For students’ benefit or political slugfest?

Rithu Dravid | NT

Bengaluru: The decision to scrap the National Education Policy (NEP) in Karnataka by replacing it with a State Education Policy (SEP) from the next academic year has been officially announced.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said, “An education policy cannot be imposed on states. A uniform policy is not possible in a diverse and plural country. The NEP will be changed from the next academic year and the government will provide education that is in line with the Constitution”.

The CM in a high level meeting said that a committee will be formed to formulate a new education policy while continuing the old education system.

However, Karnataka was the first state to adopt NEP in higher education. Now the NEP will be replaced with the SEP.

There have been mixed reactions from academics and stakeholders on the scrapping of the NEP as they say it requires some preparation and cannot be implemented immediately.

It’s too early Senior Literature Professor Baraguru Ramachandrappa, former chairman of the Textbook Revision Committee, Karnataka opines that a committee has to be formed first and the education policy has to be studied and understood.

He strongly feels that “The opinions of teacher associations, student associations, parents, educationists and various stakeholders have to be considered irrespective of their politics and ideologies. This is how a new education policy has to be framed. The policy has to be simple and straight”.

He further states after a collective report is ready, it has to be in the public domain and the SEP has to be given statutory powers unlike the NEP.

“It is only a decision to scrap the NEP, but implementation will take time. Ideally it should have been implemented from the school level up to higher education”.

Preparations to scrap the NEP will have to take many factors into consideration. Students currently pursuing various courses under the NEP have to finish their academic year.

However, the implementation and formulation of NEP has become a political slugfest for various reasons. Former School Education and Literacy Minister, B C Nagesh opined that a uniform education system has to be established in a country like ours.

“There have to be equal job opportunities for all, irrespective of which education institution one goes to. If everyone in Karnataka is covered under the SEP, we are okay with it. The scrapping of the NEP is a political revenge on the BJP despite the policy’s aim at reforming the Indian education system”.

On a larger perspective, it is essential to focus on depoliticizing the education system and ensuring it reflects the diverse needs of students, rather than being shaped by political motives.