Page 48 - EW November 2024

Cover Story

2020 mandates three years of compulsory ECCE for all chil- vs. Union of India & Anr (Writ Petition
dren in the 3-6 age bracket countrywide. To this end, the (C) No. 95 of 2010), the Supreme Court
centuries-old 10+2 school system has been replaced by a upheld the constitutional validity of the
new 5+3+3+4 school continuum for all children. Union government’s Right to Free and
Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009,
Mandatory Teacher Eligibility Test. On Feb- and particularly the controversial s.12 (1)(c) (reservation
ruary 11, the National Council for Teacher of 25 percent capacity of poor neighbourhood children in
Education (NCTE) issued guidelines to all elementary classes of private schools). But the full impact of
state governments and Union territories reservation was diluted by exempting minority (and board-
for conducting the Teacher Eligibility Test ing) schools.
(TET). In accordance with s.23 (1) of the EW comment. Arguing that the judgement
RTE Act, NCTE made clearance of TET mandatory for all will force open the flood gates of private
new teachers recruited by the Central and state govern- schools for entry of dreaded licence-per-
ments with effect from the academic year 2011-12. mit-quota-raj, your editors in a detailed
EW comment. EW endorsed the introduction of TET to en- cover story ‘Supreme Court green light
sure teachers meet minimum teaching quality standards. for licence-permit-quota-raj in school
However subsequently with reports of large-scale cheating, education’ (EW May 2012) wrote: “Quite
marks-for-money and other teacher appointment scams be- patently, the majority judgement which
ing reported from several states (West Bengal, Maharash- is prefaced by the remark “to say that a
tra, etc), EW news reports made a strong case for overhaul- thing is constitutional is not to say it is desirable” is based on
ing of TET exams. a technical and strained interpretation of constitutional law,
Cabinet clears NCHER Bill. On December 21, the Union and indicates minimal awareness of the grassroots reality of
cabinet cleared the National Commission of Higher Edu- the government school system which is in a state of rigour
cation and Research (NCHER) Bill 2011, which envisages mortis because of numerous sins of omission and commis-
an overarching body in higher education to supervise uni- sion of the education bureaucracy at the Centre and in the
versities and technical institutes. NCHER will subsume states. Regrettably, it has recklessly given a green light to
all existing regulatory bodies, including UGC, AICTE and these very educrats to introduce their discredited licence-
Council of Distance Education, and will comprise 70 mem- permit-quota and inspector regime into private K-12 educa-
bers, with representatives from tion. They will surely torpedo the country’s budget schools
every state and regulatory bod- and spread the contagion of corruption within the country's
ies. The proposal to establish hitherto insulated private unaided non-minority schools.”
NCHER was recommended by
the Yash Pal Committee and India’s most admired engineering colleg-
the National Knowledge Com- es. In June 2013, the inaugural EW rank-
mission. ing of (non-IIT and NIIT) engineering col-
EW comment. In our special leges and private B-schools was published.
report ‘Need for genuinely in- Since then, this survey has evolved into
clusive debate’ (EW February the annual EW India Higher Education
2012), while welcoming the Rankings which rates and ranks the country’s Top 300 pri-
NCHER Bill, as a “brave re- vate and government universities, Top 500 private/govern-
formist initiative”, your editors ment autonomous and non-autonomous colleges, and Top
criticised its drafting committee for not consulting “any 100 private engineering colleges and B-schools across 15
private university or higher education institution”. “This parameters of higher education excellence. IITs and NITs
historic initiative which proposes a new architecture for the were omitted from the rankings as these highly subsidised
country’s higher education system should be the outcome Central government-funded engineering colleges routinely
of a genuinely consultative process involving all stakehold- top all media rankings of engineering and technology in-
ers — state governments, private universities, academics stitutions.
and students — to ensure its smooth passage through Par- EW comment. “The EW survey will serve the useful purpose
liament and effective subsequent implementation,” wrote of aiding and abetting higher secondary school-leavers to
your editors. choose institutes most suitable to their aptitudes and pref-
NB: In September 2014, the new BJP-led NDA govern- erences,” wrote your editors in the cover story (EW June
ment withdrew the NCHER Bill, 2011. 2013).
National ECCE Policy. On September 20, the Union cabinet
Supreme Court upholds RTE Act. On April 12, 2012 in a approved a draft National Early Childhood Care and Educa-
landmark verdict in Unaided Private Schools of Rajasthan tion (NECCE) policy of the Union ministry of women and

48 EDUCATIONWORLD NOVEMBER 2024