Union HRD minister Smriti Irani has said that the Centre would settle on the new national educational policy only after taking into account the views of all state governments, academicians and child specialists. She is to be complimented on her democratic attitude. In the recent past she had been adopting a somewhat dictatorial attitude on education emphasizing the RSS point of view. All state governments have been requested to forward their views in writing and then her ministry will be in a position to formulate a comprehensive policy. There is a demand to amend the Right to Education (RTE) Act to enable yearly examinations and detention of poor performers. The first part of the new education policy will be out in December. The HRD minister will visit certain institutes across the country to assess the needs of parents and students before she draws up a pan-Indian education policy which will take into consideration the federal structure of the Indian government.
It may be recalled that Rajiv Gandhi had drawn up a new education policy but it did not create a new system. Technological inputs suggested by experts like Sam Pitroda had not borne fruit on Indian soil. However, it is good that Irani has taken a pragmatic stand. She has however to shed her anti-West bias. Underrating western knowledge will be retrogressive. It is all very well to revive the glory of Sanskrit but discarding western knowledge through English will make education unemployable. Infrastructure is of course the key element in the proposed setting up of new colleges and university campuses.
