The top 10 recommendations of the report are:
1. An Indian Education Service (IES) must be established as an all India service with officers being on permanent settlement to the state governments but with the cadre controlling authority vesting with the Human Resource Development (HRD) ministry.
2. UGC Act should be allowed to lapse once a separate law is created for the management of higher education. The University Grants Commission (UGC) needs to be turned leaner and thinner and given the role of disbursal of fellowships and scholarships.
3. Pre-school education for children in the age group of 4 to 5 years should be declared as a right and a programme for it should be implemented immediately.
4. Compulsory licensing or certification for teachers in government and private schools should be made mandatory, with provision for renewal every 10 years based on independent external testing.
5. There should be minimum eligibility condition with 50% marks at graduate level for entry to existing B.Ed courses. Teacher Entrance Tests (TET) should be made compulsory for recruitment of all teachers. The Centre and states should jointly lay down norms and standards for TET.
6. The no detention policy must be continued for young children until completion of class 5th when the child becomes 11 years old. At the upper primary stage, the system of detention shall be restored subject to the provision of remedial coaching and at least two extra chances being offered to prove his capability to move to a higher class
7. On-demand board exams should be introduced to offer flexibility and reduce year end stress of students as well as parents. A National Level Test should be designed which is open to every student who has completed class XII from any School Board.
8. The mid-day meal (MDM) program should now be extended to cover students of secondary schools. This is necessary as levels of malnutrition and anaemia continue to be high among adolescents.
9. The outlay on education needs to be raised to at least 6% of GDP without further loss of time.
10. Top 200 foreign universities should be allowed to open their campuses in India and give the same degree which is acceptable in the home country of the said university.
With many changes occuring in the education sector, these measures are expected to make the sector more beneficial and reduce the holes existing in the system.
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