Towards an Inclusive Idea of Citizenship: The Case of National Education Policy Draft

The Higher Education Policy of India received a structured constitution in the form of The National Education Policy that was framed initially in 1986 and was subsequently modified in 1992. Since then, several changes have taken place that calls for the revision of that policy time and again. In a country like India, framing a coherent Education Policy that meets the needs and standards of each and every socio-economic strata of the entire nation is surely a humongous task. But this very problem enables us to focus on the possibility of liberalising education. What I mean here is that voices from all quarters of the society need to be taken into account while framing this policy.

A recent project undertaken by the Govt. of India must be talked about and brought into light in this regard. The Government of India is right now embarking on a time-bound grassroots consultative process, which will enable the Ministry of Human Resource and Development to reach out to individuals across the country through over 2.75 lakh direct consultations while also taking inputs from citizens online. The process is right now in its final stages where the online input portal is due to close on 31^st July, 2016. While the website (http://nep.ccs.in/Home) does not in any way disclose how the suggestions put forward by citizens are to be taken into account while framing the actual policy, this can surely be seen as a step towards the process of citizen participation in the framing of a national bill.

A detailed survey of the offline individual consultations questionnaire will show that the set tries to focus on most of the relevant aspects of framing a Higher Education Policy. The set focuses on areas of governance related issues focusing on the regulations of state and central universities and the way regulations are shaped. It also focuses on the way online courses and MOOCs can be implemented within the university structure. It gives vein to a discussion regarding the pedagogy of online courses and how they can be implemented within the education system. It also focuses on the way this education policy can focus on social issues regarding gender discrimination within our educational institutions. The point of linking higher education to society and making education more directed towards societal benefit is also focused upon. How partnerships with private sectors can be beneficial for the education system, financial assistance for higher education, employability factor of this education system and promotion of research and new knowledge are some of the other issues that this questionnaire deals with.

One can indeed argue that this kind of a set imposes on us an already formulated set of areas that one can discuss about. But all these fields are nonetheless integral to our education system. Moreover, they demand rigorous discussion from which new sets of ideas and discourse can emerge. What we have lacked mostly in the formation of a coherent Education Policy throughout years has been the voices of all the stake holders in it, especially, that of the student community in creation of a policy that is formulated for the benefit of the students. This online portal provides us with that platform where one can voice one’s opinion regarding all these aspects. 

A subsequent question that arises out of this entire process is whether these suggestions are really going to be kept by the concerned authority as the creation of the final draft will finally be subject to the interests of the policy makers. However that does not take the onus away from the fact that one can be aware of the suggestions and voices of various individuals regarding all these issues as all the suggestions appear in red marked columns. This provides us with a platform to agree, disagree and further modify the suggestions as well as the draft itself in accordance with every individuals understanding. 

This brings us to one more point regarding the way technology and Internet has altered the way education works in the digital age. One of the most telling concerns in spreading of online education in India has to do with the accessibility to Internet. Internet is still unavailable to a large part of our society and high speed internet in that regard seems like a far fetched dream. Therein lies the shortcoming of such an online portal where the suggestions will not flow in from every part of the society. The problem with the creation of the canon of disciplines like English Literature for example has been the problem of relevance of such a discipline for students coming from a rural background and having no prior knowledge or understanding of English Literature as such. The affinity towards the understanding of the English language is often seen as sufficient impetus for the student to take up English Literature as the area of higher education. The solving of these kinds of problems require a sustained dialogue between the concerned parties. Online portals such as the one stated above does aim to provide such a platform. But the lack of accessibility to Internet somewhat defeats the entire purpose in this regard. 

Having said that, we must question ourselves whether such a platform has been utilised by everyone concerned about the state of Higher Education in India. In an age of using social media as the principal tool of voicing one’s opinion, such portals must attract more discussions than it has. One can always be sceptical about any project undertaken by the Government. and make arguments like “the govt. will only act in its own interest”—a convenient reason of not participating in such discussions. But that will only take the focus away from the fact that we are presented with the opportunity of discussing the most important issues relating to Higher Education in India. What comes out of it is not certain as yet. But such endeavours deserve to attract more participation and dialogue.

Relevant Links:

http://mhrd.gov.in/nep-new

http://nep.ccs.in/MHRDInputsNEP#Access_and_Participation

http://nep.ccs.in/Home 

The article is written by Gourab Goswami, Jadavpur University, Department of English, M.A. Batch-2016.

 

A Revolution in Education: How technology can teach India

With a population of 1.2 Billion, India is no stranger to the problems associated with sustainable spread of literacy and education across its nooks and crannies. As of now, the literacy rate stands at 74.04%, according to the latest census conducted in 2011. The situation reflects many disparities that plague the country in general, related to gender, income, caste, class, geographic location, access to infrastructure and technological shortcomings. In such a scenario, education through technology (EdTech, hereafter) can work

wonders. India’s education system may be revolutionised completely if educational technologies, are developed keeping in mind the needs and demands of the people.

What can EdTech do?

Connect classrooms:

With proper internet connection, a student may be connected to a teacher in another part of the country. It can also provide for innovative tools and programs that are personalised for individual students. Classrooms across the country can be connected, and there may be interaction and participation between them. This would ensure that a dialogue is established between multiple stake-holders of the education system and promote diversity in terms of cultural exchange.

Use of Multimedia:

Multimedia is an extremely valuable tool when it comes to educating young children. Moving visuals and sounds can help to ingrain the lesson into their minds in lesser time and greater ease. Many private schools in India are using this kind of EdTech along with regular methods of teaching. Not only do the students learn better, the teacher’s job is also somewhat simplified. This kind of EdTech has the capacity to make a great impact on Indian Education, once it is spread evenly amongst the population. For older students looking to pick up vocational skills, videos of lectures or tutorials can be a great boon. Even those who are unable to read or write properly can hope to understand lessons imparted using multimedia tools. They will also facilitate greater degrees of engagement with the material.

Preparation for competitive exams:

Lakhs of students all over India prepare for competitive exams like CLAT, IIT-JEE etc. EdTech can bring about great changes in the way they prepare of such examinations. Programs developed specifically for practice, revision, memorisation and testing will bring about a great change in the lives of students who rush from one coaching centre to another, attending preparatory classes. Gamification of learning can help to make these tools even more lucrative, as months and months brushing up on the same material can make the students feel bored and tired. Introducing concepts such as badges, levels and points into the learning process will excite the learners and keep them hooked.

Adult learning opportunities:

Out of all the countries in the world, India tops in adult illiteracy. The population of illiterate adults in India stands at 287 million, according to a United Nations Report released in 2014. EdTech can contribute to adult education in a big way. In low income households, it s often found that the children are first generation learners, i.e. their parents are illiterate, as they have worked to make a living since childhood. Usually they are manual labourers, farmers or factory workers who are trapped in a cycle of poverty. EdTech created specifically for their use can provide vocational courses where they may pick up new skills, allowing them to acquire better jobs. Language, mathematics and social science courses may also follow.

E-texts and other material:

Awareness is building around India about the need to save paper. EdTech can come in handy in such a scenario. If all learning materials, texts and tools are available virtually, then there will be no need for physical copies of textbooks. This will help underprivileged students even more, as they will not have to spend huge amounts of money purchasing important textbooks. However they must be provided with the access to internet and other necessary gadgets, like an e-book reader for the same. E-texts can also help students when it comes to annotations, making notes, marking pages or attaching relevant supplementary materials. For younger students, interactive textbooks can be a great way to hold their attention and facilitate retention of lessons learnt.

Tracking the progress of the students:

In India the pupil to teacher ratio is not ideal in most cases, and hence, students rarely get individualised attention from the educator. EdTech can solve this problem by tracking the progress of individual students by taking into account their test scores, class participation and performance, interactions with peers and students etc. This will help both the teachers and the parents of the students’ to get a more clear idea about where they stand and what can be done differently to help improve their performance. At the end of the session, a student’s overall performance can be analysed based on these reports.

Facilitating student interaction:

In the fast paced world of the 21st century, many students often suffer from anxiety, depression, and loneliness. By connecting students with each other using technology, safe spaces may be created where children can help each other not only with academic problems but also lend a hand of friendship. They may share stories of their own anxiety before tests and garner support. This will help to boost confidence and self esteem. If need be, mental health professionals such as psychologists and counsellors may also be involved in these platforms, monitoring and assisting these students. If new age EdTech is able to create such a platform, then it can be used to realise a lot of potential. Advanced students will be able to help weaker ones. Students may also share study materials with each other from across different parts of the country. This will also facilitate inter-cultural exchange, facilitating the broadening of the students’ minds in every way.

India being a huge country with a variety of problems has a lot to gain from the advancement of EdTech. Innovations made in the field by partnerships between educators and engineers can hugely benefit students from different social and cultural groups. As the days go by, the possibilities become more and more exciting for India.

Links used:

http://startup.nujs.edu/blog/education-and-technology-in-india-what-exactly-can-be-achieved-with-edtech/

http://edtechreview.in/trends-insights/trends/2129-education-technology-india-funding

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/may/07/technology-transform-india-education-system

http://www.mapsofindia.com/my-india/education/use-of-technology-in-rural-education-of-india

http://www.indiacelebrating.com/social-issues/illiteracy/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_India

http://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-the-pupil-teacher-ratio-has-improved-but-not-enough-2124403

http://www.thehindu.com/features/education/issues/india-tops-in-adult-illiteracy-un-report/article5629981.ece

Written by Proiti Seal Acharya, UG-III
Department of English, Jadavpur University.

STREET ART TO PROMOTE, PROMPT AND ENCOURAGE

STREET ART AND ITS VOICES:

Street art or graphiti is generally condemned and viewed as immature or immoral as it generally results in the defacing of public property. But art has always been a powerful medium of rebellion and thus, here too the importance, or rather the necessity of street arts and murals can definitely not be ignored. It does not just voice irate public opinions and dissent, it presents a very clear and breathing 'picture' of what the actual sentiments are regarding the present conditions. 

It is the 21st century's form of non-violent rebellion against conformity, traditions and the governmental superpowers. 

Grievances regarding education systems are widespread and global so, expressing those through a literally wider and bigger platform helps in bringing awareness.

 The below link showcases some of the best street art and mural from over the world, which demystifies this conformist manifesto.

http://ebookfriendly.com/books-libraries-in-street-art/

EDUCATION VS SCHOOLING: THE DIVIDE

‘Gentlemen, what are the four pillars?’

‘Tradition, honor, discipline and excellence’.

And thus, begins the movie ‘Dead Poets Society’, which basically uses these four  words to make its viewers understand the difference between ‘schooling ‘and ‘education’.  Decades of formal training has made it difficult to differentiate between the two because society teaches its youth to be  subservient to conformity rather than encouraging them to be free thinkers.

Most of the population considers that the two concepts are inter-related or at least co-related to each other, because whenever we think of ‘education’, then the first images we get in our minds are those of formal institutions such as schools, colleges or universities. Even a simple Google search asking for – ‘what is education’, will give the following first result- ‘the process of receiving or giving systematic instruction, especially at a school or university’. But needless to say, these two are drastically different and this difference is the line between a free thinker and a traditionalist.

So, what actually is the function of education?

The objective of education was defined by Jean Piaget (1896-1980), a Swiss developmental psychologist and philosopher as- ‘The Principle goal of education should be creating men and women who are capable of doing new things, not simply repeating what other generations have done’. But it seems as though its converse is what is being accepted as a norm nowadays. The best definition of education was probably dictated by Martin Luther King Jr. who said that- ‘The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically, intelligently plus character.’

 It can be conclusively determined that it is the schooling system, which encourages the four above concepts of tradition, honor, discipline and excellence. All the four ‘pillars’ are actually inter-related and the thread that holds them together is tradition itself.

 Tradition is something, everyone is familiar with. For being just an abstract concept it is terrifying how sedately and obediently we follow the rules and regulations which were setup ages earlier, instead of trying to take initiative and keep pace with the ever changing societal structure. It is tradition especially, which breeds inaction or rather more precisely, it is responsible for the lack of the entrepreneurial spirit which is necessary to facilitate commerce, not just from a capitalistic or materialistic point of view but from the viewpoint where commerce is necessary for sustaining life.

 If we trace this ‘process’ of tradition to its roots, then it can be aptly determined that this lack of entrepreneurial spirit stems because;  from the primary levels in our lives- both at home and at school, it is ingrained in our consciousness that the one goal in our live is to be an academic topper, coupled with some sports trophies and ‘extra-curricular’ certificates (because dance, drama and other forms of artistic pursuits are still thought as to be ‘extra’) and then simply go through college and get an high paid job. Any deviation from this set path is highly condemned by society at large. Herein lies the three other pedestals of honor, discipline and excellence’; because to disavow or to attempt to take another path is perceived as akin to destroying the honor of the family; being disobedient and destroying ones merit.

Obviously these are age old concepts which are reinforced time and time again to perpetuate distinctions among the various economic and social stratas of a society.

 As Rabindranath Tagore had pointed out in his speech- ‘Nationalism in India’; that- these social stratas were created and were allocated different occupations to prevent jealousy which arises due to competition, but over time these classes have become a physical symbol of oppression because society simply couldn’t follow the smooth and natural progression of time but rather locked these classes up in water tight compartments with no scope for expansion. Natural progression or ‘going with the flow’ is extremely important and thus, in this past paced world of advancements, education should be imparted, keeping in mind the present requirements for survival in a cut-throat world.

But it will be absolutely wrong to say that the field of education has not experienced changes over times because at the end man is a social animal and education is a social act with a purpose, nothing man does is without a peremptory notion of what he wants. But the problem has been that these changes have proven to be infinitesimal, especially in face of the onslaught of massive changes in societal phenomenon during the last few decades, owning to the rapid progression in science and technology.

But times are definitely changing, it maybe because of the dominant role of capitalism and thus, indirectly vanity as well, forces an individual to keep up with the times (because the only other converse option is social alienation) and thus, creating a ‘need’ for computers and such. Apart from just helping in socialization, the vast world of internet also aids in spreading the need for a more diverse form of education which incorporates the various elements of technology, coupled with accessibility, social interaction and the traditional format of syllabus learning. Thus, giving rise to a more palatable form of learning-which, satisfies both the social as well as intellectual needs of an individual.

Project E-QUAL

EU-India Project E-QUAL welcomes you to the official project blog!

 

Why this blog?

The blog is a platform for students, research scholars, faculty members and other stakeholders in the various components involving the pedagogy and policy making of higher education in India and world over. We also welcome thoughts and contributions from independent researchers and scholars from various strata of the society on the production and consumption of knowledge in the era of digital revolution. It is expected that the contributions will reflect their relevance to either the practice of education or digital cultures in general.

You can send your contributions in the form of non-fiction prose, audio-visual narrative and photographic essay. Original interviews are also welcome, either in textual or audio-visual form.

Submission of entries:

The blog is moderated and curated by the Project E-QUAL CCU team in Jadavpur University. Please send your entries to the following e-mail IDs: 

projectequal2014@gmail.com

The submission must be accompanied by the official designation (name, institution, e-mail address etc.) of the contributor.

What is Project E-QUAL? 

E-QUAL (Enhancing Quality, Access and Governance of Undergraduate Education in India), is a European Union funded International Collaborative Project with a funding commitment of over one million Euros till May 2017. The project is being implemented by a consortium of partners, with the British Council being the lead partner in terms of strategic oversight of the Project. The university partners are Ambedkar University Delhi, Jadavpur University, King’s College London, Shiv Nadar University, University of Bologna and University of Hyderabad. The project activities are being  implemented in four key disciplines – Critical Thinking, Cultural Studies, Human Ecology, Natural Resource Management & Sustainable Development. The objective of the project is to enhance the quality, access and governance of undergraduate education in India, through promotion of Indo-EU Higher Education partnerships and collaborations, which is in line with Government of India’s plan to provide greater access and improve quality of higher education in India.The Project will facilitate exchange of best practice, experience and knowledge in undergraduate teaching and learning, using technology enhanced approaches relevant to India’s context. This will be achieved through sharing skills and exchange of best practice in undergraduate education, sharing innovative pedagogies and assessment techniques and exploring their use in Indian institutions. It will engage a wide range of policy-makers, academicians, students and practitioners through debates, conferences and workshops, working closely with the Government of India and drawing on EU experience and expertise, for wider benefit and sustainable systemic change.

For more information on our continuous project activities, please visit the following sites:

 Official Site: www.projectequal.net

Courseware Site: www.equalcourses.net (Registration required)

Official Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/equalproject2014

Thank you for visiting this blog. We will keep you updated regarding the various activities, courseware production and academic/student conferences taking place in the project!