The National Educational Policy was last revised in 1992. The policy needs a re-visit, and this can be done after a new National Commission on Education is framed. The new Budget offers hope that education will get its due finally
The Budget presented by the Union Minister for Finance Arun Jaitley indicates the economic situation under which the Centre is supposed to function. The plans and programmes that the Government presents for the year also indicate the level of its vision, extent of commitment and the measure of its self confidence. Those who could analyse the Budget proposals for 2014, without their political and ideological compulsion, would invariably find it full of hope and indicative of encouraging possibilities.
The comments of certain prominent Congress leaders were probably readied even before the Budget was presented in Parliament. The Union Government has before it people’s aspirations and expectations in mountainous proportions on one hand and an inherited economic situation of an almost irretrievable magnitude on the other. Is it not an irony that the last decade which saw unprecedented levels of inflation and deterioration in economic situation was with a Government was headed by an economist Prime MinisterIJ
His Ministers like Messrs Kapil Sibal, P Chidambaram and Salman Khurshid not just inflicted tremendous damage on their party but also retarded the progress of the country. The 2014 Budget clearly indicates the difference of approach and also the presence of an Indian vision of economic and social reforms. Only those who understand the diversity of India beyond their political compulsions and who are familiar not only with the young of India seeking a ‘Green Card’ but with the young from Jhabua, Kokrajhar, Koraput or Banaskantha, that can really plan for India.
The significance of every sector is generally measured in terms of hike in allocations over that of the previous years. Education, which normally gets around four per cent of the GDP, has waited patiently to reach the six per cent mark. That still remains a distant dream. last year’s allocation of Rs 74,621 crore has been raised by 12.3 per cent to Rs 83,771 crore this year. One expects a significant movement next year towards the coveted six per cent.
One must hasten to add that during the current year, the Union Government must ensure timely allocation to State Governments, universities and institutions which often complain of late receipt of funds and hence their inability to utilise the funds. The systemic capacity to absorb additional funding needs to gear up rather urgently.
One of the most encouraging initiatives is the launching of Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya Teacher Training Programme for which an initial allocation of Rs 500 crore has been made. Pandit Malaviya was visionary educationist. He realised the need to create a symphony of ancient wisdom and modern scientific knowledge and created the Banaras Hindu University seeking help from the people. He represented the best of the traditional Indian secularism that gives equal respect to every religion without any reservation.
It is universally accepted and acknowledged that it is the quality of teacher-training that determines the levels of quality in every sector of human endeavour and activity. One expects that teachers under this programme shall become harbingers of social cohesion and religious amity, the two aspects that were so dear to Malaviya. Professionally well-trained, competent, committed and performing teachers could be the real assets of any nation. It is a sad state of affairs that right from schools to institutions of higher education, India suffers shortage of teachers. That invariably impacts quality of learner attainments and also that of research. No education system can continue with 40 to 60 per cent vacancies of teachers.
Schemes like ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ would, again, require real good implementers. Female infanticide is a curse India must get rid of at the earliest. Is it not shocking that this abhorrent practice gets acceptance and support from educated families and trained medical practitioners. It is also indicative of the deficient value inculcation that our education system could claim to offer to young persons. The allocation of Rs 28,635 crore for the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and Rs 4,966 crore for the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan must take note of this aspect and focus on value inculcation, development and internalisation in equal measure.
The implementation of the Right to Education has so far been a flop and has to be pursued vigorously in all of its aspects. In higher education, the setting up of five more IITs and another five IIMs are positive steps that requires a lot of caution: The UPA Government also opened new IIMs and IITs and admitted students without any preparation and ‘thrust’ them on the existing institutions that were already languishing under acute faculty shortage.
One would like to strongly suggest the setting up of a National Commission on Education. Its report could help formulate a new National Education Policy that was last revised in 1992. The gap is too long in the face of unprecedented pace of change all around.