T. S. R. Subramanian Committee Report [New Education Policy]
A high-power committee headed by former
Cabinet Secretary T.S.R. Subramanian, tasked with drawing a blueprint for a new
national education policy, has recommended that the law that set up the higher
education regulator University Grants Commission (UGC) be allowed to lapse. The
committee recently submitted its report to the Ministry of Human Resource
Development.
Why scrap UGC?
·
The report says that the UGC has been unable over the
years to effectively implement its regulations aimed at ensuring the quality of
higher education in the country. Hence, the UGC act should be allowed to lapse.
·
Widespread irregularities in grant of approval of
institutions and courses were also found by the committee. Also, there are
serious concerns about the quality of education provided by a large number of
colleges/universities. But, UGC has failed in its responsibility to monitor
standards of education in higher education institutions and it has not
succeeded in ensuring this. Besides, the credibility of the UGC has been
seriously dented by approvals given to a large number of sub-standard colleges
and deemed universities
Alternative arrangement:
The panel has instead suggested an
alternative arrangement for a pruned UGC. The UGC could be revamped, made
considerably leaner and thinner, and could be the nodal point for
administration of the proposed National Higher Education Fellowship Programme,
without any other promotional or regulatory function.
Background:
An expert Committee headed by Hari
Gautam recently had examined thoroughly the past, present and future role of
UGC. The report is under examination by the Ministry. The report had concluded
that the UGC does not have the adequate number of personnel, of requisite
quality, to be an effective regulatory force in the higher education sector.
Important recommendations made by the Subramanian
committee:
·
An Indian Education Service (IES) should be
established as an all India service with officers being on permanent settlement
to the state governments but with the cadre controlling authority vesting with
the Human Resource Development (HRD) ministry.
·
The outlay on education should be raised to at least
6% of GDP without further loss of time.
·
There should be minimum eligibility condition with 50%
marks at graduate level for entry to existing B.Ed courses. Teacher Entrance
Tests (TET) should be made compulsory for recruitment of all teachers. The
Centre and states should jointly lay down norms and standards for TET.
·
Compulsory licensing or certification for teachers in government
and private schools should be made mandatory, with provision for renewal every
10 years based on independent external testing.
·
Pre-school education for children in the age group of
4 to 5 years should be declared as a right and a programme for it implemented
immediately.
·
The no detention policy must be continued for young
children until completion of class V when the child will be 11 years old. At
the upper primary stage, the system of detention shall be restored subject to
the provision of remedial coaching and at least two extra chances being offered
to prove his capability to move to a higher class.
·
On-demand board exams should be introduced to offer
flexibility and reduce year end stress of students and parents. A National
Level Test open to every student who has completed class XII from any School
Board should be designed.
·
The mid-day meal (MDM) program should now be extended
to cover students of secondary schools. This is necessary as levels of
malnutrition and anaemia continue to be high among adolescents.
·
Top 200 foreign universities should be allowed to open
campuses in India and give the same degree which is acceptable in the home
country of the said university.
About University Grants Commission (UGC):
·
The University Grants Commission (UGC) of India is a
statutory body set up in 1956, and is charged with coordination, determination
and maintenance of standards of higher education.
·
It provides recognition to universities in India, and
disburses funds to such recognized universities and colleges.
·
Previously, UGC was formed in 1946 to oversee the work
of the three Central Universities of Aligarh, Banaras and, Delhi. In 1947, the
Committee was entrusted with the responsibility of dealing with all the then
existing Universities.
·
After independence, the University Education
Commission was set up in 1948 under the Chairmanship of S. Radhakrishnan and it
recommended that the UGC be reconstituted on the general model of the
University Grants Commission of the United Kingdom.
The
UGC was however, formally established in November 1956, by an Act of Parliament
as a statutory body of the Government of India
