Page 20 - EW September 2023

Education News

why NCF 2005 failed to improve painstakingly devised pol-
learning outcomes in K-12 educa- icy without evaluating its
tion was that it over-estimated the objectives is imprudent,”
capability of “state nodal institu- warns Singhai.
tions” and the teachers’ commu- This viewpoint is sec-
nity to reform the school education onded by D. Shashi Ku-
system. This time round the NCF-SE mar, general secretary,
Steering Committee taking “the Associated Managements
practice of education in the reality of Private Schools of Kar-
of our schools” has opted to provide nataka (KAMS), which
detailed guidelines to state govern- has a membership of over
ments and hand-hold teachers, to 4,000 schools statewide.
implement the curriculum to attain “The peremptory rejection
the goals and objectives of NEP of NEP 2020 is autocratic.
2020. As such NCF-SE is a welcome Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar (right): NEP 2020 rejected The policy has incorporat-
innovation and departure from NCF ed several recommenda-
2005. prepared by a nine-member commit- tions made by the Karnataka Knowl-
Autar Nehru (Delhi) tee headed by former space scientist edge Commission constituted by the
Dr. Krishnaswamy Kasturirangan, has previous Congress government. The
KARNATAKA been rejected. state government needs to take a ma-
Rash rejection unease comed by knowledgeable academics ture stand by studying the policy and
NEP 2020 has been widely wel-
changing only those proposals they
for proposing root-and-branch reform disagree with. It should not reject the
he newly-elected congress gov- of India’s moribund education system policy in toto,” says Shashi Kumar.
ernment of Karnataka, which from preschool to Ph D. In particular owever, Prof. A.S. Seethar-
Twon a bitterly fought legisla- for according high importance to early Hamu, former professor of educa-
tive election against the BJP in May, childhood care and education, flex- tion, Institute of Social and Economic
has discharged its election manifesto ibility in the higher education system Change, Bengaluru, believes that the
promise of scrapping the National through multiple exit and re-entry newly-elected Congress government is
Education Policy (NEP) 2020 pro- options and recommending gradual justified in revoking implementation
mulgated by the BJP government at phase out of the system of undergrad of NEP 2020, and drafting its own
the Centre. colleges affiliating with parent univer- SEP. “NEP has numerous flaws and
On August 21, deputy chief minister sities. internal contradictions. It does not
D.K. Shivakumar announced that the Dr. Chetan Singhai, Bengaluru- reflect our cherished constitutional
state government has discontinued based educationist and Chief Consul- values in its goals or content. For in-
implementation of NEP 2020 from tant, Technical Secretariat, Committee stance, there is no cause to tamper
this academic year (2023-24), and to Draft the NEP 2020, believes that with three-year undergraduate cours-
begun work on framing its own State the state government is being “blind- es. Moreover, NEP 2020 gives scant
Education Policy (SEP). However, he sided” by political animosity towards attention to technical, vocational,
said that higher education institutions the BJP. “NEP 2020 is a vision docu- skill-based courses. The curriculum
in the state which had already imple- ment prepared after prolonged con- has been ‘saffronised’ with utter dis-
mented NEP 2020 in academic years sultation with all stakeholders from regard for the history and cultures of
2021-22 and 2022-23 — the then BJP national to district levels. All states, states, and there are no financial esti-
government of Karnataka was first off except Tamil Nadu and Kerala, partic- mates or riders for provision of good
the blocks to implement NEP 2020 ipated and presented position papers quality education. The Congress gov-
promulgated after an interval of 34 which have been incorporated into ernment has done well to reject NEP
years — will be permitted to continue NEP 2020. The impulsive decision 2020. Now it should begin a thorough
with its provisions until current stu- of the Congress government to reject consultative process involving all sec-
dent batches graduate. NEP 2020 will adversely impact stu- tions, interest groups, reputed NGOs
Within the state’s academia, the dents from Karnataka when they enter and academia to draft a new SEP,”
dominant sentiment is of dismay that higher education and the jobs market. says Prof. Seetharamu.
NEP 2020, which was in the works for Many universities have restructured As we go to press, the state govern-
over four years and finally approved their postgraduate programmes in ment has announced setting up of a
by the Union Cabinet in July 2020 alignment with NEP 2020. Blanket committee to start the consultation
based on the 484-page NEP 2019 draft rejection of this democratically and process for drafting Karnataka’s SEP.

20 EDUCATIONWORLD SEPTEMBER 2023