GENERAL COMMENTS
 

University of Calcutta, Calcutta (Seminar held on 19th and 20th September, 1990)

- The Review Committee should clearly identify the elitist aberrations and suggest ways to remove them. The policy on education should aim at the building up of a truly secular, democratic and scientific society.

- A few sweeping remarks like - "Educational institutions are infested with communalism and casteism etc." and also "Books are unreadable and examinations totally unreliable" should be deleted.

- A strong social reform movement backed by economic restructuring and betterment of their position in society is a precondition to ensure education for women, scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and other backward communities.

Dr. N.R. Madhava Menon, Director, National Law School of India University, Central College Campus, Bangalore-560001 (Colloquium at Bangalore on 3rd November, 1990)

- The new policy on Education should give specific attention to teaching secularism and to projecting history in a secular context.

- Education should form part of the totality of social planning in which a family should be given due attention.

Shri R.N. Madhale, Principal, New English School & Junior College, Mahimangad, Tal. Man Distt. Satara, Maharashtra (9.11.1990)

- To encourage girls' education, child care centres (cradle houses) should be established with every primary school. This will enable girls to attend the schools apart from giving them valuable experience in nurturing children.

Dr. M.A. Abdulla, General Secretary, Kerala State Association of Muslim Institutions, Calicut and President, The Muslim Educational Society, (17th November, 1990)

- The Perspective paper has ignored the problem of education of backward minorities specifically Muslims. Although the Programme of Action, 1986 had made various suggestions for the educational upliftment of minorities, these programmes have not been implemented. The Committee should look into this aspect and suggest remedial measures like making mandatory provisions for implementation of the programmes by the State Governments. Bridge courses should be conducted for backward minority children to enable them to join higher educational institutions. The procedures for sanction and recognition of schools and colleges for minorities should be simplified.

- Admission of backward and minority community children in Navodaya Vidyalayas should be ensured. Special measures should be introduced to maintain a high standard of education in the minority run institutions.

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Shri Amrik Singh, Article in the 'Hindustan Times', New Delhi dated 3rd October., 1990

- The kind of educational system that has grown up over the years is designed to help the model of development which was being followed. The problem of the Review committee is that its model of development is different from the one accepted by the rest of the society. In consequence, though the educational model that they recommend is based on sound principles of justice and equity internally consistent and development oriented, it conflicts with the model of development which is already being followed. And hence it will not be implemented.

Shri B.M. Bhatia, Article in the 'Hindustan Times', New Delhi dated 10th October, 1990

- Although the Committee has suggested various reforms, there will be resistance to the implementation of these recommendations. The elite has developed vested interests for perpetuating the Macaulay system. They are going to create problem in the implementation of the reforms suggested. The educational system itself, particularly at the university level, will oppose any change.

The 'Deepika' (Malayalam Daily), Kottayam, dated 13th September, 1990 (Editorial)

- Urgent measures should be taken to provide better education facilities to the backward sections of the society.

Smt. Nirupama Mishra, Article in the 'Orissa Times' (daily) dated 4th November, 1990

- It is too early to review NPE 1986.

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Shri Tapan Mishra, Article in 'Samaj' (Oriya Daily), dated 16th October, 1990

- Most of the suggestions made in the Perspective Paper are extremely valuable but in the Indian context are not practicable. The teachers as well as the students in our country are not yet mentally prepared for the changes suggested.

Shri K.N. Ganesh, 'Article in 'Chinthal (Malayalam Weekly) dated 26th October, 1990

- Education is closely linked with development. Hence without a clear cut development policy, the education policy cannot be formulated. The Perspective Paper is silent on linking education with development.

Shri V. Paramasivan, Article in 'The Hindu', New Delhi dated 11th September, 1990

- Experience of other advanced countries and of States like Kerala testifies to the direct link between women's education and reduction in birthrate. And this is the most natural, decent and effective population control programme for any country to adopt. Women will be motivated to educate themselves when they can get gainful employment. Hence the efforts of States like Tamil Nadu to reserve 30 percent of jobs for women should be encouraged. Similar reservations for women in Central Government and private sectors also should be made.

- Though reservation of seats for women in educational institutions is not necessary, there are some admission procedures in higher technological institutions like IITs which have a covert bias

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against women. The syllabus for the entrance examinations of these institutions are set at such a high level that plus two level students aspiring for admission to these institutions have to undergo extra coaching in the evening hours away from their homes. Because of the cultural bias against women being out during these hours they are not able to avail themselves of such extra coaching. It is necessary to do away with such discriminatory admission procedures.

It is necessary to continue the policy of reservation in educational institutions for SC/ST students as at present many State Governments have made reservations for backward classes also in the State-controlled institutions. This has definitely helped in educational advancement of these communities who form 60 per cent of the total population. It is necessary that Central Government institutions also make reservation of seats for backward class students.

In the allocation of subjects in the Central Ministries the subjects of apprenticeship and craftsmen training in industrial training institutes are allocated to the Ministry of Labour. It will be good if these subjects are transferred to the Ministry of Human Resource Development.

Shri T. Rajagopalan, Article in the 'Hindu', Madras dated 12th September, 1990

- The policy on Education should aim at combining Indian sensibility with a modern scientific outlook.

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'The Hindustan Times', New Delhi dated 16th September, 1990 (Editorial)

- The biggest draw back in the education policy has been its inability to establish an optimum relationship between education and other social and economic variables. Although many Commissions have stressed the need for vocationalising secondary education, vocationalisation has progressed in a desultory fashion. Struggle for survival is more urgent for many than educational needs. In view of this greater emphasis should be given on vocational education than on liberal education. Through vocationalisation the pressure on the higher education could also be reduced.

Ms. Usha Rai., Article in 'The Times of India', New Delhi dated 23rd September, 1990

- The Paper acknowledges that literacy is linked with larger socioeconomic, cultural issues but does not spell out how the problem can be resolved.

Prof. Maqbool Ahmad, President, All India Muslim Majlise Musharat, 93 Park Street, Calcutta (21.11.1990)

- Politics should be kept out of educational institutions. Politicians should have nothing to do with education.

Gandhian Institute of Studies, Rajghat, Varanasi (proceedings of One day seminar held on 11th October, 1990)

- Literacy programmes have not succeeded because of socio- economic conditions. Poor parents are not interested in sending their wards to schools; instead they send them for work to earn their livelihood.

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- Education should be linked with development. It should be oriented to the needs of the local society. Development centres should be set up for a cluster of villages where training in agriculture, farming, spinning, weaving etc. could be imparted.

- We must discontinue the western system of education. Our education should be based on Indian tradition and culture

Dr. Gauri Shankar, Gandhian Institute of Studies, Rajghat, Varanasi, (23 November., 1990).

- The western system of education is spreading consumerist culture. Education should aim at a productive culture. The western system of education is also responsible for the disparities in society and in education. Gandhiji's philosophy of basic education should be encouraged in place of the present western system of education.

- Schools should be centres of development.

Dr. Remy Y. Denis, Reader in Mathematics, Gorakhpur University, Gorakhpur-273009

- Special emphasis should be laid on the education of SCs/STs and women as they form a majority of the illiterate population.

Special Correspondent, News Item in the Hindu Daily dated 12th November, 1990

- The Perspective Paper is far too generalised, at times confusing and tends to recycle old ideas.

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