22there when Prakash Javadekar folated the idea of
dismantling the UGC. Centralised control over
syllabus and teaching content, ‘autonomy’ in fi-
nancial matters and raising resources. The eu-
phemisms of ‘world class institutions’ and ‘top
class research’ are designed to pull wool over the
discerning gazes while the real agenda of infus-
ing ideals of sectarianism, superstition and cut
throat profit motive are brazenly instilled.
Overall, the NEP draft cannot be the sole marker
of the policy of this government. Because of its
focus on catchphrases and rhetoric about in-
clusivity, and crucially less detailing, the policy
document can be a partial indicator of the gov-
ernment’s education priorities. The priorities of
the government are clear- changing history, de-
pleting scientific temper and every ounce of criti-
cal thinking which could challenge their political
hegemony. Both religious authoritarianism and
profit seeking capitalism want total obedience.
Right from primary up till higher education,
critical thinking and inconvenient facts and sub-
jects are their prime targets to develop a culture
of obedience. Moves supplementary to the NEP
are and will be a better indicator of bringing
about this outcome. The impending textbook re-
vision undoing all the good work of the National
Curriculum, Framework 2005 is a case in point.
The deletion of the first chapter of the Political
Science Textbook of Class IX is a sign of things
to come. The BJP was not too happy with the re-
placement of monotonous civics with political
science and cartoons as well as teaching of revo-
lutionary poets in literature.
We cannot and should not come to expect any
better from the current regime. The electoral
mandate will have further impressed upon them
to increase the task of moulding education to
their taste. What the progressive sections need
to take among the stakeholders is the principal
demand of increasing funds for education to at
least 6-7% of the GDP and eventually to 10%.
The generation of inequality by the influx of
private schools is another case in point. Private
schools have changed the culture tremendously
where people of different classes are accorded
different treatment. So we hardly have instances
of Tagore’s plays being enacted in government
schools as used to be the case before the blizzard
of the 1990s which blew away whatever was left
of public education. A serious effort at grassroots
has to be made in challenging the hegemony of
these reactionary forces and build up a model of
people’s education system for the entire country.Student Struggle | June - July 2019