The new government’s education is about what?
Is it about making India an educated and civilised country and society?
Or, is it all about political brain-washing? You see, one has to have a critical mind, an objective mind to talk about serious issue like education and related fields. Education is all about awakening people, a country and its citizens. We are not yet sure about the new education policy for what the Prime Minister calls, New India. Does a New India have many things or the slogan can simply remain a slogan and might not mean anything. There are some reservations or misgivings, if the readers see the issues so. The Kasturirangan Education ‘draft report’ remains inaccessible as on date and the very few passages quoted by media comments make one feel uncomfortable a bit. There is a reference for setting up, for instance, a school for Persian and other oriental languages. Why, of all languages, the most sacred of the Persian culture teaching in India?
Also, the controversy that erupted and not so far died the three language formula and the history from the pre-independent days! Why Hindi now, when the languages is already spreading in the South the exodus of the North Indian labour from North East and other Hindi speaking areas like UP and Bihar to other States. The BJP regime could further inflame the language controversy. Please avoid this issue. Let Hindi spread on its own distinction. Let the languages study be carried out by scholars and not by language fanatics who are everywhere, not just inside India but also in other countries in Europe.
Now, coming to the main stream education, you see the current education scenario must get attention from the honourable members of the Committee. Do the hon’ble members think the current situation in education scene anything to be cheered about or feel distressed? The problem in India is that we, as inheritors of the British colonial legacy are highly conditioned by inferior complex, we feel uncomfortable to call a spade a spade! Education has deteriorated into sheer money making venture. See, travel to any part of the country, there are always schools and coaching centres. There is a craze to make money out of the ambitious and ruthless middle classes to ensure the selfish goals of making their wards alone as competitive and succeeding! Now corruption in admissions had crept into even the US institutions! So, the UK and the US universities are looking for Indian students and the education fees are so high.
Inside India too, the changes in the politics in the states is such that there are over 500 self-financing engineering colleges and this year, some 15 colleges had stopped admissions for the simple reason that there is no infrastructure and also there are no students. In a lighter vein we can say, after you travel in the South, in one district town there are some 10 or even more colleges under one persona the founder! Some of them whom we know well are not even worthy of such honours. But what about the politician turned education entrepreneur nexus? There are many other trades in which these education entrepreneurs are engaged together! Some have become even elected members of the Lok Sabha! Corrupt and criminal linked law makers now would make laws for the hapless citizens.
Where we are going? The education minds must ask themselves! Education thinkers are now divided into the progressive and the backward minded, medieval minded ones! Can you rewrite history? This is also a question the Education experts must answer. Simply to please a government in power at the moment and to give education ideas is a disservice to nation. We can use a different language but we don’t to spoil the party when it is going well!
Education, culture, heritage, why even the tradition and modernity are all heavily-loaded words and concepts and you have to mention whom you have all met and consulted in making the report. That would only enhance the status of the report also. We have to run education not into a commodity. May be the one positive change we see is the coming of the one or two private universities with internationally recruited faculty. That gives some hope and positive change. Let us see!