Highlights of TSR Committee’s Report on New Education Policy

Government appointed committee, headed by, former Cabinet Secretary, TSR Subramanian recently submitted its recommendations on new education policy. The report that was submitted to the Ministry of Human Resource Department (HRD) is in the consultation process in the department. The ministry is said to be in the process of framing a New Education Policy, which will include thematic online, grass-roots, and national-level deliberations on 33 themes.

The committee comprised of, other than Subramanian, former Chief Secretary of Delhi government Shailaja Chandra, former Home Secretary, Delhi government Sevaram Sharma, former Chief Secretary Gujarat Sudhir Mankad, and former Director- NCERT, JS Rajput.

As per the HRD Ministry, the bottom-up consultative process was done across nearly all gram panchayats, blocks, urban local bodies and districts of all 36 states and UTs was undertaken between May to October 2015. Thematic consultations were conducted both by the ministry and also by institutions like UGC, AICTE, NCTE, NCERT and several universities and autonomous bodies. Six zonal meetings were held by the HRD Minister in eastern, central, north-eastern, western, southern and northern zones covering all states.

Here are a few recommendations of the committee:

1- One Lakh scholarships for meritorious students from poor families and socially and backward communities to pursue higher education.

2- The autonomy of a higher education institution should depend on their rating or performance. Those making it to the highest bracket should have the freedom to choose their fee structure, curriculum, and even the scales paid to the faculty. However, those falling in the lowest category will have to close down.

3- The committee also proposed greater professionalism in rating, which is presently done NAAC under University Grants Commission. The committee suggested rating should be taken care of by agencies or companies that are trained to evaluate.

4- To generate more talent in the teaching industry, the committee has called for an Indian Education Service. The selection to which should be done by the UGC.

5- For greater quality of education in schools, committee has suggested that the no detention policy be restricted to Class V only instead of Class VIII. A student failing in Class V examination will be given another attempt to pass, if he or she fails again, there should be an option to specialize in some vocation in order to inculcate vocational training alongside language and numerical skills.

6- Students who are unable to learn as per the requirements should be given remedial classes from Class I itself and online resources should be put to use for this.

7- Pride in the nation – such as inculcation of peace, harmony, respect for diversity, equality etc- should be one of the values inculcated in students through education.