Re-visited NEP in India

It is good to know that the Education policy in the country is being re-visited. Recent years have indeed witnessed greatly worrisome erosion in the quality of education at all levels.

At this point of globalization, a fundamental change in our world view is needed to ensure that our Education policy truly reflects the contemporary requirements. We have to genuinely accept that Higher Education is one of the important Independent Pillars, besides the legislature, executive and judiciary, on which a country and a society rests. Such independence determines a country's and a society's present and future.  Even advanced countries believe in, and maintain the relative independence of the four pillars, viz., legislature, executive, judiciary and higher education. It appears rather paradoxical that in our country, in which education is a preeminent value irrespective of religion, language or caste, we do not seem to believe in the independence of education, although the other three pillars seem to exist in dynamic equilibrium.  Unless the policy frameworks believe in this prime role of education and its independence, even the very intelligently drafted and thought-through policy document would merely provide a policing system rather than promoting quality and competitive education. 


We are concerned with the fact that there is little or no mention of “basic sciences”, “science education” or “mathematics education” in the draft policy document. Likewise other subjects in humanities or arts etc also do not find specific mention. Education in basics of science, mathematics, humanities, arts etc have to be core areas of the policy. Science and Mathematics need specific and focussed attention in our Country’s education policy. World over, these are considered as problem areas, and, therefore, extensive attention and focus are given for their teaching at the various levels of school, college and university education. This would require strengthening of labs at all levels, but more so in the colleges and universities to provide for research-based learning. The importance of basic subjects in all domains has to be incorporated in the main policy framework. Emphasis only on "skill development' with an eye on the job market, will result in lack of good qualified educators and quality researchers in the future, with very serious cascading consequences. Further, while training and research in applied areas is essential, its success depends upon the quality of country's training and research in basic disciplines. Technical innovations are possible only when the basic training is holistic and of good quality. Therefore, basic research has also to be strengthened in the section which focuses on Technology.

The Science Academies in the country have been pondering on these issues, especially in the context of higher education in S&T areas and had organized several brain-storming sessions in the recent past. Reports of these were published in Current Science and were also made available to different stake-holders. These reports and some recent editorials by fellows of the Academies on these issues are attached with this communication. The Science Academy's document on restructuring post-school science education needs to be seriously considered while formulating the HE policy. The basic tenets of broad-based under-graduate study programmes discussed in this document apply equally well to other disciplines (Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences etc.).

In addition, some general points that need to be considered while finalizing the NEP are noted below:

1. World over, the Academies and other professional bodies play a pivotal role in planning and execution of policies in education as well as R&D. India also should utilize such bodies fully in policy-planning, and implementation as well as for monitoring.
2. A National Policy must maximally benefit the largest numbers and, therefore, concerns about equity and inclusiveness are but natural. However, there has to be a scope for the highly talented, relatively much fewer, to achieve their full potentials, serve as a role model and be internationally competitive. This needs a more emphatic commitment in the new Policy. In addition, while the need safeguarding the interests of those left behind for historical reasons has found repeated mentions, we need to be also concerned with the growing middle-income group which is finding it difficult to find the desired opportunities for progress. The rich can go to private costly institutions or go abroad, while those historically left behind can benefit from reservations. However, a large number of bright students from middle-income group find most doors closed to them. A policy for future should find some solution for this already a fairly large group.
3. Most times, we measure the success of an educational institution by considering what the top few have achieved. While this assessment is valid, our education policy should, if it has to improve the lot of masses, should also examine what the academically lower rankers have been able to do.  We may not need to worry only about the best since, when properly catalyzed by the training, they will achieve on their dint, the policy should ensure that the average student also benefits.
4. We need to create appropriate environment and recruitment practices/policies that would help retain the thousands of our bright students to serve the country rather than being effectively lost to us as they seek better pastures abroad for higher education. It needs to be examined as to why they go in large numbers not only to the advanced countries but also to other countries which seemingly do not appear to be more advanced than ours.
5. For the New Education Policy to succeed, the country would require financial commitment of a much higher order. The earlier National Policies of 1968 and 1986/92 had recommended 6% of the GDP as the norm for the national outlay on education. However, for from enhancing it to meet the newer challenges, it has continued to be much lower.
6. Expenditure on Education, R&D is a philanthropic and social investment which provides enormous indirect benefits. These are not easily and directly countable in monetary terms.
7. Mere proliferation of IITs, Medical Colleges, AIIMS, NIITs, IISERs etc may not solve the problems that involve much larger masses of youth awaiting to be adequately trained and mentored. We may develop the concept of Finishing School and we must try and establish at least 100 such schools each year. At least in some cases, these can be initiated in some of the existing schools, Universities and research institutions.
8. We should also encourage more mentoring and counselling in each academic institutions. Experience and services of retired, but competent, professionals can be utilized for such activities.
9. Success of any Policy depends, in the long run, upon its implementation strategy. Therefore, this also needs to be well thought-out prior to formalizing the Education Policy.

While formulating the Education policy, we should follow Shri Aurobindo's three basic principles of education: 

1. Nothing can be taught – the teacher is not an instructor or task-master, he is helper and a guide.

2. The mind has to be consulted in its own growth – the idea of hammering the child into the shape desired by the parent or the teacher is barbarous and ignorant superstition and

3. Work from the near to the far, from that which is, to that which shall be.