NEP – A Path to Paradigm Shift

With the Gazette notification, the name of Ministry has been changed back to
Ministry of Education. This is the beginning of implementation of National Education
Policy. Those who were sceptical about how and to what extent this National
Education Policy will be implemented have got a reply in action that the government
is very serious about implementing it. One of the oft-repeated criticisms of this
education policy has been – It is too ideal to be implemented. But the government
has shown its intention even before the policy was announced. A very ambitious
provision in NEP is the creation of National Research Foundation. This is really a
momentous work because the layout planned is of 22 thousand crores to promote
indigenous research and help the academic sector for innovation, IPR & other
research related matters. Even before the NEP was declared, the government in the
budget of 2020, made a provision for the National Research Foundation to the tune
of 200 crores, thus, laying a solid foundation.
The National Education Policy was formulated by longest consultation process
in the world. It probably is the only policy created with a truly democratic process.
Consultations were held in more than 2.5 lakh villages with a participation of more
than 33 crore people. All the people's representatives like MPs, MLAs, State ministers
were consulted. First draft was presented by T.S.R. Subramanian Committee and
subsequently, Kasturirangan Committee presented two more drafts. Voluntary
organizations & government institutions conducted various discussions on these
drafts. The final document of the policy which is 66 pages in English and 108 pages
in Hindi is revolutionary. It has seeds of total paradigm shift of education in this
country. This is a long-awaited change.
In 1835, the Britishers converted all-inclusive Bharatiya education system
into a government regulated, restricted, elite education system. This was done with
a motive to create loyal employees for the British Raj. After Independence, it was
expected that this education policy will be completely given up and a more culturally
rooted Bharatiya education policy will take its place. But this was never done. For
73 years, we not only continued with Macaulay’s education policy, but strengthened
it beyond any measures. What the Britishers could not achieve in Bharat was done
by our own people – total commercialization, completely exam-oriented method,
producing employees & beggars. This education system was waiting for a jolt. Whole
population was expecting a miraculous change. This was expressed in wide & long
consultations. The document of the policy has enlisted many problems of present
education system and provided systemic solutions for the same.
This policy is totally Bharat Centric. In 1966, a commission for designing education
for nation building was formed under the leadership of a great visionary scientist Dr.
D. S. Kothari, Founder of D.R.D.O. He has numerous achievements to his credit.
One of them is the Kothari Commission report, the way it is known as. In the
Preamble of this report, Dr. D. S. Kothari mentioned that the center of gravity of
education even today after independence, still lies in Europe which needs to be
brought back in this country. This should have been the purpose of every subsequent
policy. But this was not done. The commission report was never implemented. In
1986, a new education policy was drafted under the leadership of another scientist
Professor Yashpal but the main mastermind behind that policy was a technocrat
Named Sam Pitroda. This new education policy in fact, completely changed the
purpose of education. Before that, even in the British era, right from Philip Hartog
Committee in 1929 till the Kothari Commission in 1966, education was never aimed
at creating employment. For the first time in 1986, the aim of education was reduced
to just giving employment under the slogan ‘Employment oriented education’.
Though Macaulay wrote to his father that I have created an education system which
will produce loyal servants for the British Raj, but in the Education Policy or the
language of Indian Education Act 1835, the aim of education was NOT mentioned as
employment.
After 34 years, we have an education policy which is titled National
Education Policy – रा ीय िश ा नीित (Rashtriya Shiksha Niti). Is it really Rashtriya?
Does it have all the components which will make it a Bharat centric education
system? Can the whole system be revamped to have the center of gravity back into
this country? That is the question.
When we analyse the document, we find that there are many such provisions,
which if implemented completely with political & administrative will, will result in
this much-needed paradigm shift. One of the important decisions is renaming of the
Ministry to its original title – ‘Education Ministry’. This is not just a change of title,
but a shift in approach. In 1986, the New Education Policy completely privatized &
commercialized education and thus market was the target. Hence, the market-
oriented word ‘HRD’ (Human Resource Development) was given to the Ministry. Now
that the name of the ministry has changed back to education, we hope that this
market orientation will be replaced with cultural aim of education. Education needs
to create culturally rooted, socially oriented, nationalistic global citizens. This is the
aim of National Education Policy - 2020. Thus, the change of name would change
the viewpoint.
Another very significant shift in this education policy is from rigidity to
flexibility. Pattern of school education which was made 10+2 in 1986 has been
changed to a more flexible structure of 5+3+3+4. Thus, the Early Childhood Care
and Education (ECCE) has also been included in the policy. This has happened first
time that the education is taking care of a child of 3 years. Pre-primary education
was predominantly being taken care of by the private players. Government schools
used to start at first standard. Anganwadis ie. the pre-primary classes were not part
of Education Ministry, but were looked after by Women & Child Development
Department. This policy states that Anganwadi should be clubbed with the primary
education. Three years of pre-primary and two years of primary is the first stage of
five years which has been kept very flexible & play-like; no examinations will be
conducted.
Examinations will start at the primary stage that is standard 3 rd to 5th.
Introduction to reading, writing will be done in a more structured form. The next
three years will be preparatory 6th to 8th standard. The most flexible part is the Higher
School Education ie. 9th to 12th. This has been made completely flexible. The
watertight compartments of streams such as Science, Arts & Commerce have been
done away with. Now, any student can take multiple subjects. If a student wants to
learn music with physics or literature with mathematics, with the new flexible
structure, it is possible. A semester system will be introduced at this stage and 40
credits will have to be attained in four years. Thus, diluting the tension & stress of
board examinations by spreading it over four years. Vocational subjects are also
being made a part of this stage. This is a welcome change and it is a breath of fresh
air that has been put into the education system which will allow students to follow
their passion and at the same time, achieve academically. The same flexibility
continues in the higher education also.
Graduation is made more flexible with multiple entry - multiple exit options.
If somebody leaves the course after one year, he will get a certificate. If he completes
two years but cannot continue, then he will get a diploma; after three years, a Pass
degree and Honors Graduation degree after four years.
Those who have passed graduation in Honors will be able to do their post-
graduation in one year. Those who leave the education after third year with a Pass
degree and afterwards try to continue their post-graduation will have to undergo two
years post-graduation course. Superfluous M.Phil. course has been discontinued.
One can go for research directly after post-graduation.
This flexibility is not just in the structure but also in the choices of subjects.
Even at the graduate level, major & minor system of selection of subjects allows the
student to choose cross-stream subjects. Thus, the watertight compartmentalization
of disciplines has been done away with. A real multidisciplinary approach has been
included in the education policy.
Another very important provision in the policy is about the languages. Bharat
is such a diverse country with more than 44,000 dialects as mother tongues and 22
official languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. There has always been
controversies over how a language should be taught in schools & colleges. With this
new policy, a very flexible yet Bharat centric language policy has been introduced. It
is mentioned that the primary education till the 5th standard and if possible, till the
eighth standard should be in the local medium. The exact words used by the policy
are mother tongue/ Home language/ Regional language. Thus, there will be no
controversy as one can choose in which language he wants to be instructed. This is
about medium of instruction. English as a subject will be introduced in the primary
classes, but it need not be the medium of instruction compulsorily. Even in the
Higher Education, including professional courses like Medical, Engineering etc. a
provision has been made for providing an option of Bharatiya language medium. This
is great revolution.
Thus, the policy if implemented in its entirety will allow a student to complete
his studies right from primary to the research level without being forced mandatorily
to study English. He will have option to study English, but he will not be forced to
study English. That is very necessary. After 200 years of imposition by the
government and the market, even today only 12% of the population said that they
know English in the 2011 census. 88% of the population does not know English.
They are afraid of this foreign language. They are being forced to study because of
peer pressure, social prestige & employment opportunities. With the implementation
of National Education Policy, employment opportunities will be available in Bharatiya
languages. This will encourage the parents to send their children to the mother
tongue medium schools specially in the primary classes.
Next revolutionary aspect of this education policy is the approach towards
internationalisation. This policy talks about global citizens but, it does not merely
speak about following the West blindly. In fact, in the point of internationalisation,
this policy specifically uses the word Vishwaguru – Guide of the World. Thus, it says
that foreign universities will be allowed to open their campuses with proper legal
framework in this country. But before that, our own universities with top rankings
& excellent academic facilities will be encouraged to open their campuses world over.
At the same time, all our universities will have a special facility to attract foreign
students. Thus, reviving the traditions of Nalanda & Takshashila where foreign
students used to line up and wait for years in large numbers to get admissions. This
Vishwaguru Bharat has been a vision & dream for all of us. National Education policy
lays foundation to achieve this dream.
Another very important aspect of National Education policy is its all-
inclusiveness. It specially mentions the socio-economically disadvantaged group
(SEDG), thus, makes special efforts to include all Bharatiyas in the education system
irrespective of their caste, religion or geographical positions. Not only the SC/ST but,
the policy also mentions that the children with special needs and ‘Divyanga’ –
specially-abled will also be given special attention. That is the all-inclusiveness of
this policy.
There are many such points. This policy has created a very positive vibration
in the whole country. Almost all the sections of the society and the academia have
welcomed the policy. Those who are opposed for their political and other ideological
reasons are in a fix as to how to criticize it. Hence, most of the criticisms are either
without reading the original policy or without any logic. The only criticism is – This
is too ideal to implement. ‘Will you be able to implement it?’, that is the question they
ask. The question itself tells that they agree with the policy and want it to be
implemented. This is the success of the policy. We hope that this policy paves the
way for this ancient country to actualize its potential and gain its rightful position in
the Family of Nations.

Mukul Kanitkar
National Organising Secretary
Bharatiya Shikshan Mandal
9405774820
mukul@bsmbharat.org