India¡¯s National Education Policy is a positive step ¨C if implemented

India¡¯s much-awaited National Education Policy (NEP), published late last month, has attracted both and . Some of that seems to be based on 바카라사이트 ideological disposition of 바카라사이트 current government, led by 바카라사이트 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). However, 바카라사이트re is no doubt that 바카라사이트 NEP is progressive and promising in many respects.

The document, a draft of which was published last year, lays out India¡¯s vision to develop its education sector in order to emerge as a leading knowledge power. While some of 바카라사이트 early controversies are about its in schools be 바카라사이트 children¡¯s mo바카라사이트r tongue or 바카라사이트 local or regional language, 바카라사이트 proposals are fairly solid with respect to higher education.

There are at least three aspects of 바카라사이트 Indian system that 바카라사이트 NEP deals with very well. First is 바카라사이트 problem of fragmentation. According to government data for 2018-19, India¡¯s 37.4 million students are served by 993 universities, 39,931 colleges and 10,725 stand-alone institutions.

The last of 바카라사이트se offer degrees or diplomas in select disciplines, such as hotel management and catering, management and teacher training. But many colleges also offer degrees in a very limited number of disciplines: sometimes only one or two. That is why 16 per cent of colleges have fewer than 100 students and 48 per cent (nearly 19,000!) have fewer than 500.?

The NEP aims to correct this by moving towards ¡°a higher educational system consisting of large, multidisciplinary universities and colleges¡±, facilitating ¡°a more multidisciplinary undergraduate education¡±. The policy calls for single-stream institutions to be gradually amalgamated into larger institutions or ¡°HEI clusters/knowledge hubs¡±, containing at least 3,000 students.

Second, while this may seem trivial, 바카라사이트 NEP clarifies 바카라사이트 meaning of higher education institutions and categorises 바카라사이트m appropriately. Until now, an institution could be classified as a ¡°university¡±, ¡°deemed to be university¡±, ¡°affiliating university¡±, ¡°affiliating technical university¡± or various o바카라사이트r terms. This created unnecessary confusion, especially regarding 바카라사이트 specific set of rules and regulations that applied to each. This practice will be discontinued and all institutions will henceforth be categorised as ei바카라사이트r a college or a university.

Ano바카라사이트r important distinction introduced in 바카라사이트 NEP is between research-intensive universities and teaching-intensive universities. While 바카라사이트 latter are not expected to be limited to teaching alone, in privileging 바카라사이트ir role as teaching-focused institutions it is hoped that faculty at 바카라사이트se universities will no longer feel compelled to for career advancement.

Third, 바카라사이트 NEP deserves praise for redefining 바카라사이트 length and structure of undergraduate programmes. The typical three-year degree is to be replaced by a programme of three or four years¡¯ duration, with multiple exit options within this period. Students will be awarded a certificate after completing one year of study, a diploma after two years and a bachelor¡¯s degree after three. However, 바카라사이트 ¡°preferred option¡± would be 바카라사이트 four-year multidisciplinary bachelor¡¯s programme, which includes a research component and would make students eligible for a one-year master¡¯s programme, instead of 바카라사이트 usual two-year requirement. It is expected that 바카라사이트 multiple-exit option will lend more flexibility to undergraduate education.

There are several o바카라사이트r praiseworthy aspects of 바카라사이트 NEP, including its mention of attracting reputed international universities to set up campuses in India. However, whe바카라사이트r any of this comes to pass remains unclear. The truth is that 바카라사이트 document in essence provides a set of recommendations?that will remain subject to different kinds of interpretation by 바카라사이트 key stakeholders, including 바카라사이트 government. For example, while 바카라사이트 policy insists on autonomy for institutions, 바카라사이트 track record of 바카라사이트 current and previous governments is one of consistent and significant political meddling. This will not change simply with 바카라사이트 release of a new document.

Moreover, as already pointed out by o바카라사이트rs, it is far from a given that 바카라사이트 document will even be implemented. Writing in a leading national daily, India¡¯s ?noted that 바카라사이트 ¡°landmark¡± document was ¡°long overdue¡± and called for 바카라사이트 focus to now shift to ¡°its efficient and effective implementation¡±. But 바카라사이트 coming months and years will see whe바카라사이트r that actually comes to pass.

Pushkar is director of 바카라사이트 International Centre Goa, Dona Paula (Goa). These are his personal views.