Keeping in mind what the ruling BJP promised in its election manifesto—universal, quality and future-ready education as envisaged by the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP)—the education ministry has its tasks cut out.
The immediate priorities will be to bridge the inequality gap in schools, make higher education industry-relevant and free entrance exams from irregularities and malpractices.
The ministry has already set some priorities for its first 100 days—a digitisation drive for effective monitoring of schools down to the block level, standard assessment systems across school boards to check drop-out levels, new curriculum to develop skills and greater collaboration with foreign universities.
The key to achieving these ambitious goals will be to train teachers as per the requirements of the NEP, add infrastructure, facilitate the use of technology, and regularly upgrade curriculum. Besides, government schools still face many challenges, widening the gap between students from different socio-economic and geographical backgrounds.
Despite the relative pace of development in higher education infrastructure, four years after the launch of the NEP, major reforms still await. Meanwhile, the most important recommendation of the NEP that budgetary allocation on education should reach about six percent of GDP is still not met.
What needs to be done
Implementing the NEP
According to leading educationists, the central objective of the NEP has been lost in a quagmire of bureaucracy, leading to mechanical and unproductive work. To implement it swiftly, knowledge and skills must be considered as two sides of the same coin.
Training of teachers
Most experts say that mass training of teachers in using correct teaching methods should be started soon.
Uniform Standards
Leading educationists say there is an urgent need to bring uniformity in school education so that every school in the country is at least at par with Kendriya Vidyalayas in its resources and governance system
Denial of vacancies
There should be zero tolerance towards faculty vacancies in top institutions like IITs and IIMs. Higher Education Commission of India, as envisaged by NEP, should be formed
Dharmendra Pradhan, 54 years: BJP, Union Education Minister
beginning – Dharmendra Pradhan was born in 1969 in Talcher, Odisha and became an ABVP activist during his student life. He has a PG degree in Anthropology from Utkal University and was elected to the Lok Sabha in 2004.
Excellent electoral performance – He has returned to the Lok Sabha after 15 years. Pradhan, who has been a Rajya Sabha member since 2012, has played an important role in BJP winning 20 Lok Sabha seats in Odisha.
Experienced Leader – Pradhan has previously held the ministries of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Education and Skill Development in the Union Cabinet. His father Debendra Pradhan was a Minister of State in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government from 1999 to 2004
Education reform – Pradhan oversaw significant reforms in his last term as education minister, particularly in the higher education sector, such as the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) for admission to undergraduate programmes in central universities and the Foreign Higher Education Institution (FHEI) policy that allows foreign universities to set up campuses in India. PM Modi is expected to continue the reform agenda initiated through the National Education Policy 2020
LPG for the poor As Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, he oversaw the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, one of Modi’s most ambitious projects.
Sukanta Majumdar, Minister of State, 44 years: BJP
Promotion path – Majumdar, a professor of botany at Gour Banga University in West Bengal, has been associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) since his school days. He entered the Lok Sabha for the first time in 2019 from Balurghat. In view of the saffron party’s better performance in North Bengal in the Lok Sabha and assembly elections, Majumdar was made the president of the state BJP unit in September 2021. After winning the Lok Sabha for the second consecutive time, the son of a government employee and school teacher has now been given national responsibility.
Jayant Chaudhary, 45 years 7 RLD, Rajya Sabha MP from RLD; Also, Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Ministry of Skill Development
expert opinion
Prof. R. Govinda, Former Vice Chancellor, National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration
“The credibility of examinations must be freed from malpractice. Our trust in assessment and evaluation has declined”.