New education policy may be delayed further

The much-awaited and discussed TSR Subramanian report — commissioned by former HRD minister Smriti Irani for drafting a new education policy for India — is likely to be delayed further. The new HRD minister, Prakash Javadekar, sources said, is keen on conducting his own consultation process on how to improve the sector, while utilising the report only as an “input in the wider scheme of things”, sources said.

It is learnt that finalisation of the new national education policy could be delayed by several months as Mr Javadekar is expected to put the report on the backburner while he holds further consultations with several stakeholders, including members of Parliament, various educational institutes, academia and even Sangh affiliates for further enhancement of the draft.

The government has already pushed the last date for seeking suggestions on the new education policy (NEP) twice.

Sources stated that the government is now expected to prepare a draft education policy with additional inputs that are generated through new consultation process. These will then be put in the public domain for feedback.

Sources said that implementation of a new NEP was one of the major issues that was being pushed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself as the NDA government tries to leave its imprint on the important education sector of the country.

The last education policy was made almost three decades ago, in 1986. Mr Subramanian was the chairperson of the five-member committee entrusted with the responsibility of making suggestions for drafting a new education policy for the country. Other members of the committee including former chief secretaries of Delhi and Gujarat, and former NCERT chief.

Major recommendations of the TSR Subramian committee

Reinstating detention of students beyond Class V Setting up an all-India cadre of educational services on the lines of the Indian Administrative Service Overhaul of regulators, such as the UGC Inculcating values and nationalistic pride in school students Compulsory quality audit of all higher education institutions every three years Allowing foreign universities to set up campuses in the country in collaboration with Indian institutions