New Policies & Approaches continues....

Though it is true that there had been ‘considerable expansion of educational

facilities’, the basic problems of quality, access, finance, etc., could not be

addressed effectively. Quality education was confined to a few institutions

of excellence, but the majority of educational institutions remained poor

in terms of the quality of education imparted therein. The major problem

afflicting education in India was that it was unrelated to life and the needs

of a growing and modernizing society. Schools without teachers,

blackboards and buildings were a common sight in the rural areas of the

country. Quality of teaching left much to be desired and there was no

governmental initiative to equip the teachers with modern teaching skills.

Another serious drawback was that proper attention was not given to

science and technology including mathematics. The most horrifying

situation was that in some states in the North, particularly Uttar Pradesh,

mathematics was made optional in schools. Though the 1968 education

policy brought about some degree of structural symmetry by introducing

the 10+2+3 structure almost throughout the country, there was no

uniformity in the school curricula. Standardized textbooks were non-

existent in some states, resulting in the students being exposed to biased

and irrational views on history, sociology, etc. The shambolic situation

was to a great extent the result of education being a purely state subject.

The Constitution makers could never have imagined that by assigning

the subject of education to the states they would be doing a great disservice

to the nation. Order was restored only when education was put in the

Concurrent List whereby the Central Government would play a major

role in raising and maintaining the standards of education in schools and

universities.

Rajiv Gandhi had a comprehensive agenda for bringing about radical

changes in Indian society. He formulated new policies covering the whole

gamut of governance. There was a correct identification of the ills that

afflicted education, economy, science and the technology environment and

a host of other core areas of national life. The new policies were serious,

purposive attempts to address those ills.

To be continued...