By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Sep 6: The month-long standoff between MCTA and NEHU shows no signs of resolution, and recently NEHUTA entered the fray by refusing to create question papers for upcoming exams based on the New Education Policy 2020.
In an interview with The Shillong Times, MCTA general secretary Air Peace Rani highlighted that putting the NEP into practice is far more challenging than it appears. While acknowledging the merit of the NEP, Rani stressed the importance of granting teachers sufficient time to adapt and prepare both themselves and their students.
A major concern raised by Rani is the state government’s reluctance to provide financial support, as outlined in the NEP 2020. He argued that without government funding, fees would inevitably rise, making education less accessible to all.
Rani also mentioned a substantial fee increase, nearly 20%, at St. Anthony’s College.
Furthermore, Rani also questioned whether the NEP’s provision allowing students to choose combinations of subjects could realistically be implemented. He wondered if the goal was genuine flexibility for students or merely an arbitrary implementation of the policy without considering local conditions.
He also noted that the syllabus for the 1st and 2nd semesters was hurriedly prepared, with some departments like Music still lacking a syllabus, and the BBA syllabus being created without the Academic Council’s approval.
Rani expressed that MCTA had welcomed the NEP 2020 for PG courses last year but vehemently opposed its implementation in the four-year undergraduate programme. This expansion has significantly increased the number of courses, including vocational and skill-based ones. Rani questioned how specialized teachers could handle all these new courses, especially given the shortage of teaching positions, which haven’t seen new openings since the 1990.
Rani emphasized that MCTA’s stance is not impractical, citing valid concerns, and asserted their unwavering commitment to their position.
MCPC Vs MCTA
NEHU Vice Chancellor Prabha Shankar Shukla has been consistently claiming that college principals were ready to embrace the NEP but the MCTA was against it.
However, it has now emerged that the Meghalaya College Principals’ Council (MCPC) had written a letter on May 29, 2023, expressing their reservations about implementing the NEP in the upcoming academic session.
The letter followed a meeting on May 25 involving college principals, the state government, and NEHU.
The letter made several observations, including the need for infrastructure upgrades to accommodate new courses like vocational and skill-based programs, which would take time. It also mentioned the necessity of hiring new professionals to teach these courses, as the current faculty members were specialized in their own fields.
Additionally, the letter stated that they had not received any official communication from the university regarding the NEP’s implementation, even as the admission process was ongoing for the graduation courses. The letter highlighted various challenges that the implementation would bring, indicating the principals’ reluctance.
The letter also raised concerns about how stand-alone colleges with single streams would implement the NEP and the strain on the already overworked faculty.
The MCPC also mentioned how NEHU had not taken any adequate steps for training and preparing faculty members for the extensive changes required by the NEP.
It also expressed their opinion that even though the college faculty participated in the curriculum framework, it necessarily does not show their willingness to implement the NEP.
Upon contacting a member of the MCPC who sought anonymity, they disclosed that the matter in question was from a while back, and their letter was dispatched prior to receiving the official notification from NEHU.
The member went on to explain that upon reviewing the guidelines for NEP implementation, they realized it was far more feasible than the exaggerated portrayal it has been receiving.
When asked if the issues raised in their initial letter had been resolved, such as the need for infrastructure upgrades, the member responded by questioning the likelihood of completing such infrastructure improvements within a single year.
In closing, the member emphasized that their primary concern was the welfare of the students. They firmly stated that all their actions were driven by a desire to benefit the students.