"There is a very sharp increase in terms of access to education"

The chairman of the committee instituted by the Centre to evolve a National Education Policy, TSR Subramanian, tells Anubhuti Vishnoi that education has become accessible but the nation faces the sharpest decline in quality. Excerpts:


What are key takeaways in your New Education Policy report?

We have proposed an action plan. Many visions have been enunciated, but not implemented. We have made 90 recommendations and to me they all are major takeaways. What is the report’s key focus? It is on quality improvement and inclusion.

Some first-time learners and others from various disadvantaged sections are left out or have to fend for themselves. They need support and it should be built in. The system cannot be blind to these needs. Students from various state boards arrive in cities and find themselves at sea in the English-oriented social and academic setup. The report has suggested a locally organised mentor system.

What about quality of education?

An overhaul is needed in every area from school to higher education. We have recommended examination and curricula reforms. The mental approach of those running the show must change. For instance, today only those who are unable to make it to topnotch professional courses take up teaching. What if we can get the top 5% in Class X or XII to teach for 5 years in return for full tuition fee and living expenses taken care of? We have to encourage people to teach. One thing in this sector is lack of ideas and thinking. They are mechanically doing their job.

What is your assessment of the current state of education?

There is a very sharp increase in terms of access to education. However, there is a very sharp decline in the quality of education in the last two decades, especially in schools. There are many more colleges but the industry says barely 20% of those educated are employable.

Institutions like IIMs and IITs are not even talking to each other. There is a façade but is empty. Key infrastructure has been built but the quality element is missing.

Will you elaborate on the drop in quality in the last 20 years?

The education system is in disarray. There is a slow decline that continues to plague government schools; dropout rates are still high; corruption prevails in teacher appointments, transfers and approval of institutions. Donations have to be paid for admission to medical and engineering schools; question papers are leaked; copying is widespread.

At our research institutions they study about what is happening in Rwanda and Santiago. There is nothing about these places….we could not get one page worth of material from some government organisations on the 33 themes we were looking at. In fact, we found quality material from private research centres.

Overall quality of education depends on political attention given to it. Which CM worries about education and thinks it is fundamental to our future? Except for Anandiben Patel who was herself a teacher, we didn’t find anyone else who cared. We found Gujarat and Andhra have done well. In the Hindi belt, the politician is not aware that there is an education department. It exists because he can appoint a vice-chancellor and work around transfers and postings. There has been excessive politicisation of universities, where there is lack of governance too. Issues are well known, but we have steadfastly refused to address them.

What are your views on fears that saffronistaion attempt may be made through your suggestions?

Are we including values? Yes! Values are fundamental. Find lumpen element in society suggests that something has gone wrong. In nuclear families that have working parents the school has a larger responsibility and must work to inculcate values. Acceptance of diversity of India’s heritage, cultural history, religious amity, the teacher as role model, inculcator of dharma, shanti, prem, nonviolence are core values. It hasto be taught that every religion has the same message.

We have talked of regularity, punctuality, cleanliness, self-control, industriousness, spirit of entrepreneurship, spirit of duty, desire to serve, responsibility, creativity and sensitivity to gender equality, democratic temper and obligation to perseverance of environment. Children should be taught not only of fundamental rights but also fundamental duties. If someone calls this saffronistaion, I can’t help it.

What about nationalism?

We have tried to bring the sense of taking pride in Indianness through our value system and articles of faith like dharma, righteousness, correct action, correct thinking and then living with others… we cut out ‘tolerate’ to ‘accept.’ In a diverse system, we ‘accept’, we don’t merely ‘tolerate’

What is your view on the 1986 education policy that is expected to be replaced by the policy your committee has helped evolve?

I think 1986 policy had already looked at a number of issues that we are looking at. Even then I would say they were farsighted. But it was never truly implemented and I don’t think anybody took it seriously.

What about use of technology?

We have said technology should be used as aid to the teacher and students to encourage the teacher to build her own lessons. We have advised use of big data apparatus to give unique numbers to every students and track their progress through the academic session that can also help track the teacher’s performance and the schools’ too.