Lok Sabha Question No. 2009 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-19
Subject: Drawback in Existing Education System
Ministry: Education
Asked by: Sougata Ray

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2009 ANSWERED ON 19.12.2022

## DRAWBACK IN EXISTING EDUCATION SYSTEM

## 2009.   PROF.  SOUGATA  RAY:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the education system of India is more theoretical than practical and skill-based;
- (b) if so, the details of drawbacks of the existing educational system;

(c) whether there is any proposal to form an expert committee to study the drawbacks of present curriculum and to revise the same as per present situation;

(d) whether Rabindranath Tagore wrote many articles offering suggestions to change in the education system; and

(e) if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  steps  to  revamp  the  entire  education  system  for  the  wellbeing and prosperity of the country?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (SMT. ANNPURNA DEVI)

(a) and (b): The  National  Council  of  Educational  Research  and  Training  (NCERT)  has informed  that  Indian  Education  System  is  an  evolving  system.  Till  now,  three  Education Policies  have  been  brought  out  in  the  system.  The  present  education  system  is  based  on National Policy on Education (NPE), 1986, which promoted 10+2 education scheme with less differentiation in pedagogies across the stages of school education.

The  Central  Board  of  Secondary  Education  (CBSE)  has  informed  that  CBSE  has mandated  the  integration  of  practical  aspects  into  the  curriculum  of  every  major  subject. Practical  work  is  done  throughout  the  year  and  assessed  as  part  of  internal  assessment.  At least  20  percent  weightage  has  been  assigned  to  subjects  for  performance-based  internal assessment  and  it  increases  with  the  nature  of  the  subject.  The  Board  has  also  advised  its schools to use experiential learning through innovative methods like the integration of art and sports, including through gamification and apps, by weaving in cultural aspects such as films, theatre, storytelling, poetry, and music - and by drawing inter-subject connections. In addition to languages and academic subjects, CBSE offers 11 skill modules for Classes VI-VIII, 19 skill-based subjects in Classes IX-X, and 39 skill-based subjects in Classes XI-XII.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has informed that educational reform is a continuous  phenomenon  to  ensure  the  relevance  of  knowledge,  identify  skills  gaps,  and launch  special  programmes  for  contemporary  needs.  UGC  has  taken  various  initiatives  to bring in  academic reforms in Higher Education in India. Under its Quality Mandate, UGC resolved  to  revise  the  curriculum  based  on  'Learning  Outcomes',  which  is  an  endeavour towards fostering quality higher education in India. The Learning Outcomes-based Curriculum Framework (LOCF) works towards a more holistic experience for the students while focusing not just on knowledge delivery in higher education but also on the application of knowledge through field and lab work.

(c): After  34  years  of  NPE,  1986,  National  Education  Policy  (NEP)  2020  has  been brought out analyzing the drawbacks of the existing system and suggesting way forward to address its challenges. The NEP 2020 has given a recommendation of shifting 10+2 system towards  5+3+3+4  system  for  bringing  transformation  in  curriculum  and  pedagogy.  NEP, 2020  recommends  development  of  four  National  Curriculum  Frameworks-  viz,  School Education,  Early  Childhood  Care  and  Education,  Teacher  Education  and  Adult  Education. UGC has constituted 31 Expert Committees to develop Learning Outcomes based Curriculum Framework for 31 subjects.

(d) and  (e): Rabindranath Tagore has written articles on child's nature, pedagogy, examination  system,  etc.  The  rich  heritage  of  ancient  and  eternal  Indian  knowledge  and thought has been a guiding light for the NEP, 2020. NEP, 2020 envisages a number of action points/activities for implementation in School Education as well as Higher Education, which include:

- (i) Ensuring Universal Access at All Levels of schooling from pre-primary school to Grade XII;
- (ii) Ensuring quality early childhood care and education for all children between 3-6 years;
- (iii) New Curricular and Pedagogical Structure (5+3+3+4);
- (iv) No  hard  separations  between  arts  and  sciences,  between  curricular  and  extracurricular activities, between vocational and academic streams;
- (v) Establishing National Mission on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy;
- (vi) Emphasis  on  promoting  multilingualism  and  Indian  languages;  The  medium  of instruction until at least Grade 5, but preferably till Grade 8 and beyond, will be the home language/mother tongue/local language/regional language.
- (vii) Assessment  reforms  -  Board  Exams  on  up  to  two  occasions  during  any  given school year, one main examination and one for improvement, if desired;
- (viii) Setting  up  of  a  new  National  Assessment  Centre,  PARAKH  (Performance Assessment, Review, and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development);
- (ix) Equitable  and  inclusive  education  -  Special  emphasis  given  on  Socially  and Economically Disadvantaged Groups (SEDGs);
- (x) A separate Gender Inclusion Fund and Special Education Zones for disadvantaged regions and groups;
- (xi) Robust  and  transparent  processes  for  recruitment  of  teachers  and  merit  based performance;
- (xii) Ensuring availability of all resources through school complexes and clusters;
- (xiii) Setting up of State School Standards Authority (SSSA);
- (xiv) Exposure of vocational education in school and higher education system;
- (xv) Increasing GER in higher education to 50%;
- (xvi) Holistic Multidisciplinary Education with multiple entry/exit options;
- (xvii) NTA to offer Common Entrance Exam for Admission to HEIs;
- (xviii) Establishment of Academic Bank of Credit;
- (xix) Setting up of Multidisciplinary Education and Research Universities (MERUs);
- (xx) Setting up of National Research Foundation (NRF);
- (xxi) Single  overarching  umbrella  body  for  promotion  of  higher  education  sector including  teacher  education  and  excluding  medical  and  legal  education-  the Higher  Education  Commission  of  India  (HECI)-with  independent  bodies  for standard  setting-  the  General  Education  Council;  funding-Higher  Education Grants  Council  (HEGC);  accreditation-  National  Accreditation  Council  (NAC); and regulation- National Higher Education Regulatory Council (NHERC);
- (xxii) Expansion of open and distance learning to increase GER.
- (xxiii) Internationalization of Education.
- (xxiv) Professional  Education  will  be  an  integral  part  of  the  higher  education  system. Stand-alone technical universities, health science universities, legal and agricultural universities, or institutions in these or other fields, will aim to become multi-disciplinary institutions.
- (xxv) Teacher Education - 4-year integrated stage-specific, subject- specific Bachelor of Education
- (xxvi) Establishing a National Mission for Mentoring.
- (xxvii) Creation  of  an  autonomous  body,  the  National  Educational  Technology  Forum (NETF)  to  provide  a  platform  for  the  free  exchange  of  ideas  on  the  use  of technology to enhance learning, assessment, planning, administration. Appropriate integration of technology into all levels of education.
- (xxviii)Achieving 100% youth and adult literacy.
- (xxix) Multiple  mechanisms  with  checks  and  balances  will  combat  and  stop  the commercialization of higher education.
- (xxx) All education institutions will be held to similar standards of audit and disclosure as a 'not for profit' entity.
- (xxxi) The Centre and the States will work together to increase the public investment in Education sector to reach 6% of GDP at the earliest.
- (xxxii) Strengthening of the Central Advisory Board of Education to ensure coordination to bring overall focus on quality education.

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