New Education Policy Report

A committee headed by the former Cabinet secretary T.S.R. Subramanian for the evolution of the soon-to-be-announced national education policy has submitted its report to the Human Resource Development Ministry.

• The Committee has examined a large body of outcome documents, recommendations and suggestions received and also had several meetings with various stakeholders and undertook field visits to educational institutions.

Background:

The HRD Ministry had undertaken a consultation process for framing a New Education Policy (NEP) and this process included online, grassroots and national level thematic deliberations on 33 themes.

Important recommendations:

• ‘No detention policy’ be reviewed and exams be held from Class VI. The Right To Education law prescribes the no detention policy for students till Class VIII.

However, in case a child does not pass in the first instance, he or she should be given two more chances to appear in the exam.

• The committee has made specific recommendations from infrastructure to quality of education, which is an issue of concern, from primary to higher levels
• Formation of an Education cadre service which would improve the standards of administration of the education.
• The panel is learnt to have emphasised imbibing values and confidence in the students.
• The panel emphasised on skill development and aspect related to vocational training

Important Suggestions:

• Raise the standard of education which are found wanting in many respects from primary to higher level.
• Foreign institutions be allowed to come to India to improve the quality of higher education
• Focus on “remedial coaching” and “hand-holding” to ensure the learning outcome of children does not suffer.
• The regulatory mechanism comprising UGC, AICTE for technical education be made more equal to contemporary challenges.

Committee details:

• Committee Head : Mr. Subramanian, a former Cabinet Secretary,

Members:

1.      Former Chief Secretary of Delhi government Shailaja Chandra,

2.     Former Home Secretary of Delhi government Sevaram Sharma,

3.     Former Chief Secretary of Gujarat Sudhir Mankad and

4.     Former NCERT Director J. S. Rajput.