SUMMARY AND CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS
The Prime minister's announcement to review the educational policy to facilitate reconstruction of the education system as a dynamic force of national growth and integration, response from a large section of the Indian their anxiety for a better education system. Articulated with considerable force and concern, two themes pervade the spirit and content of the letters in the most transparent manner. The first relates to the woeful failure of the education system to fulfil the tremendous hopes and aspirations placed on education as a catalyst of development, a cementing factor of the Indian political fabric,m and an of suggestions to invest education with suitable goals and objectives as well as to bring about such radical changes across the stages and aspects in order that it fulfils the hopes and expectations placed on it.
This study is based on an analysis of about 100 communications received by the, Prime Minister's Secretariat and the Ministry of Education and sent to the National institute of Educational Planning and Administration between January and May 1985. Some of these letters were duplicate and very personal. After eliminating all such letters, 824 letters were identified for the purpose of analysis. These contained 737 individual letters and 87 communications received from organisations. The organisations included teachers' associations (14), other educational organisations (25), and non-educational organisations (43). Five communications were in the form of proceedings of seminars and workshops.
The present analysis is limited to the communications received from individuals. Even then the correspondence was volumnious coming from different parts of the country and from a wide occupational
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spectrum. A variety of issues were raised in these letters. To make the task manageable, the entire range of correspondence had been studied in relation to the background of the persons who responded and the issues in the education system with which the people were most concerned.
On the basis of a study of 300 letters, it was found possible to classify the respondents, in nine broad categories, viz., (1) Teachers and Educational Administrators, (2) Students, (3) Politicians, (4) Administrators outside Education, (5) Professionals outside Education, (6) Eminent Persons, (7) Journalists, (8) Businessmen, and (9) Others.
In an effort to comprehend the multifarious issues touched upon by the respondents, it became necessary to conceptualise them into certain broad categories within which most of the responses could be classified. On this basis, ten broad categories of themes -were evolved within which specific issues like Language, Evaluation and Examination, Financing of Education and Teachers as well as the general categories like Goals, Content and Curriculum, Structure, Planning and Management, Social justice and Delinking of Degrees from Jobs could be covered.
Before presenting the summary of major findings, a word of caution would be in order. The responses received did not represent all the states or all the interest groups, there is also some amount of subjectivity involved in the classification of respondents and categorisation of themes. The results of the study should be taken as indicative of people's views on different aspects of education. These car. serve an important basis for further discussion on educational policy and may provide feedback to the policy makers.
The country at large appears to have been inspired by the Prime Minister and subsequently the Education Minister's resolve to remodel the education system. However, if one looks at the regional distribution of the letters, certain regions of the country appear to have been attracted, in a greater measure than others, to express
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their opinion in favour of one or another aspect of education. The largest number of letters were received from Uttar Pradesh followed by Delhi. Altogether, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Maharashtra accounted for nearly half the number of letters. The letters received from the four southern states do not exceed 14 per cent of the total while the States, or Manipur, Meghalaya, and Sikkim and the Union Territories of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Lakshadweep Mizoram sand Pondicherry do not figure in the communications received at, all On a careful examination of the letters received from all parts of India, it is found that the numerical preponderance or negligibility of a particular region did not in any way dilute the intensity or concern of the respondents.
As regards the distribution of responses by groups, about 37 per cent of the responses came from teachers and educational administrators. These were followed by other professionals who accounted for about 10 per cent of the responses. Thirty two per cent of the respondents did not indicate their status.
Understandably, while those directly involved in the education process are numerically more, it is heartening to find students, from elementary and secondary schools, showing their concern and offering suggestions for reforming the educational system. The fact that nearly one out of three responses happens to be from an ordinary India is suggestive of the interest shown in the education system They could be parents or any one in the public.
Themewise, `Content and Curriculum' emerged as the major concern in the communications received, followed by,`Planning and Management' and `Goals of Education'. `Financing of Education' and `Delinking Degrees from Jobs' evoked minimum responses. The themes of `Teachers' and `Structure of Education' also figured in a large number of letters. in terms. of intensity of feelings, measured from qualitative analysis of responses, the two major categories are `Teachers' and `Planning and Management'.
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The order of significance of the issues raised by the people appears to be considerably different from the topical issues that are generally discussed in the forums of educationists. The least that can be said about the pattern of importance evident from the frequency of responses as well as the intensity of conviction in respect of certain issues, is that It presents a unique pattern, which may be called the pattern of people's perceptions.
The distribution of responses by levels or stages of education showed that the highest number of responses are related to Elementary and Secondary Education. higher Education also evoked a large number of responses, while Technical and Adult Education were matters of least concern.
The assessment of the peoples' opinions has been attempted as objectively as possible The dominant trends in the citizens' thinking, which have been analysed in the different sections are abstracted below:
Structure A careful analysis of the letters reveals that there is almost universal agreement in favour of the nationally accepted 10+2+3 structure and the respondents are alive to the problem of existence of multiplicity of structures in different states. In majority of the responses, the demand for uniformity of education system subsumes their demand for uniform structure, as they view that multiplicity of structures cannot provide uniform education.
There are, however, strong, objections, although coming from a fewer number of respondents, to a rigid uniformity of the education structure, in general and the 10+2+3 pattern, in particular. There are also serious misgivings against the haste with which the 10-2-3 pattern has been thrust upon the states, who without adequate preparation are implementing it more in form than in spirit.
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One of the components of the educational structure strongly advocated by many of the respondents relates to a new stage either at the end of the school or college stage. Conceived for a duration of one or two years, the respondents advocate this stage for the purpose of involvement and training of the students in some national integration/development oriented projects and programmes, conducted in different parts of the country, with a view to promoting the national character of our education system.
Content and Curriculum Both in terms of the universality of agreement as well as in terms of the intensity of conviction an feeling, content and curriculum has evoked equal number of responses as have assessment and goals. In fact, content and curriculum has been viewed as an instrument of national unity and integrity, productivity, national well-being and all the changes desired to be brought about to develop an ideal education system, so much so, all that has been said in aims, objectives and goals, language, etc., could be seen in the views regarding content and curriculum. however, unlike in the case of either assessment or goals, which is marked by a diversity of view points, in the case of content and curriculum, there is a transparent unity in the views expressed. This is in favour of the uniform Content and curriculum throughout the country, argued from the point of view of comparability, easy mobility and ultimately, national unity and integrity itself. Viewed from this angle, the stress on value- orientation and national integration has been felt desirable to be the hallmark of the content and curriculum by a large number of respondents.
Another angle from which the importance of content and curriculum is viewed relates. to the need felt by the respondents to forge education as an instrument of individual creativity, relevant to social and economic needs and to keep apace with the rapid advances in science and technology.
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There is a great degree of amplification in respect of each point, obviously reflecting the conviction that education invested with such ingredients would transform itself to answer many of the problems that afflict it at present. It relates to the answer many of the practical bias or applied base of the education system at all levels as against its present excessive liberal, theoretical and non- productivity oriented nature. An elaboration of this point is the demand for work orientation and vocationalisation of education. Finally, one of the serious criticisms against the present pattern of content and curriculum is its heaviness, which in the opinion of a large number of respondents, is `intolerable' for the children.
Language The salient points which emerge from the responses relating to the language policy in Indian education system related to five aspects viz., the national language policy i.e., the three language formula; Hindi as national and link language; promotion of modern Indian languages; medium of instruction and study of other languages.
The three-language formula, accepted by the country is viewed as the cementing factor of national unity and integration and the lack of sincerity and ineffective implementation has been perceived to have created stumbling blocks to national unity.
The Constitutional directive to accord special importance to the promotion and development of Hindi as the national and link language has been pleaded by majority of the respondents. Promotion of modern Indian languages in the states has been urged to further mutual understanding and easy mobility of people from one state to another.
On the issue of the introduction of Hindi and English as second and third languages, opinions are divided as regards the ideal stage for its introduction in school.
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Adoption of mother tongue/regional language as the medium of instruction has evoked a very strong, appeal from all the respondents.
Evaluation and Examination Many of the infirmities found in education system have been attributed by the respondents to the system of evaluation and examination prevailing today. From a perusal of their communicate broadly four major issues seem significant. These are (i) the loss of purpose and reliability; (ii) collapse of the examination system, (iii) the lines along which the evaluation and examination system ought to be reformed; and (iv) an alternative method of management of the evaluation and examination system.
The manner in which the entire process of learning has been reduced by the prevalent system of examinations, thereby eroding its purpose, has been the most persistent theme observable in ail the responses. Similarly, the collapse of the examination system due to innumerable malpractices at all levels is the most pervasive trend found in the responses.
Continuous internal assessment and a host of other reforms including delinking degrees from jobs have been suggested with a view to reforming the system of evaluation and examinations. Suggestions such as abolition of the multiplicity of the examination boards in favour of a State or Central Examination board; and (ii) constitution at a National. Accreditation Bard have come from many respondents who desire the present system of evaluation and examinations to be overhauled.
Planning and Management The whole range of views relating to the manner in which the education system operates has, been comprehended under the broad theme of planning and management The perceptions of the respondents about the failure of the education system have been pinned down in terms of
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planning, administration and management issues. The first feature of the respondents, observations on this aspect is the magnitude and degree of anxiety. The major failure, in the eyes of the respondents, lies in the bureaucratic apathy and indifference, lack of will on the part of political leadership and ineffective implementation by the administrative authorities. The only and most effective way out is a sincere attempt through decentralised and democratic planning, policy formulation and implementation besides associating the local people with this process. A comprehensive review of the earlier policies to identify the performance gaps and identification of changes to be introduced after proper tryout are suggested.
To rectify the major inadequacies seen in the administration of the education system, centralisation and nationalisation of education, placing education in the Union List and creation of an. Indian Educational service are some of the other suggestions made by the respondents.
while the majority which diagnosed the failure of the education system pinned its hope on nationalisation and centralisation, there is a strong, though minority opinion, opposing centralisation on sound academic considerations.
Of all the aspects of our education system with which people are dissatisfied most is the private management of educational institutions including those run by the minorities at all levels of education. `Ban them' `abolish them', `nationalise them', 'amend Article 30 of Indian Constitution', etc. are the most commonly expressed slogans about private agencies. Common school system, establishment of autonomous boards, evolving educational code, tightening inspection and supervision methods, development of certain schools as resource centres/pace setting institutes, are some of the major suggestions.
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Financing of Education Although fewer number of responses are related to the issue of finance, the views about this theme have come from a cross section of the of the Indian people. In the whole range of issues in respect of educational finance the following appear to come from a larger number of people: (1) adequate investment in education as a prerequisite for any reform to be introduced, (ii0 substantial increase in resource allocations for education, and phasing out changes and reforms on the basis of resource availability, (iii) higher allocation for primary level within the education system as well as for buildings, equipments, etc; (iv) paying particular attention to devise new ways for mobilizing resources, especially community contribution, whether in cash or kind in voluntary service; (v) encouragement of voluntary private contribution to educational through adequate tax exemption and other incentives; (vi) optimum utilisation of available resources; and (vii) sharing the responsibility of financing by the centre and states with equal sense of responsibility.
Teachers From the analysis of the correspondence pertaining to teachers, two most significant points that emerged are: (i) a universal agreement on the pivotal role of teachers in the education process; and (ii) an acute divergence of opinion in regard to their performance today, and the conditions that are calculated to draw out the best in them. Despite the fact that (a) the majority of responses about teachers have come from the teachers themselves and educational administrators and, (b) the universal acclaim about their pivotal role in the education process, the opinion that teachers today are not dedicated, they lack integrity and sincerity etc., still appear as major complaints. The work ethos, both in terms of time devoted as well as quality of their work is also seen as most disappointing.
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The remedies, they suggest are numerous. Foremost is that the recruitment of teachers must be based not only on. qualifications but also on their aptitude, interest and integrity. Constitution of a board at the state an central levels, consisting of eminent educationists for a faith election of, teachers is viewed, essential to tone up the education system itself. Training of teachers at all levels, both pre-service and in-service, has been viewed indispensable if the teachers are to effectively intervene in the education process. This should be supplemented by an inbuilt system of recurrent training of teachers to keep them abreast of the latest developments in the field.
Even those who are extremely critical of the teachers' role today, are unequivocally in favour of according them a place of honour in society, by raising their social and economic status and providing them with such atmosphere so as to enhance their commitment to education. Making the salary scales, working conditions and promotional avenues of the teachers' comparable to other professions at different levels are some specific suggestions with universal acceptance of views. Determination of transfer norms in consultation with teachers and their strict implementation is a suggestion coming mostly from the teacher community. The stress on teachers' welfare and rights has been suffixed with the conviction that these should be governed equally by the sense of `duties' and a `code of conduct'.