CHENNAI: After the Central government’s announcement of a new committee to form the national education policy, the educationists from Tamil Nadu have demanded that the new committee should be a larger one comprising eminent educationists. Several state governments including Tamil Nadu have opposed several key provisions of the draft new education policy at the meeting of Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) in New Delhi on Tuesday.
The presence of more bureaucrats in the TSR Subramanian committee has attracted criticism from various sections. The committee had four retired IAS officers and one educationist. “Kothari committee and Acharya Ramamurthy committee are the examples for drafting the new education policy,” said M. Anandakrishnan, former chairman, IIT Kanpur and former vice-chancellor, Anna University.
Kothari Commission, formed in 1964, had 17 educationists from inside and outside the country. It also had a panel of 20 consultants, selected from across the world and experts in education. It took two years to prepare the policy. “The Central government did not accept the TSR Subramanian committee’s report. People did not accept the MHRD’s some inputs on draft national education policy. In the meeting highest education advisory body on Tuesday, almost all the sections were criticised by the states,” he said.
“Hopefully, in view of the criticisms, the central government may form a committee with eminent educationists,” he added. Another important issue was the time given to draft the new education policy to the committee. “We cannot draft national education policy in six months,” Anandakrishnan said. When asked about central government’s announcement of forming a new committee to draft national education policy, educationist S.S. Rajagopal said, “The government yet to make a formal announcement. But, I welcome the stand of the Tamil Nadu government and it is very good.”
Activist and educationist P.B. Prince Gajendrababu, who campaigned against key provisions of the draft new education policy said, “The new education committee should be large having representation from the various sections of the society. It should be guided by constitutional values and need to address all issues concerning education.”
