Draft National Education Policy 2019

This article talks about the new Draft National Education Policy 2019. It encompasses the provisions for reforming the education system in India from ministry to ground level implementation. It also discusses the challenges for implementation of National Education Policy 2019.

Introduction

Draft National Education Policy 2019

What is the Need of Draft National Education Policy 2019?

Recommendations in Draft National Education Policy 2019

Challenges

Conclusion

Introduction

Education is the key of development. Future of any society is shaped by next generations. By providing appropriate, enabling and competitive education system to the youth, a nation can expect a bright future. With the changing dynamics and contemporary needs, amendments in education policies are required. India had already announced National Education Policy in the year 1968. It was further amended in 1992 and 2000. The latest recommendations for changes in Indian education system are compiled in National Education Policy 2019.

Draft National Education Policy 2019

A committee was set up in 2017 for making recommendations for National Education Policy. Draft National Education Policy 2019 was prepared by the same committee. The committee was headed by Sh. Krishnaswamy Kasturirangan, who had occupied the position of chairman of ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization) in past. There were other eight members in the committee. Draft National Education Policy 2019 was unveiled on 31^st May 2019. Prior work done by consultative committee headed by Sh. TSR Subrahmanian became basis for Draft National Education Policy 2019.

What is the Need of Draft National Education Policy 2019?

Changing global competition, technology development, vast population and diversity of India questions the existing education policy. There is need to update National Education Policy, so that we can best utilize our demographic dividend. Only enrollment of children in schools is not sufficient. Their retention in schools and seeking higher education are equally important. Inculcation of vocational skills is required for correcting the skill job mismatch of industry.

Recommendations in Draft National Education Policy 2019

The provisions recommended for changes in Indian education system are summarized here:

The suggested top level change recommended is renaming the Ministry of Human Resource Development as Ministry of Education.

Key Ingredients

The key elements of Draft National Education Policy 2019 are access, equity, quality, affordability and accountability.

Child Care

Introduction of Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) is suggested. Care includes extension of existing provisions of mid day meal to breakfast.

Right to Education Act

Extension of coverage of children in age group of 3 to 18 years under Right to Education act is another suggestion in Draft National Education Policy 2019.

Curriculum

• Reconfiguration of curriculum is required. It is replacement of existing 10+2 system with 5 + 3 + 3 + 4. The new curricular scheme is divided in to four stages based on age and class of students in school:

Foundational Stage: It includes children in the age group of 3 to 8 years from pre primary to class 2^nd. This stage corresponds to 5 in the pattern.

Preparatory Stage: This stage includes children in the age group of 8 to 11 years from class 3^rd to 5^th. It corresponds to 3 in the pattern.

Middle Stage: The phase of middle stage corresponds to the children in the age group of 11 to 14 years from class 6^rd to 8^th. The stage again refers to 3 in the pattern.

Secondary Stage: The final stage is a group of children in the age group of 14 to 18 years from class 9^rd to 12^th. This stage indicates 4 in the pattern of 5 + 3 + 3 + 4.

• Introduction of semester system in school education is also recommended in the draft.
• The draft focuses on introduction of extracurricular activities like arts, craft, yoga, music, sports, community service in new education system so as to provide all round development of children.
• Reducing syllabus content is recommended for unloading children from burden of students.
• Inculcation of vocational skills, adult education, life skills at right stage is necessary.

Infrastructure

Restructuring of school premises is a key recommendation from point of view of infrastructure availability. Such restructuring like playground, laboratories etc will add value to the resources of education system.

Teaching Education

• Transformation of teaching education is essential for improving pedagogical staff. Such transformation involves shutting down substandard teacher educational institutions, moving teaching education courses in multidisciplinary universities and colleges. B.Ed. is suggested to be minimum eligibility for teaching and required to be 4 years integrated program.         
• Undergraduate programs are suggested to be redesigned for duration of four years.
• Up gradation of universities, NITs and other institutions is also recommendation of the panel.

Educational Governance

• Public and private education institutions should be treated on par.
• Draft National Education Policy 2019 proposes setting up a new apex body, “Rashtriya Shiksha Aayog” for research coordination between center and states. This move will be significant due to decentralized approach. 
• The draft also suggests another apex body called “National Research Foundation” for promotion of research culture in India.

Language

Implementation of three language formula is suggested for retention of children in schools. The formula suggests teaching of three languages in school. In non-Hindi speaking states, three languages should be English, Hindi and regional language. In Hindi speaking states, three languages should be English, Hindi and any one modern Indian language. However, there is no clarification about languages of modern domain.

Draft National Education Policy 2019 also recommends setting three new national institutions in three languages of Pali, Persian and Prakrit. Draft policy also proposes establishment of Indian Institute of Translation and Interpretation. The policy emphasizes the introduction of local flavors in the textbook.

Aspects of Draft National Education Policy 2019

Draft National Education Policy 2019 touches following four aspects of education:

1. Maintaining standards of education,
2. Understanding funding for education,
3. Process of accreditation and
4. Regulation

For each aspect, separate bodies are suggested. For monitoring of all these bodies, the committee proposed a monitoring body above them.

Higher Education and Research

Draft National Education Policy 2019 emphasizes creation of vast vocabulary of technical terminologies for the cause of researchers.  

Draft policy talks about restructuring of higher education institutions. It suggests focusing on high quality teaching in higher education institutions for:

1. World class research,
2. High quality teaching across disciplines with significant contribution in research and
3. High quality teaching in undergraduate education

For revamping under graduate education, two programs are recommended. One is Mission Nalanda* and another is Mission Takshashila*. Mission Nalanda aims for creating 100 type 1 institutions and at least 500 type 2 institutions for higher education. Mission Takshashila targets introduction of at least higher education institute in each district. It size of district is big then there should be 2 to 3 education institutions depending on the size of district.

Challenges

The developed countries like USA, UK are spending more than 5% of their GDP on education. Even country like Brazil is also making an expenditure of 6% of GDP on education. India is far below these figures. National expenditure on education being done by India is just 2.7% of GDP. Thus, budget is really a challenge.

The collaboration of different ministries needs to work out for ground level implementation of Draft National Education Policy 2019. Ministry of HRD, Ministry of Skill development and Ministry of Rural development have to cooperate because skills, anganwadi, ICDS (Integrated Child Development Scheme) are also required to give their inputs for successful implementation of proposed new education policy.

Conclusion

Draft National Education Policy 2019 is a good attempt for reforming the education system in India. It has various positive aspects which raise hope for better education system. The real task is ground level implementation of the policy. We already had various other policies in the past but their appropriate execution will only give the fruits. There is also concern about three language program. Some southern states are not happy with the imposition of Hindi. Such concerns also need to be addressed. Budget allocation for education has to be enhanced. We hope to develop our next generations with right care, information and guidance to carve the future of India in a comprehensive manner.   

* Nalanda and Takshashila were great learning centers of ancient India. Great Indian scholars like Chandragupta, Panini, Chanakya etc were products of these ancient learning centers.

See Other Posts: Children Rights in India, Office of Chief Justice of India under RTI Act