Careers 360 English Edition – July 2019

report as this portal has the potential to
resolve a large number of issues relating
to teachers.

Students have been empowered to
select subjects of their choice. More
flexibility has been advocated for this
purpose in the curriculum. The empha-
sis given to vocational training is critical
and finds space in the draft. However,
none of this is either new or out-of-the-
box. The CBSE has already provided
equivalence to vocational subjects in
their examination.

The revision of National Curricu-
lum Framework has been pending
for a while. It was last formulated in
2005.The draft suggests changes in the
framework and rightly lays emphasis
on bringing in ethical content in the
curriculum.

Examination reform
The draft recommends large-scale
changes in the conduct of examinations
by boards as also introduction of exami-
nations at various levels. The draft does
not delve into the practical problems
and the cost of conducting the exams
in the manner that it has been sug-
gested. A separate regulatory authority
for school education has also been sug-
gested. However, whether such changes
would help in qualitative improvements
in learning outcomes is debatable.

Right at the beginning, the draft men-
tions about ‘out-of-the-box solutions’
to the problems that education sec-
tor faces. However, there are very few
solutions offered. The draft ignores the
advantages of experiential learning that
can make learning so interesting. Some
out-of-the-box approaches should/

could have been suggested as there are a

number of such examples in the country

that can be replicated.

Role of NGOs

A number of Non- Governmental

Organisations (NGOs) are doing phe-

nomenal work. There is just marginal

mention of the role of NGOs that are

playing a tremendous role in transform-

ing school education. The need for scal-

ing public-private partnership is miss-

ing from the report.

The number of students migrating

to private schools is increasing by the

day. The draft does not delve into the

details of why this is happening and

why it should happen? Instead of push-

ing private schools not to use the term

‘public’, effort should have been made

to get to the bottom of the problem. Is

the growth of private schools necessar-

ily a problem? They could have possibly

come to a different conclusion. Private

schools are playing an important role

in imparting school education and will

continue to do so. There are indeed a

few unresolved issues relating to private

schools and they need to be addressed.

However, to do so, we have to get over

the ‘bias’ that we have against them.

There could/should have been an out-

of-the-box thinking in this regard.

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bound action plan. It accepts the fact that “the chal

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does precious little to address this part. There is

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education sector faces. However, there are very few

solutions offered. The draft ignores the advantages

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so interesting

Language formula

The draft has placed a lot of faith in

the Right to Education Act and recom-

mends its extension to all the remaining

classes in the school. This legislation

seems to have done more damage to

school education. Assessments have

revealed that the learning outcomes

since the enactment of the law have

actually shown a negative trend.

The ‘language’ issue has already cre-

ated a huge controversy. Why was this

issue considered at all in the first place

in the draft? Can a ‘formula’ be imposed

on states? Should such a ‘formula’ be

imposed? These aspects should have

been looked into before making a rec-

ommendation

Implementation challenges

And finally, the draft does not provide

for a definitive and time-bound action

plan. It accepts the fact that “the chal-

lenge is the ability to implement the pol-

icy” but does precious little to address

this part. There is indeed no dearth of

diagnosis and prescription. The prob-

lem is of application. The draft neither

analyses why such initiatives have failed

in the past nor does it come up with

specific recommendations on how to

make it happen on the ground. The draft

policy doesn’t appear to have served

any purpose except providing space for

debates and debates. The issues that

beset education require to be addressed

forthwith without waiting for a Policy

that may take a long time coming. Plans

have already been prepared for Uttar

Pradesh and J&K. What is required is

to prepare such action plans for each

state separately as each state has differ-

ent sets of issues.