GENERAL COMMENTS
 

Dr. Pradip N. Khandwalla, L&T Professor of Organisational Behaviour, Indian Institute of Management, Vestrapur, Ahmedabad: 380056 (19th September, 1990)

- We must work on the motivation and ability of our teachers. For example, develop supplementary teaching materials for each subject taught and mail it to them free of charge; develop a correspondence course for teachers to acquire higher qualifications so that they can take on higher responsibilities; provide funds for study leave, travel for educational purpose, research etc.; form in each school a teachers' council which would take all academic decisions; provide financial incentives for extra-curricular, non-formal teaching/training, etc.

- Mount a really major effort for TV based education, something on the lines of a national open school, where village based children can pick up the basics of usable knowledge, such as related to village handicrafts, agriculture operations, availing of government facilities, citizenship skills, civic sense, etc.

- Work hard on children's ability to learn, their motivation to learn, and their creativity and innovative spirit.

- Set up district educational councils that are run by elected members of the teaching community, with representation from panchayats, voluntary organisations, district collectorate, etc. All the funds relating to primary and secondary education should be turned over to these councils. I do not think turning education

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over to panchayat institutions is going to work because these have got highly politicised and seem to operate on a spoils system.

Dr. V.R.P. Sinha, Director, Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Seven Bunglows, Versova, Bombay-400061 (20th September, 1990)

- The 10 + 2 + 3 structure is good as a common base and should be continued.,

Prof. B. Ganguly, Head, Department of Education in Science & Mathematics and Dean (Academic), NCERT, Sri Aurobindo Marg, New Delhi- 110016 (24th September, 1990)

- The Review committee has not made any departure from the beaten track which is characterised by the well known sequence of political change renewed concern over education - Review Committee - poor implementation.

- The Review Committee has taken into consideration two documents Challenge of Education (1985) and Policy Paper of 1986. There is little evidence that a third document: Programme of Action (POA), 1986 has also been closely examined. In fact, even a cursory look at POA would have shown that in spite of our best desire why no improvement has taken place in our country.

- In the entire discussion paper, most of the paragraphs need further elaboration. Otherwise, each and every individual or group of individuals will interpret them in their own ways. And obviously all of them will not be right in their interpretation.

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- Before making any fresh recommendations, it is necessary to Identify why was it not possible to implement the earlier recommendations.

- Those who are responsible for planning, development and implementation of educational programmes are yet to prove that they are really working for the improvement of education per se. If three actions, namely, democratisation, qualitative improvement and total planning for all levels (literacy to higher education), are taken up simultaneously, then only our education can be meaningful. The present discussion paper does not show any hopeful sign towards that direction.

- It is necessary to note that India is not the only country which is having educational problems. In fact not a single country of the world including USA, USSR, etc. have been able to evolve a satisfactory educational system. In the last two years, radical changes have been made in the school education of USA, UK, USSR and Japan.

- The 'Asset' or 'Resource' are concrete terms and would be possible to attain. If it becomes possible to improve human beings as asset or resource, it would take care of all aspects. Otherwise aim towards abstract attainment will lead us no where.

- What is required today is the value judgement. In order to attain this, only change in the content of the textbook only will not suffice. Education must be free from authoritative teaching. It

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must encourage them to thinking and questioning, which are the only two tools of learning. Without these tools, learning will never be possible and attainment of values will remain far off.

- It is better that academics concentrate on academic matters and show concern about the society. At present the majority of them are not doing that.

- Only "Right to Work" is not enough. One should attempt for "Right to Work with dignity". In our country, most of the people do not have any work. Some professions are considered more respectable than others. In a village or a city, a bad lawyer or a poor doctor of a locality will be invited in the school or college functions, but skillful farmers, cobblers and carpenters will never be asked to enter.

- The para on Empowering People for work is full of contradictions. It is hoped that members will give some more details about their thinking. The 10 years general education is recommended after considering the physical and mental growth of the child. Mere lack of resources should not get priority over the pragmatic reasons.

Prof. K.M. Bahauddin, Ashyana, Vennala P.O., Cochin-682025, letter dated 25.9.1990.

- The defect is not in the Policy presentations, but in the implementation. The 'input' 'output' model being followed by the country has failed. An example is the Adult Education Centres. Instead of input-output model, a target-based implementation strategy and area-approach is required. Lessons are not being learnt from the achievements of Kerala and Lakshadweep in the

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education field. Instead we are borrowing educational indicators from outside. In kerala as well as Lakshadweep, efforts for social changes preceded demand for education. If UEE is to be achieved, a component to initiate social changes should also be associated with it.

Dr. Ramjee Singh, Professor & Head, Department of Gandhian Thought, Bhagalpur University, Bhagalpur-812007 - letter dated 29.9.90

- Among the Indian educationists, alongwith Tagore and Gandhi, Shri Aurobindo, Shri Krishna Murthy and Syed Ahmed Khan also should be remembered.

- It is almost impossible to evolve a system of education for work and employment without effecting radical changes in the economic policy of the Government. We have witnessed the fate of WE/SUPW and even courses on Basic Education in the past. Out managers, teachers and students do not have faith in the dignity of labour. Hence, nothing short of a cultural revolution and ruthless demolition of desk-dominance can establish effective linkages between the 'World of School and the World of Work'.

- The Committee's demand of 6% of GNP on education can hardly solve the problem of illiteracy. Educational bureaucracy alone cannot remove illiteracy. Hence the committee feels the need of a "People's movement". But is has not as yet spelled out the dynamics of such a movement.

- Universal Literacy can be achieved in four months by involving teachers and the students of the universities for literacy work.

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The loss of four months' study can be made up by having classes on holidays and Sundays in the rest of the year. The personnel, who could be called 'education army', be given one week's training and honorarium, but no salary.

Shri Malcolm S. Adiseshiah, Chairman, Madras Institute of Development Studies, 79, 2nd Main Road, Gandhi Nagar, Adyar, Madras-600020 (20th September, 1990)

- Considerable financial wastage is taking place under the existing financial allocations in the educational system. A financial audit like the one carried out by the Tamil Nadu Financial Review Committee in 1976, may be undertaken every five years by every unit of the system as well as by each State to identify the financial wastage and redeploy it on the priorities of the system.

- The inclusion of education in the Concurrent List was an anti- education action taken during the emergency. Similarly the concept of 'national core curriculum' is a denial of the 1:1 relationship on which all education is based.

- The section on basic moral values ignores two important variables. As long as we have an unjust, inequitable, and exploitative society, education will mirror this society. Second there is the "hidden curriculum" which is life example of the teacher and the parent, which sets the tone to the learning of basic moral values by the student.

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Shri Siddharam Swami, S.S. Kottalagi Building, Gnyanayogashram Road, Bijapur-586101 (15th September, 1990)

- The problem with education is one of implementation and not in policy making. The Kothari Commission Report be implemented faithfully instead of wasting time in policy drafting. Education should be compulsorily character-building. Students should devote at least three hours daily for social work. The Perspective Paper should have mentioned about Acharya Vinoba Bhave, Aurobindo Ghosh, Swami Vivekananda, Ramana Maharshi etc.

Shri A. Machwe, Wiley Eastern Ltd., Publishers, 4835/24, Ansari Road, Daryaganj, New Delhi-110002 (24th September, 1990)

- The Proposals put forward in the Policy paper will never be implemented through the existing agencies. Besides will and perserverence at the highest level, what is required is a team of highly motivated workers who will put in sustained effort without cynicism or despair. Implementation of the Policy could be handed over to a dedicated task force which could be selected from within the existing infrastructure.

- Preparation of reading material, educational aids and other learning kits must be given due importance. The State is incapable of producing the material that will be needed. Simultaneously, the Government will have to bring in curbs on unrestricted import of remainders into India and make available low cost paper so that Indian scholarship can find a platform for free expression. A committee could be created for evolving policy guidelines on creation of materials.

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Dr. C.M. Bhatia, Ex-Vice-Chancellor, University of Allahabad, 8, Vijay Nagar Colony, Agra-282004 (25th September, 1990)

- The immense problem of growing illiteracy among the upcoming youth has not been tackled. Its solution is dependent upon effective primary education which caters to the 30 crores people below the poverty-line and is linked up with a total Indian development.

- Creative training has been given no place. It is not value education. It is the development of devotion to duty and discipline epitomised by a strong will.

Shri Ishwar Dayal, Professor Emeritus & Head of Research, Management Development Institute, Post Box. No. 60, Mehrauli Road, Gurgaon- 122001 (21st September, 1990)

- I think non-formalising the School System, emphasis on common school system, reforms in examination, language, removing regional disparities etc. are appropriate areas of concern.

Prof. K.L. Chopra, Director, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur-721302 (1st October, 1990)

- The concepts propounded in the Paper are notable but the main issue is that of implementation. It is the lack of financial resources, political willpower and flexible and effective management which has not allowed the series of reports of committees and commissions on the subject to see the light of the day.

- The implementation of the policy would require massive financial inputs for setting infrastructure and for training of an army of a new breed of teachers who can appreciate and implement the document. A massive, national, autonomous, secular and apolitical organisation/corporation is required for the purpose.

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- The document has not dealt with a very serious matter of politics in, and politicization of education, and trade unions in schools. Let us learn from the experience of West Bengal. The Chief Minister of West Bengal has now proposed political activity among students in schools.

- National integration on emotional plane being a very fundamental role of the new education policy, lateral movements of teachers and taught should be encouraged. Clearly, a link language must be mandatory requirement. And, the "Neighbourhood School" concept mist be enforced. Further, universalisation of education should automatically imply common standards/principles for the educational system in the whole country. Management of this system could still be localized but it must adhere to nationally agreed politics.

Dr. U.C. Upadhyay, Vice-Chancellor, Narendra Deva University of Agriculture & Technology, Faizabad-224229, Letter dated 20.9.90

- In the field of education focus should be on providing equity and bringing quality and relevance in education. It may be necessary to provide enough opportunity and resources to weaker institutions to come up nearer to those institutions which are well established.

- Regarding maintenance of quality of education, it would be necessary to re-orient our education system on need base. In doing so, probably we may have to think about vocationalisation in all the types of education so that middle level technicians are produced to be employed by the different agencies and also such students getting self-employed.

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Dr. N.N. Goswami, Dean & Joint Director (Education), Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi-110012 (Letter dated 26th September, 1990)

- The perspective paper has emphasised School Education, but equal emphasis should be given to higher job-oriented education. Education is linked to larger socioeconomic cultural issues, which must be taken into account to plan any meaningful education. Priority areas also need to be identified. Norms for determining manpower requirement have to be developed so that need/employment based education can be planned. The reasons for failures (or shortcomings) of the earlier programmes should also be analysed and critically discussed so that 'mistakes' of the past can be avoided.

- In planning education the close inter-action/coupling between science, technology and productivity must be taken into account. They should be integrated with the developmental process.

Prof. G.S. Mudambadithaya, Senior Assistant Director, Department of Pre-University Education, Technology Education Buildings, Bangalore - Letter dated 1.10.90

- Imparting value based education is under played in the paper. Teaching of literature has not been mentioned at all.

- Although the Committee has recommended people's participation in the management of education, it has not been able to resolve the dilemma as to what should be the nature of organisation for management of the educational institutions. We suggest that a committee be formed with members from all institutions under a particular educational complex including the university that may be associated with the complex and suggest concrete means so that the

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real power for management of the complexes can be transferred to the community concerned.

Shri Tarun Kumar Raha, General Secretary, Calcutta University Teachers' Association, Calcutta, Letter dated (1.10.90)

- A Committee may be constituted to suggest how the different levels of teaching from elementary to the University level be coherently connected, what should be the course curriculum at different levels keeping in mind the regional requirements and the need for identification of talent, how the language formula can be implemented and how the universalisation of education can be achieved without sacrificing quality.

- Instead of delinking of degrees from jobs, a reverse approach will be in keeping with the spirit of the review paper. Agencies will inform the educational institutions their needs so far as the job is concerned. The institutes will suggest the type of personnel (that is students with a certain combination of modular courses) they need. If a particular user feels that special training programmes are needed for the required job, it will ask the educational institute to introduce such training programmes.

Dr. H.S. Srivastava, Prof. and Head, NCERT, New Delhi, Letter dated 25th September, 1990

- Some of the measures that could be considered for delinking degrees and jobs are the following:

(a) Abolition of declaration of students' as 'pass' or 'fail'.

(b) Abolition of the declaration of results in terms of divisions based on aggregates.

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(c) Declaration of subject-wise results of students in terms of grades rather than marks.

(d) Opportunity to students to clear examinations in parts.

(e) Opportunity to students to improve upon their grades through subsequent attempts.

Prof. J.S. Rajput, Joint Educational Adviser, Ministry of HRD, New Delhi, Letter dated 4.10.90

- It is not clear how the so-called dichotomies referred to in Chapter VI "inhibit attempts at radically overhauling the system". Dichotomies like academic and vocational, technical and non-technical, etc. are inherent in any system of education which has to cater to a wide variety of target groups.

Dr. Viswanatham Kanithi, M.P. (LS), 39, North Avenue, New Delhi Letter dated 12th September, 1990.

- In order to improve educational standards and to bring in equity, either the Government may run residential schools for all upto 10th class failing which 12-hour day-schools or government may aid schools maintaining the prescribed standards.

- After the 10th class, students may be selected for the following courses depending on their grades and aptitudes:

(a) Self-employment course.

(b) Apprenticeship for selected career.

(c) Plus courses.

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- After the 12th class an all India test be conducted to select candidates for various professional courses, which should not be of a duration less than five years.

Dr. (MS.) L.S. Saraswathi, 118, Usman Road, Madras - Letter dated (26th September, 1990)

- Educational research or the research related to learning and teaching should be examined carefully. The present position of over- emphasis on identifying and exaggerating defiencies in the tradition and culture that is Indian should give way to a position of emphasizing identification of assets of the tradition and culture and finding ways of integration of these in the teaching/learning process in the system. Studies on the teaching and learning processes in oral culture-especially in the process of socialisation could help to lay the foundation.