Lok Sabha Question No. 2032 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-11-28
Subject: Priority to Higher Education System
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: PRATAPRAO GANPATRAO JADHAV, RAMA DEVI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2032 TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.11.2016

## Priority to Higher Education System

## †2032. SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV: SHRIMATI RAMA DEVI:

Will the Minister of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  concerns  have  been  raised  that  the  Ministry  is  giving  priority  to  private  higher education system in place of primary and middle education in the country;

- (b) if so, the reasons therefor; and

(c) the reaction of the Government in this regard along with the corrective measures taken by the Government?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (DR. MAHENDRA NATH PANDEY)

(a) to (c): No, Sir. The extant National Policy on Education (NPE) provides for a National System of  Education  which  implies  that,  up  to  a  given  level,  all  students,  irrespective  of  caste,  creed, location  or  sex,  have  access  to  education  of  a  comparable  quality.  It  includes  a  common educational structure, a national curriculum framework and minimum levels of learning for each stage of education. The Government is committed to provide equitable access to quality education to  all  sections  of  the  society.  Having  nearly  reached  the  goals  of  universalizing  elementary education, and making substantial gains in expanding access to secondary and higher education, the  focus  is  on  improving  the  quality  of  education  at  all  levels.  Several  schemes  are  being implemented by the Ministry so as to enhance access to public funded education across all levels ranging from elementary, secondary, higher and technical education. These include implementing the  Right  of  Children  to  Free  and  Compulsory  Education  (RTE)  which  makes  it  incumbent  on Government to provide free and compulsory education to all children of 6-14 years of age and Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) for universalizing elementary education. The Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) scheme aims at making good quality education available, accessible and affordable to all young persons in the age group of 14 to 18 years. In higher Education, under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA), state higher educational institutions are being strengthened.

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## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2032 TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.11.2016

## Priority to Higher Education System

## †2032. SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV: SHRIMATI RAMA DEVI:

Will the Minister of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  concerns  have  been  raised  that  the  Ministry  is  giving  priority  to  private  higher education system in place of primary and middle education in the country;

(b) if so, the reasons therefor; and

(c) the reaction of the Government in this regard along with the corrective measures taken by the Government?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (DR. MAHENDRA NATH PANDEY)

(a)  to  (c):  No,  Sir.  The  extant  National  Policy  on  Education  (NPE)  provides  for  a National  System  of  Education  which  implies  that,  up  to  a  given  level,  all  students, irrespective of caste, creed, location or sex, have access to education of a comparable quality. It includes a common educational structure, a national curriculum framework and minimum levels  of  learning  for  each  stage  of  education. The  Government  is  committed  to  provide equitable access to quality education to all sections of the society. Having nearly reached the goals  of  universalizing  elementary  education,  and  making  substantial  gains  in  expanding access to secondary and higher education, the focus is on improving the quality of education at all levels. Several schemes are being implemented by the Ministry so as to enhance access to public funded education across all levels ranging from elementary, secondary, higher and technical education.  These  include  implementing the Right  of Children  to  Free  and Compulsory Education (RTE) which makes it incumbent on Government to provide free and compulsory education to all children of 6-14 years of age and Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) for  universalizing  elementary  education.  The  Rashtriya  Madhyamik  Shiksha  Abhiyan (RMSA) scheme aims at making good quality education available, accessible and affordable to  all  young  persons  in  the  age  group  of  14  to  18  years.  In  higher  Education,  under  the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA), state higher educational institutions are being strengthened.

Presently, the Government is in the process of formulating a New Education Policy (NEP)  for  which  it  has  carried  out  a  year-long  highly  participative,  inclusive  and  multipronged  consultation  process  across  33  themes;  through  online,  grassroots  and  thematic expert consultations, and meetings were also held with Government of India Ministries and

State Governments. The Ministry constituted Committee for Evolution of the New Education Policy  submitted  its  report  in  May,  2016  and    thereafter  the  Ministry    formulated  'Some Inputs for the Draft National Education Policy, 2016' on which comments/suggestions were invited  from  the  Government  of  India  Ministries,  State  Government,  Hon'ble  Members  of Parliament and other stakeholders up to 30th September, 2016. The five pillars of NEP would be  Accessibility,  Equity,  Affordability,  Quality  and  Accountability.  A  Committee  under  an eminent educationist will be appointed to prepare final draft NEP.

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