To set up an autonomous overarching authority for higher education and research, make class 10 board exam optional.
The Ministry of Human Resource Development has rolled out a 100-day agenda with an aim to set up an autonomous overarching authority for higher education and research, making the Class 10 board exam optional, review the functioning of deemed universities, give interest subsidy on education loans taken by poorer students, and public-private partnership in school education, among others.
The authority for higher education and research is based on the recommendations of the Yash Pal Committee and the National Knowledge Commission. It will subsume in it agencies like the University Grants Commission (UGC), Medical Council of India (MCI) and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).
“Though we are looking at the Yash Pal Committee’s recommendations, it is to be seen what can be implemented,” said HRD Minister Kapil Sibal while unveiling the ministry’s 100-day programme here today.
The Yash Pal Committee, in its interim report in March, had asked the government to change its definition of a university to free it from the hands of bureaucracy, make it autonomous and have a single higher education commission as powerful as the Election Commission.
The committee had also asked for an immediate stop to the practice of granting deemed university status to a large number of institutions.
The proposed apex body, to be called the National Commission for Higher Education and Research (NCHER), might not necessarily be a part of the ministry.
The nature and shape of this body has not been decided, but if it is an independent body, then it will not be a government entity. It will formulate policies for law and medical schools, engineering colleges and technical institutions, among others.
Another initiative is to make a law for mandatory assessment and accreditation in higher education through an independent authority, which will regulate the accreditation process by setting strict entry barriers. So, if an institute satisfies the pre-requisites like the experience required to be a university, then it will become a university and not a deemed-to-be-university.
Besides, the 100-day agenda also mentions a law to regulate entry and operation of foreign educational providers that will regulate these and let good foreign universities enter India.
“On the policy front, there will be a formulation of a ‘Brain-Gain’ policy to attract talent from across the world to the existing and new institutions. Also, we will launch a scheme of interest subsidy on educational loans taken by the economically weaker students for professional courses,” added Sibal.
Administrative initiatives for the next 100 days will touch upon the review of the functioning of the existing 125 deemed universities.
The minister has already directed the UGC to review the functioning of all the ‘deemed-to-be-universities’ and report the deficiencies within the next three months. Operationalising the newly established 12 central universities and 2 new IITs and academic reforms like the semester system and a choice-based credit system will be among the other priorities.
On higher education, the agenda also focusses on making a law to establish a tribunal to fast-track adjudication of disputes concerning all stakeholders. A new policy on distance learning, modernising of Copyright offices and providing broadband internet connectivity to 5,000 colleges/university departments under the ‘National Mission on Education through ICT’ are also on the agenda.
On school education, the ministry plans to push the process of examination reforms in accordance with the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) of 2005, by making the Class 10 examination optional. This will permit students continuing in the same school and who don’t need a board certificate, to take an internal school assessment instead.
So, the marks system would get replaced by a grading system in schools affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) for the secondary classes of 9 and 10. “Also, if there is a single board exam for students, then they can go to any university to study. For this, we will talk to different state education boards,” said Sibal.
| RECOMMENDATIONS |
| Higher Education |
| * An autonomous overarching authority for higher education and research subsuming the UGC, AICTE, MCI |
| * Mandatory assessment and accreditation in higher education by independent regulatory authority |
| *Review of functioning of deemed universities |
| * Law to regulate entry and operation of Foreign Educational Providers |
| * Formulation of a 'Brain-Gain' policy to attract talent from abroad |
| * New scheme of interest subsidy on educational loans for professional courses |
| * Law to amend the Copyright Act, 1957 |
| * Law to further amend and strengthen the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions Act |
| * New policy for distance learning |
| School Education |
| * Make class 10 board exam optional |
| * Enactment of Right to Education Bill |
| * PPP in school education |
| * Evolve consensus for establishing All India Madarsa Board |
| * Evolve National Curriculum Framework for Teacher Education |
| * Replacing marks by grades for class 9 and 10 students in CBSE-affiliated schools |
| * Recast the National Literacy Mission to focus on women |
Moreover, enactment of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Bill, followed by the notification of the 86th Constitutional Amendment in the official gazette, are also included in the 100-day plan.
There is also an attempt by the ministry to formulate a policy framework for public-private partnership (PPP) in school education by evolving a variety of PPP models and apply them as feasible. For instance, there could be private management of a badly-run municipal school besides inviting charitable institutions for imparting education.
