The reconstituted Central Advisory Board of Education will meet soon to review the nation’s education system and give a fresh direction to the National Policy on Education. This is a part of the democratic process: many statutory bodies tend to get populated with those chosen by ruling parties, and with any drastic change will come a different political hue. While it may be imprudent to judge which ideology is best, whether of the saffron or Congress variety, there should be little partisanship in a field as vital as education, given that the future of millions of young Indians is at stake.
How basic education is run should be determined solely for the benefit of emerging generations of young and impressionable students. A bipartisan approach is best. We in India have a tendency to bring political differences into almost every field, but it is important to remember that in education we should look at the long-term interest of future generations. We should also do the utmost to build character even as knowledge is disseminated.
The composition of the new CABE suggests sweeping changes could be forthcoming, including a revision of the no-detention policy till Class 8 and the possibility of a new 8+2+2 pattern replacing the existing 10+2 system. It may be time for all parties to sit together and decide how best to approach this matter. We simply cannot radically change the way young Indians are taught in schools and colleges every time there is a change of government at the Centre.
