Strengthening school education, teacher training, funding for research, public private partnership in setting up universities, integrated vocational education, improving the intake of youth in universities are some of the suggestions made on the New Education Policy, (the Prof. Kasturi Rangan Committee Report) by a number of academicians.
They were speaking at a discussion on the NEP organised by the Society for Integrated Development and Research (SIDAR) and the Centre for Policy Studies in association with Visakhapatnam Public Library and Dr. Lankapalli Bullayya College here on Saturday.
President of Centre for Policy Studies A. Prasanna Kumar described the policy as a very comprehensive draft bill and unique as it touched upon all aspects of education from KG to PG. Higher education in the country suffered from three shortcomings — inequitable access, falling standards and poor research, he said. India’s demographic dividend of 40 % youth would turn into a disaster if it failed to put the 19-23 years age group in universities, he opined.
President of SIDAR K.C. Reddy said the policy proposed to do away with the distinction between curricular and co-curricular activities and was a synthesis of tradition and modernity. It particularly focussed on school education with its total reconfiguration. It also talked about technology and manpower shortage. Pointing out that most of the government funding was going to research institutes, he said the policy makes a distinction between teaching and research universities. It advocated multidisciplinary approach and making vocational education an integral part of the curriculum. It talks about a National Research Fund. Prof. Reddy said the views expressed would be consolidated and sent to the Ministry of HRD.
Principal of A. U. college of Arts and Commerce K. Ramamohana Rao wanted all universities to be multi-disciplinary preparing youth for the needs of the industry. Colleges must be independent doing way with affiliated system. With private institutions dominating higher education should be made more inclusive.
Former Vice-Chancellor V. Balamohandas suggested pre-training for college and university teachers and academic administrators, including vice-chancellors, and the introduction of Indian Education Service. He expressed concern over proliferating universities and colleges producing not-so-qualified youth resulting in under/unemployment. He mooted the setting up of universities in public-private partnership on the lines of aided colleges.
Former Vice-Chancellor of Damodaram Sanjivayya National Law University Y. Satyanarayana expressed concern over school education being neglected and the dichotomy in the implementation of the constitutional right of free and compulsory education up to 14 years. Instead of regulating education, regulating agencies were controlling institutions which were under constant threat, he said.
VPL Secretary D.S. Varma wanted at least 5 % of GDP to be earmarked for education against the present 2.78 %. Several academicians spoke on various aspects of the bill.
