nep 2020 Archives - DU Beat - Delhi University's Independent Student Newspaper

The Spirit of B.El.Ed Program – AIFRTE’s Stand on Cancellation of B.El.Ed by Delhi University!

By Ankita Baidya June 9, 2023

The implementation of ITEP and the elimination of other teacher training courses such as B.El.Ed courses by Delhi University without consultation is being contested by students and academics who think the program is unique in its own way and that introducing ITEP doesn’t require the elimination of other programs.

The All India Forum for Right to Education ( AIFRTE ) conducted a webinar on’ Introduction of ITEP and against the cancellation of B.El.Ed.’ on May 30, 2023 (Tuesday) at 7 pm. The discussion took place live on Zoom platform and was also broadcasted on Facebook and YouTube page of AIFRTE. The list of speakers included – Prof Krishna Kumar (Renowned educationist & Former Director, NCERT) , Prof Poonam Batra (Expert in Elementary Education & Co-creator of the framework of B.El.Ed, Prof Latika Gupta (Prof in Dept of Education, Delhi University) and Prachi Gupta (Student of B.El.Ed., DU). More than a hundred people participated in the live debate, with many actively sharing their opinions through the comments, including several B.El.Ed students and professors.

The backdrop of the discussion was the adoption of ITEP ( (Integrated Teacher Education Program) by the Delhi University Academic Council on 26^th May, 2023 overruling objections raised by many elected teacher representatives, protesting students, and expert opinions.

ITEP was launched by NCTE ( National Council for Teacher Education ) under NEP 2020 scarping all the existing teacher training courses and to be adopted as the single course in the entire country. Experts have highlighted how it can weaker in terms of pedagogic training and how it is a threat to courses like B.Ed. and B.El.Ed.

The conversation centred on the future of B.El.Ed programmes and how a systematic dismantling of prior structures and efforts to reform the education system is detrimental in many ways. It also emphasised the program’s values and how it helped the learning process.

Mr Jagmohan, the webinar’s host, began by introducing everyone. He also briefly stated how, from the commencement of NEP 2020, the main attack has been on how teachers will be prepared for it. Furthermore, it has now come down to teacher training for the same.

Prof Krishna Kumar, an experienced educationist and one of the oldest professionals to share his knowledge on the matter, opened the discussion.

At this point it is important to remember that B.El.Ed was born in struggle and has faced various struggles all along its short history of three decades. Some hurdles like the concept of elementary that was not easily digested at the time the program began. I remember how Prof Upendra Baxi steered the discussion with his great legal skills and was able to convince the council of what will the program do. Over time, it has faced various hurdles, but today we are facing a new kind of uncertainty.

– Prof Krishna Kumar

He mentions there are apprehensions on ITEP replacing courses like B.El.Ed but on the other hand there is a constant difficulty of faculty shortage. Prof Krishna Kumar states an important point the nowhere in the NEP policy it is mentioned that the ITEP will replace all the teaching courses, rather the general tone suggests that there will be multiple roots for teachers to be trained and prepared for jobs. This is not a threat to courses like B.El.Ed as it is well established and is widely accepted.

The university has underestimated the achievements and values of the program which has benefited both teachers and students. Delhi university has no dearth of colleges to start with its ITEP program, there is no point in killing one innovation to start with the other.

– Prof Krishna Kumar

Later on, He highlights the importance of the course by saying that nobody else in teacher education have the kind of theoretical command and the insights in pedagogy like the B.El.Ed graduates.

Prof Latika Gupta then recounts her own experience with how the Course presented so many new concepts and how, despite the fact that the country has changed so much, the programme has maintained its true spirit and enthusiasm throughout its duration.

This course is an existence in itself, which drives all of us together. The recent graduates and students must overcome this round of crisis. Maybe this is an opportunity to re organize and start fresh.

– Prof Latika Gupta

Several additional B.El.Ed students joined the discussion and highlighted how the degree empowered them and helped them to choose the finest ideas to share with the students. The programme serves as a model for not only imparting theoretical knowledge and training, but also building confidence and motivation to ask tough questions.

B.El.Ed has taught me how to make education more engaging and not boring, art and theatre has helped me in incorporating expression inside the classroom so that I could help my learners be more expressive and creative.

– A student who shared her experience during the webinar.

Prof Poonam Batra joined the conversation and expressed her concern about the teacher training course’s existential crises and how the elimination of such programmes might compromise children’s learning. She claims that teacher education is an easy target, and that if other higher education systems take the area, we are likely to lost the battle for our students. She recalls how well-crafted the curriculum was and how well developed its integration was, allowing for both interdisciplinary learning as well as theoretical and practical approaches of study.

The core subjects of B.El.Ed have significant contributions as it allows young students to revisit what they learnt in school and this time understand it from an epistemological viewpoint, It is about Knowledge generation and engagement.

– Prof Poonam Batra.

Another AIFRTE team member expressed his concerns about how the disintegration of the education system without consultation is an assault on the learning process, academicians, and students. He emphasises the importance of coming together to fight such acts. There is an increasing need to convey to individuals the consequences of such activities.

Mr. Jagmohan concluded the discussion by encouraging everyone to be optimistic and to participate in the struggle.

Link for full Discussion – https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1221617085188263

Read also – https://dubeat.com/?s=B.El.Ed+

Image credits – News click, Google images

Priya Agrawal

[email protected]

Divided Opinion on Karl Marx: Another Debate at Delhi University Over Syllabus

By DU Beat May 31, 2023

Professors express concern over modifications to the economics curriculum, while the VC claims that it is an attempt to provide students with more options.

Following controversies over removing a chapter on Muhammad Iqbal and adding Savarkar in the syllabus for Political Science students, the University made another move that has sparked criticism. The changes made to the economics syllabus for undergrad students at Delhi University have not been accepted by many, and members of the University’s Academic Council have expressed their concerns.

The two elective papers that caused this debate are Economy, State, and Society and Production Relations and Globalization. These papers contain sections on Karl Marx which the members felt were identical. One of the Academic Council members, Monami Sinha, highlighted that these works are not similar and that Karl Marx is an integral part of the subject. Marx made one of the most significant contributions to the field with his theories that led to the formation of Marxism, although he, like many others, defined production relations, which are explored in the papers cited above.

Furthermore, Sinha claims that this should be viewed from the perspective of an academician and that one cannot and should not remove parts from the curriculum just because they do not align with their ideologies.

“Even if one wants to criticise the theory, it should be taught to students first. The VC has now constituted a committee where this will be revisited. It was suggested that we teach other models as well, which we are already doing” states Monami Sinha.

Yogesh Singh, the Vice-Chancellor of DU, also spoke during the discussion and clarified the situation. He claims that the University should be a platform that provides students with a variety of options and that they are in the process of incorporating other US and European models to broaden the base. He notes that the Core papers contain features of Karl Marx that are already being taught and that there are no changes to that. The goal was to provide students with more options through elective papers.

The committee has previously approved elective papers on Karl Marx and is attempting to introduce new models for students that would include Ambedkar and Gandhi’s economic ideas.

It appears from these statements that the University aims to extend the learning matter for students and that their preferences will be prioritised.

These curriculum changes made for the four-year degrees under the New Education Policy have been strongly discussed among academic circles in recent days. VD Savarkar’s ideals will be taught before Gandhi’s in Semester V, while Gandhi’s will be taught in Semester VII. This would imply that students pursuing a three-year degree curriculum would be unable to study Gandhi.

According to a recent declaration from the VC, this approach has been reversed, implying that the paper on Gandhi will be taught in the fourth semester, followed by Ambedkar and Savarkar in the next two.

With these recent developments, professors and students have continued to express their ideas and concerns about the overall shift and how it may effect students’ learning.

Image credits: Mint, Google images

Priya Agrawal

[email protected]

Gandhi Replaced with Savarkar in BA Syllabus; Row Erupts in DU

By DU Beat May 29, 2023

Currently preparing the syllabi for four-year programmes for several subjects under the National Education Policy, Delhi University has replaced a paper on Mahatma Gandhi in semester V of BA (Hons) Political Science with one on Hindutva ideologue, VD Savarkar leading to a lot of discontent among academic circles.

The National Education Policy introduced the concept of a four-year degree course of eight semesters following which, the University is now currently devising a formal syllabus for all subjects. What caused great discontent among the academic circle, was the replacement of Gandhi with Savarkar in the BA Political Science (Hons) curriculum. The ideologies of VD Savarkar will now be taught in semester V while Mahatma Gandhi has been shifted to semester VII, allege several DU teachers, adding that this would mean students opting for a three-year graduation course instead of a four-year programme will not study Gandhi.

The motion in this regard was passed at the Academic Council meeting on Friday, May 26, inviting heavy dissatisfaction among a section of teachers, who deemed it as a ‘saffronisation’ of education and an ‘attempt to compare Gandhi and Savarkar’. The final call in this matter will be taken by the Executive Council, the highest decision-making body in DU.

Previously, the curriculum included a paper on Gandhi in semester V and Ambedkar in semester VI. However, the council also decided to introduce Savarkar in the syllabus, under the National Education Policy. Academic Council member, Alok Pandey commented that the proposal to teach Savarkar in semester V at the ‘cost’ of Gandhi was disagreed upon in the standing committee meeting, where it was decided to teach Gandhi in semester V, Savarkar in VI and Ambedkar in VII, as per their age chronology. However, the resolution was brought to the Academic Council meeting despite the disagreement.

Opposing the move, Rajesh Jha, a former Executive Council member said that students should be exposed to Gandhi in initial semesters to develop ‘critical thinking’ as Gandhian ideas are ‘inclusive’ and ‘reflect the collective consciousness of our freedom struggle’. He also adds that Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy ‘stands for good politics as well as good individuals’ and hence, teaching Gandhi before Savarkar would have prepared students to understand the latter’s thought in a ‘broader and more balanced perspective.’

As per the PTI review, ‘Understanding Gandhi’ was previously a paper in semester V which aimed to acquaint students with the social and political thoughts of the Mahatma. The course objective mentions that the themes in Gandhian thought that are chosen for close reading are ‘particularly relevant to our times.’

While all these issues have been burning, the Vice Chancellor, Yogesh Singh refused several PTI calls to comment on the matter.

Several such major shifts have been observed in the syllabus of other courses as well, as the University gradually revamps its educational curriculum according to the National Education Policy, leading to growing discontent among teachers and students alike.

Featured Image Credits: DU Updates (Google Images)

Priyanka Mukherjee

St. Stephen’s College at War Again With DU; HC Defers St. Stephen’s Plea over Minority Admissions

By DU Beat May 29, 2023

St. Stephen’s College and the University are battling again on the prospectus of admission procedure for minority students. The Delhi High Court deferred St. Stephen’s plea against the university’s notification for securing admissions solely based on CUET scores, including minority students.

On 24 May 2023, the Delhi High Court deferred St. Stephen’s College and Jesus and Mary College’s (JMC) plea insisting against Delhi University’s (DU) notification to conduct the admissions solely based on the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) test scores. The petition has been deferred to 23 August 2023, with the university’s Vice-Chancellor, Yogesh Singh stating that the admission process will go forward based on the notification issued by the University with the CUET being the sole criteria for admissions.

They can go ahead with the admission, but the university will not recognise the admission

-the Vice Chancellor said while asked about the admission prospectus of St. Stephen’s where 50% of the seats are guaranteed for minority students based on an 85% weightage to CUET and a 15% weightage to the interviews.

The bench headed by Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma was also listed for hearing on the same date when JMC filed for a similar petition. A woman named Sharon Ann George also filed a petition against the conduction of interviews for minority students for admission in addition to the interviews.

All three matters we cannot touch. There is an SLP (special leave petition). We will not touch it. The matter is pending before the apex court

-commented the bench, also comprising Justice Subramonium Prasad.

The court stated that the parties can approach the top court to redress their grievances.

It has been brought to the notice of the court that against the judgement (in cases about admission to St Stephen’s College), an SLP has been filed in the apex court. In light of the SLP, hearing of cases is deferred

-stated the court.

In the academic year of 2022-23, the university and St. Stephen’s were involved in a legal case where St. Stephen’s insisted on conducting interviews of 15% weightage for all students rather than only the minority students. However, the university permitted them to only conduct interviews for 50% of the minority students.

The high court ruled in favour of the university and issued a fresh admission prospectus instructing the colleges to admit students based on 100% CUET scores. St. Stephen’s filed a separate appeal before the Supreme Court contending that as a minority educational institution, its right to conduct the admission process can not be disrupted in any way.

The impugned decision of the University denying the petitioner College its right to conduct interviews for admission to undergraduate courses in the minority category is contrary to the judgment of this Hon’ble Court dt. 12.09.2022 in W.P. (C) No. 8814/2022 in St. Stephen’s College Vs University of Delhi which recognized the Petitioner’s right to select students of minority category by conducting interviews–the petition stated.

The petition was subsequently rejected. The apex court also directed all colleges to secure admissions for the general category based on CUET scores only. The college later conducted interviews carrying a weightage of 15% only for Christian students.

For the academic year 2023-24, the admissions will be secured solely based on CUET scores. Owing to this, the university stated that one college out of the 62 colleges can not conduct a separate admission process and a uniform procedure needs to be implemented across all colleges and student categories.

For Christian minority candidates, the college will adopt the marks secured in the CUET with 85% weightage and the college’s interview for shortlisted candidates with a weightage of 15%. This is as per and by the judgement of the division bench of the Hon’ble Delhi High Court dated 12.09.2022. The Christian minority applicant must register on St. Stephen’s College’s admissions portal as and when the registration form is ready

-stated the prospectus issued by St. Stephen’s for the conduction of the academic year 2023-24 admissions.

For the general category candidates, admission will be solely based on CUET scores. JMC is yet to take a stance on how it will proceed with the admission process.

Image Credits: Hindustan Times

Sri Sidhvi Dindi

DU passes motion to drop chapter on “Saare Jahan Se Achha” poet Muhammad Iqbal

By DU Beat May 29, 2023

In a recent move, Delhi University’s Academic Council has decided to scrap a chapter on Mohd. Iqbal, who is often assumed to initiate the idea of Pakistan. Simultaneously, the University has approved the setting up the new Partition, Hindu, and Tribal study centres.

On May 26, Delhi University’s Academic Council (AC) approved a motion to eliminate a chapter on Pakistan’s national poet -Muhammad Iqbal- writer of the celebrated song “Saare Jahan Se Achha”. The chapter titled ‘Modern India Political Thought’ was part of the political science syllabus for a sixth-semester paper for the Bachelor of Arts (B.A) program. The decision for its removal was taken during the University’s 1014th Academic Council meeting. The proposal, however, will need to receive final approval from DU’s Executive Council (EC), which is expected to meet next on June 9.

A motion was brought regarding a change in the syllabus of political science. As per the motion, there was a chapter on Iqbal that has been removed from the syllabus.

– stated a member of the Academic Council.

Muhammad Iqbal, born in 1877 in undivided India, was considered the brain behind the idea of Pakistan. Often referred to as the honorific Allama, he was a widely recognised Urdu and Persian poet in the Indian subcontinent. According to India Today, Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Yogesh Singh commented that “those who laid the foundation to break India should not be in the syllabus” and emphasised teaching Dr.Bhimrao Ambedkar and others. Reportedly, the House unanimously approved the Vice Chancellor’s proposal.

Among the 11 units part of the syllabus, the one on Iqbal titled ‘Iqbal: Community’, was reviewed by the Press Trust of India (PTI), as reported by the Mint. The course intends to study important themes through individual thinkers, some of which include Rammohan Roy, Pandita Ramabai, Swami Vivekananda, and Mahatma Gandhi.

The course has been designed to give students a glimpse into the richness and diversity within Indian political thought. The thematic exploration of ideas is meant to locate the topical debates on important subjects on a historical trajectory and reflect over the diverse possibilities exhibited in the writings of the respective thinkers.

– the syllabus mentions.

According to sources, DU registrar Vikas Gupta mentioned that the proposals for establishing various new centres were also approved in the council meeting on Friday.

Proposals on setting up of centers for Partition, Hindu, and Tribal Studies have been passed. Mohd Iqbal has been dropped from the syllabus

– DU registrar Vikas Gupta

However, 5 members of the Council, claiming the ideas as “divisive”, opposed the proposal for Partition Studies. They stated that such a discussion would only “provide an opportunity for venomous communal speeches,”.

The proposal for the center is meant to be divisive. Its objective states that the center will study past invasions, suffering, and slavery over 1300 years. It is offensive, communally divisive, and intellectually coherent

– asserted a statement signed by 5 members of the AC, according to the Hindustan Times

The Delhi unit of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) issued a statement welcoming the decision to scrap Iqbal – a “fanatic theological scholar” – from the syllabus.

Mohd Iqbal is called ‘the philosophical father of Pakistan’. He was the key player in establishing Jinnah as a leader in Muslim League. Mohd. Iqbal is as responsible for India’s Partition as Mohammad Ali Jinnah is.

– a statement issued by ABVP on the matter.

The recommendations for the fourth, fifth, and sixth semesters of various courses under the Undergraduate Curriculum Framework (UGCF) 2022 were also passed during the meeting. Additionally, the University held deliberations on its decision to adopt the four-year Integrated Teacher Education Programme (ITEP) from the 2023-24 session.

Featured Image Credits: World Bulletin

Manvi Goel

DTF Holds Press Conference to Discuss DU’s Proposal of Implementing ITEP

By DU Beat May 25, 2023

The Democratic Teachers’ Front comes forward with criticism and highlights hasty decision-making with regard to the implementation of Integrated Teacher Education Programme by the DU Academic Council.

A press conference was organised on 24^th May 2023 at the Press Club by the Democratic Teachers’ Front to highlight concerns and discuss the impact of Integrated Teacher Education Programme (ITEP) by the varsity. This conference comes ahead of the Delhi University Academic Council’s meeting to be held on Friday, 26^th May 2023 regarding the implementation of ITEP.

ITEP is a flagship four-year “dual-major holistic undergraduate degree” of the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) under NEP 2020. ITEP will be replacing DU’s Bachelor of Elementary Education (B.El.Ed) programme which was introduced in 1994. Currently, only eight colleges offer this programme which is unique to the varsity – Shyama Prasad Mukherji College for Women, Jesus and Mary College, Mata Sundari College, Aditi Mahavidyalaya, Gargi College, Miranda House, Institute of Home Economics, and Lady Shri Ram College for Women. Out of these, the former three institutions have been granted permission by NCTE to offer ITEP in the upcoming 2023-24 academic year. Admissions to the same will be done through an entrance exam conducted by NTA instead of the Common University Entrance Test (CUET).

The design of the ITEP is based on the design of teacher preparation stated in the NEP 2020. It combines rigorous educational understanding, disciplinary depth and a strong focus on school practice while taking into account existing ground realities.

Reads the Agenda for the Academic Council’s meeting.

This proposal has met scathing criticism from educators who question the legitimacy, lack of syllabus and hasty decision making behind the programme. Key addressors at the press conference included Prof. Poonam Batra (former Faculty member, CIE, DU), Prof Anita Rampal (former Dean Faculty of Education, CIE, DU) and faculties from the eight colleges currently offering B.El.Ed.

The ITEP differs from the existing programme in two key areas – minimum Faculty qualification and programme structure. Teacher groups have alleged that the B.El.Ed is ‘internationally-recognised’ and ‘has successfully trained close to 10,000 teachers’. The ITEP curriculum on the other hand will follow three years of general education followed by one year of rigorous professional training. Educators have also come forward with criticism about the declining qualification standards for teaching the new programme.

This dilution of faculty qualification and a standardised homogenised curriculum indicates a deep dilution of the standards required to prepare school teachers. A common curriculum to educate teachers across diverse cultures, communities and languages of India will not prepare them to teach in diverse classrooms and hence will make them ineffective.

– Dr. S.Ram, a teacher at Jesus and Mary College, University of Delhi.

Questions have also been raised on the impact of this programme on the ongoing ad-hoc crisis and other temporary faculty in the varsity. With strict NCTE norms about the curriculum and exit options, the University’s autonomy about such decisions also comes under fire.

Closing down a well reputed programme such as the BElEd is not only illegal, it is also, academically and professionally irrational. The University should come clear on why it is coercing colleges to replace the BElEd with ITEP?

– reads the Official Press Release of DTF dated 24^th May 2023.

Several independent educators and other teacher groups, both within Delhi University and outside have come forward with their disapproval of the programme.

By comparison with the B.El.Ed. program at Delhi University, ITEP thus represents a significant dumbing down. It reflects a conception of the teacher as a mere conduit for delivering pre-approved subject content, rather than as a socially responsible and autonomous professional capable of interpreting and adapting the curriculum and inspiring her pupils.

– a letter addressed to DU Vice Chancellor, Prof. Yogesh Singh by Edward Vickers, UNESCO chair professor on Education for Peace, Social Justice and Global Citizenship, Kyushu University, Japan dated 25^th May 2023.

Featured Image Credits – DTF

Bhavya Nayak

[email protected]

Features

The Good, Bad, and the NEP: A Far Dream?

By Ankita Baidya January 7, 2022

NEP 2020 is envisioned towards creating an inclusive education to all by bridging the abiding spaces in the society. Yet, it seems to just be a façade of progression. The policy is ought to introduce the much needed practicality into the mainstream education but what is the correct way to go about it? Is it going to be an actual consideration of voices of all the stakeholders or will it be a theoretical approach to a ‘practical solution’?

The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has a vision towards transforming the Indian education system into a global knowledge superpower. It lays down the veracious purpose of the education system, to develop virtuous human beings having rational and critical ability, empathy and solicitude, creativity and the power to go beyond but what is the cost to implement this? Will this be uniform for each child living under the same sky or a question of ‘subjectivity’ would arise?

NEP address to the practical knowledge and skills like carpentry etc but see now the things is that our government schools do not even have quality teachers how can you equip them all in such a small time frame, so first government should be focusing on ground development rather than looking on to the entire nations prosperity.

-Malvika Choudhary, Delhi School of Journalism

The irony of this policy is such that it is a step towards changing the theoretical approach into practicality but the policy itself sounds too theoretical than pragmatic. While observing the NEP 2021, inclusivity is a major factor of the entire policy. Yet, there are provisions that might look like encompassing all the sections of the society. However, in the actuality of this realm, it is only pushing the way towards widening the gaps of disparity. It is as if a kid falls down, gets hurt on the knee and starts wailing; rather than using a bandage to heal the wound, they are being given licorice in pursuit of ceasing the tears. The question is not about if these provisions are good or bad but about the “tomorrow” that the nation is trying to build.

The problem in NEP is that it scarcely mentions of affirmative action in the form of reservation for the socially oppressed anywhere in the document moreover it also talks about financial autonomy for the government which will lead to rise in fees and so more exclusion of the students.

-Aman, Ramjas College, member of Students’ Federation of India (SFI)

The NEP emphasizes on the sitch of inclusivity and universal education. However, granting the status of autonomy is only going to widen the gaps. Autonomous colleges and universities can introduce independent rules and regulations and curtail the transparent admission processes which guarantee the seats to the marginalised sections. Further, they can enjoy the liberty of introducing expensive self-financed courses. This step does not speak inclusion, instead, is screaming omission.

The National Education Policy (NEP), 2020 is a policy aimed at commercialization, privatization, centralisation and saffronisation of the education system in the country. In the garb of granting ‘autonomy’ to educational institutions, the NEP gives unbridled power to the institutions to implement fee hikes as per their will. It turns education from a responsibility of the state and a social service, into a profit making enterprise. This will further lead to education being inaccessible and a debt trap for the coming generations and the present.

-Prabudh Singh, graduate from Zakir Hussain Evening College, member of SFI

Adding to this, the policy emphasizes on the need to set up a ‘Gender-Inclusion fund’. On the surface it seems to be bringing an end to the unjust practices against the girls and transgender but as a matter of fact what is in it for them? Will it bring solace to the wronged genders or will it welcome even more adversities than it is already present?

This fund will be set- up to provide equitable quality education to the transgender students and girls, especially belonging to the socio-economically disadvantaged groups. However, this step would require the transgender students to come out and identify themselves in the public eye. We are living in a progressive country but not progressive enough to even provide security to this section through penal laws. From a classroom to the roadside tea stall, slurs are normalized against trans people then how are we supposed to believe that a fund is going to solve these deep-rooted problems? Are we supposed to turn a blind eye towards the underlying issues and focus on the surface?

A trans student dressed up as a boy for every single day until he finished his final school examination and secured a seat in a foreign land. It was then that he recognized himself as she/her. It took her nearly twelve to fourteen years to come out in the public eye since she has the sense of security of leaving the country so how are we supposed to accept the fact that by introducing a fund, by providing bicycles, provisions of sanitation and quality education, the long-lived stigma will come to an end? Is this enough to turn the thorns into roses when the country finds it normal to laugh them out?

Certain aspects of the NEP might have long term detrimental effects, after lapsing the short-lived happiness. It is a good decision but not a thoughtful one. The gender inclusivity fund is a good start per say, but at some point these students will be exposed to the vulnerability that our society hides. A system has to be incorporated that would not throw these students under the bus and would provide them from basic needs to quality education.

-Sanya Gupta, a student of Kamala Nehru College

Furthermore, the policy talks about introducing similar inclusion funds for other marginalised sections. These funds are in the talks for their holistic wellbeing in addition to equitable and quality education. These steps look good on paper but are they a promise to a long-term happiness or just a fantasy of seventh heaven? Not to mention, how are we supposed to address the issue of ‘roti, kapda aur makaan’ on the pile of discriminatory laughter and societal stigma. On top of all these, the perplexing situation arises about the source of the funds, given that we live in a country with quite a number of marginalised groups. Even if they are introduced, how is the question of transparency in terms of usage of the funds is going to be answered? These funds seem to be a wolf in a sheep’s skin. From exposing to a greater vulnerability to a possibility of widening the societal gap, this policy needs to be rethought from the perspective of the wronged ones.

The NEP-2020 is set to be implemented completely by 2030. Given that India has the second largest population in the entire world, not only is it a strenuous task but also mapping the various tangibles for over 250 million students, next ten years seem to be quite a less number.

NEP 2020 is very promising in theory, but its implementation is way difficult, especially in a country like India which ranks second in population. Surely, there’s a long way ahead for the Indian education system to grow and develop under the NEP, 2020. There is a need to shift from mugging up facts and figures to encourage creativity and practical experiences.

-A Professor of University of Delhi in conversation with DU Beat

Besides a problematic implementation, it needs to account for all the tangibles that come along with it. The most quintessential stakeholders of this policy, the students, believe that the demerits of the policy might overpower the actual vision which in turn could lead to a massive failure if not addressed. Nevertheless, this policy might be the much needed change to one the largest education systems of the world but which lines are we ready to blur in order to achieve the top rank?

Featured Image Credits: itstimetomeditate.org

Ankita Baidya