Kapil Sibal’s ambitious education reforms agenda

At a crowded press conference held in Shastri Bhavan, New Delhi on June 25, newly sworn-in human resources development minister Kapil Sibal outlined a heavy agenda for radical reform of India’s school and higher education systems. Excerpts: School Education • Enactment of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Bill. Notification of the 86th Constitutional Amendment. • Establishment of an All India Madarsa Board. • Formulation of a policy framework for PPP (public-private partnerships) in school education. • Expansion of broadband connectivity to increase use of ICT in secondary schools and open/distance schooling. • Evolution of a National Curriculum Framework for teacher education. • Explore accreditation body for schools. • Examination reform in accordance with NCF 2005. This will include making the class X exam optional. • Replacement of marks by grades system in CBSE schools. • New National Literacy Mission focus on women. • Madarsa/maktab modernisation and skills development for Muslim children. Higher Education Legislative initiatives • Establish autonomous authority for higher education and research based on recommendations of the Yashpal Committee and National Knowledge Commission. • Enact a law to prevent, prohibit and punish educational malpractice. • Introduce legislation for mandatory assessment and accreditation in higher education through an independent regulatory authority. • Enact a law to regulate entry and operation of foreign educational providers. • Establish a fast-track tribunal for adjudication of disputes of stakeholders (teachers, students, employees and managements) in higher education. • Amend the National Commission for Minority Education and Institutions Act to strengthen the commission. Policy initiatives • Formulate a ‘brain gain’ policy to attract talent to Indian institutions of higher education. • Introduce new scheme of interest subsidy on educational loans availed by economically weak students. • Strengthen and expand Scheme of Remedial Coaching of students from SC/ST minority communities in higher education. • Establish equal opportunity offices in all universities. • Formulate a new policy on distance learning. • Regional centre/campus of the Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, Amarkantak to be established in Manipur. • Promote model degree colleges in 100 districts with significant population of weaker sections and minorities. • Establish 100 women’s hostels in higher educational institutions sited in districts with significant population of weaker sections and minorities. Administrative/other initiatives • Review functioning of deemed universities • Operationalise newly-established 12 Central universities and two new IITs. • Academic reforms (semester system, choice-based credit system, regular revision of syllabi, impetus to research etc — already mandated under the Central Universities Act, 2009) to be introduced in all Central educational institutions. • Modernisation of copyright offices. • 5,000 colleges/university departments to be equipped with broadband internet connectivity under the National Mission on Education through ICT programme. • Provision of assistance to states for the establishment of 100 new polytechnics in unserved districts. States will be assisted in the construction of 100 women’s hostels in existing polytechnics. • Establish 10 new NITs in the unserved states. • Operationalise 700 revamped community polytechnics for skills development of rural youth. • Direct credit of scholarship…