The choice-based credit system that aims to revamp higher education, by bringing in uniformity, is no doubt a good initiative. But, implementing the scheme is difficult. Moreover, it has certain many inherent problems
The Ministry of Human Resource Development, under its new education policy has initiated the process of implementing choice-based credit system for all the under-graduate courses for all Central, State and other recognised universities of India from the current academic session. CBCS aims to revamp higher education by bringing uniformity, equity, efficiency, transparency and transferability. It will follow a uniform syllabi across the country.
Such initiative — in a rotten higher education system — is welcome, as all the universities can now be brought under a single umbrella of grading, learning and standards. This will revolutionise higher education. The problem of increasing number of unemployed graduates with no skill can also be resolved to some extent.
Compulsory learning of languages either English or any other Indian language, discipline-specific core subjects and elective courses from other disciplines will allow flexibility and inter-disciplinary learning, which was earlier unimaginative.
The requirement of implementing model syllabus prepared by experts of various disciplines, with a choice of making upto 30 per cent changes as per the requirement of the universities, is also a brilliant idea. This will remove barriers among the various universities by giving students the facility to transfer credit, and bring all higher education under one roof.
Thus, the Indian higher education system is gearing up to compete with the international educational system. It is preparing to mark its presence in the worldwide ranking of top educational institutions.
Everything sounds good about the new system but there are two sides to every coin. If a new system is imposed without proper preparation and knowledge of the ground reality, it is bound to fail. It will make no difference in the quality of education.
What can be more ironical than the fact that a new system is being imposed without proper training or orientation to the universities, in which a majority of the faculty is not even exposed to the intricacies of the CBCSIJ If the teachers are themselves ignorant about the changes in the system, can they help the studentsIJ Can such they improve the quality of educationIJ Can this system be called a free and choice-based system that is meant to promote autonomy and high standard of education among the universitiesIJ
All those who are aware of the problems of higher education in India know that all the Central universities differ in their structure, quality, quantity, and access. Some like the Banaras Hindu University, Delhi University and the Jawaharlal Nehru University — where most of the students take admission or which are known for their ever increasing cut offs — have been able to maintain their standards but they are also struggling due to lack of qualified faculty and staff.
Other Central universities that are located in geographically remote areas, remain largely cut off because of the problem of accessibility. In such universities, neither the teaching posts are easily filled nor are these oft envisited by eminent scholars. Therefore, the dream of equity or quality is defeated.
Then there are the regional universities — upgraded to Central universities in 2009 — which are also confronting various challenges since their upgradation. The faculty and students in such universities have not been able to cast aside their regional mindset to face the challenges of a
globalised world.
For example, students are ready to launch an agitation even on the smallest of issues and make the situation worse. Will the graduates of such universities be able to transfer their credits to any college under Delhi University, after studying one semester in any such university or any of its affiliated collegesIJ
In view of these problems, bringing such universities at par with Delhi University or Jawaharlal Nehru University will be a herculean task. If centralisation of education is an aim, then quota for such representation also needs to be fixed, so that the universities and their faculties gets a chance to be represented and exposed to the working of such bodies.
As India is a diverse country, imposing such kind of a system is not only difficult but is also riddled with many problems. The imposition of CBCS is on the lines of the Central Board of Secondary Education system in the higher education organisation which indicates that higher education will be governed by the same system adopted by the CBSE.
In the long-run, it will just end up as a ‘board for higher education’ with lots of control but no choice or opportunity for innovation or research.
(The author is a professor of Political Science at HNB Garhwal University, Uttarakhand)
