NEW DELHI, Oct 4: After a gap of 29 years, the Human Resource Development (HRD) ministry will be unveiling a new education policy whose draft will be revealed later this year.
The massive overhaul of the education system, which involves a sharp break from the past, is aimed at ensuring a systemic change of learning to a more technology-driven teaching while harking back to the rich Vedic traditions, acknowledge sources in the HRD Ministry. The pan-Indian education policy will be the outcome of an arduous more than year-long consultations across states, ushered in by the Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Government, with parents, students and others from the national to the grassroots level. According to HRD minister Smriti Irani, the aim of the entire exercise it to change the focus of those affected directly — the students and their parents. She told reporters in Lucknow recently that she has been busy meeting state education ministers and district magistrates. For the first time the NEP has sought the views and people from the district level upwards. From the national or state level education system, it seeks to turn upside down the education process by making it district upwards.
NEP will herald a sharp break from the established practice of the past when educators at the national level prepared the school curriculum without seeking the views and opinions of the ordinary person.
The idea has been to widen the interaction by seeking suggestions from the public on what they wanted their children to study. This is a radical departure from earlier interactions when academics, bureaucrats and politicians would chart out the policy.
The reason behind, say sources, is simple: the world had changed and the NEP must keep in step with changing times, changing needs.
Views have been sought from State Governments, educational institutions, academicians and even child psychologists, Ms Irani said before coming to a final conclusion.
The task for the HRD minister has been cut out for her: to remove deadwood from the curriculum and spruce up the education sector that should serve the interests of students as the education they receive will determine their future.
The idea is to offer students a wider choice than currently available in Indian educational institutions so that they did not need to go abroad for studies. Also this is expected to take care of the issue of students getting equipped for jobs.
Online comments can be made by students to Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) for feedback, its website said. Students of Classes VI to XII have been asked to respond to 22 of 28 questions posted on the website, three questions each are directed at higher level of classes.
The feedback is open till October 5. According to the minister, while education should ensure employability of a student, it has equally to see what type of citizens are being prepared.
The suggestions have varied from stress on skill development programmes in government schools, virtual classrooms, video conferencing with distinguished teachers and English speaking classes. (PTI)
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