TOWARDS RESTRUCTURING INDIAN EDUCATION CITIZENS' PERCEPTION, VOLUME-III.

 INTRODUCTION

The Prime Minister's desire to restructure education has generated an unprecedented interest among the people and they are largely looking forward to the New Education Policy Which fulfils their aspiration. The task of evolving a, new policy on education has thrown a big challenge to the Ministry of human Resource Development. The document "Challenge of Education - A Policy Perspective", containing a critical appraisal of the performance of the education system in India is being debated upon in every corner of the country.

Ever since the Prime, Minister's pronouncement all sections of people have been sending their suggestions on the New Education Policy. The previous two volumes of "Citizen's Perception" have highlighted the peoples' expectations and suggestions regarding the New Education Policy. however, there is a difference in the nature of communications analysed in the earlier two volumes and in the set of communication analysed in this volume. Earlier communications reflected mainly the people's assessment of the present education system and the directions in which changes are required based on their own perspectives. However, the Communications under study have also been influenced by the document "Challenge of Education". Thus, besides offering their suggestions about restructuring the education system, in this set of communications, one also comes across critical references to the issues raised by the policy document. This is what makes this set of communications more significant than the earlier ones.

True, the success of good policy depends on the extent to which it satisfies the people's aspirations. This is even more so in the field of education because education is not only a significant attribute of human development but is also a dominant factor in shaping the process of development. `Viewed in this context, it becomes obligatory on the part of the Government to get a feedback from the people while evolving new policy directives.

As against the generally held view that it is only students and teachers who are concerned with educational reforms, a wider spectrum of people have reacted on present education system. This volume of "Citizen's Perception" is significant because it not only provides a feedback on the thinking contained in "Challenge of Education" but

also reflects the people's views about the on-going debate on New Education Policy in the country.

Like the earlier two volumes of "Citizens' Perception", this volume which is third in the series, is based on letters which were received by this Institute from the Ministry of Human Resource Development between November and Mid-December, 1985. Altogether 539, letters/communications have been taken up for analysis in this volume.

Since this set of communications, to a large extent, have been based on "Challenge of Education", this volume is riot only more comprehensive but is sharper in its focus. It is expected that it would provide a wider perspective than was possible to discern in the case of previous two volumes. Therefore, this volume has two objectives; firstly, to see the continuity or diversion of the views and suggestions of the correspondents in relation to what was found earlier and secondly, to go beyond the earlier analyses in terms of more themes especially in the light of the issues raised in the "Challenge" document and thereby enhance the relevance of this volume.

Research Design

The present analysis as mentioned earlier, is based on an analysis of 539 individual letters received by this Institute during the period November to Mid-December, 1985 from Ministry of human Resource Development. In order to derive a greater insight and present a better structure of analysis, the communications have been scrutinised along two dimensions, viz., (i) background of the respondents who have evinced interest in the process of restructuring education; and (ii) issues in education which are of great concern to the people. The background of the people refers to the State to which they belong as well as their occupational status. however, in view of greater refinement and pointedness, the background has been analysed not only along these two parameters separately but also on a comparative basis in order to see which group and from which regions is more concerned about education. Further, for the purpose of comparability with the previous volumes of "Citizens' Perception", the same structure of classification in respect of background of the respondents has also been retained in this analysis. The different groups of respondents have been categorised into following: (1) School Teachers, (2) College Teachers, (3) Educational Administrators, (4) Students, (5) Politicians, (6) Professionals outside Education, (7) Administrators outside Education, (8) Eminent persons, (9) Journalists, (10) businessmen, and (11) Others.

The issues in education with which people are concerned were classified under ten categories in the first volume of "Citizens' Perception". However, in subsequent analysis (Volume II) two more themes were added, viz., "Access to Higher Education" and "Vocationalisation of Education". However, in this case, three more themes have been added. These are "Discipline and Politics". "Infrastructure facilities" and "Adult and Non-formal Education". The major concern in the theme of `Discipline and Politics' is to show the multifarious ways and means in which indiscipline and politics affect the educational system. Teachers and student politics, unionism, strikes, private tuitions,outside political interference, etc., fall under its purview. The role of politics in hampering the teaching- learning process, has been particularly taken note of under this theme. Availability of infrastructure facilities is a pre-requisite for qualitative improvement of education. However, the lack of basic minimum infrastructure is the general scene. All such issues have been comprehended under theme of infrastructural facilities. The primary concern in the theme Non-formal and Adult Education, is one of vitalising them for achieving their objectives. In this way, the themes under which all the issues have been comprehended are: (i) Goals of Education, (ii) Structure of Education, (iii) Content and Curriculum, (iv) Language, (v) Evaluation and Examination, (vi) Planning and Management, (vii) Finance, (viii) Teachers, (ix) Social Justice, (x) Delinking Degrees from Jobs, (xi) Access to Higher Education, (xii) Vocationalisation, (xiii) Discipline and Politics, (xiv) Infrastructure Facilities.

A word of caution is necessary on the theme of Planning and Management. It is a broad category which cuts across almost all the themes be it content and curriculum, language or evaluation, or teachers. Issues like nationalisation of education, educational authorities and their jurisdiction, autonomy to institutions, administrative structures, etc., fall under its purview.

The analysis has been attempted in two sections:

a) Quantitative analysis of responses;

b) Qualitative analysis of various themes;

As far as quantitative analysis is concerned, an attempt has been made to analyse distribution of respondents from different states as well from different occupational categories. Responses of various groups in different states too have been analysed. The areas of major

concern have been analysed in regard to (i) the major themes and (ii) the level of education to which the responses realte.

Section II presents a qualitative analysis of responses on various themes. Making use of variations from the individuals' writing, it highlights the areas of major concern which need to be looked into while evolving a new policy.