NEW INITIATIVES IN EDUCATION SECTOR
Recently, the Prime Minister launched multiple initiatives in the education sector at a conference, to mark the completion of one year of reforms under the National Education Policy 2020 which aims at making India a global knowledge superpower. The Prime Minister also noted the role played by portals like Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing (DIKSHA) and Study Webs of Active Learning for Young Aspiring Minds (SWAYAM) in online education during the pandemic.
ACADEMIC BANK OF CREDIT
- It is envisaged as a digital bank that holds the credit earned by a student in any course. It is a major instrument for facilitating multidisciplinary and holistic education. It will provide multiple entry and exit options for students in Higher education. It will make the youth future-oriented and open the way for an Artificial Intelligence (AI) -driven economy.
- Engineering in Regional Languages: 14 engineering colleges in eight States are going to start engineering studies in five Indian languages: Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi and Bangla. This emphasis on mother tongue as the medium of instruction will instil confidence in the students from poor, rural and tribal backgrounds. In a recent survey, the All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) discovered that 42% of the students surveyed nationally, favoured pursuing Engineering in regional languages. The AICTE is creating a database of resources to allow colleges to offer more programmes in regional languages and developed a tool to translate engineering content into 11 languages.
ALL INDIA COUNCIL FOR TECHNICAL EDUCATION (AICTE)
It was set up in November 1945 as a national-level apex advisory body. Its purpose was to conduct a survey on the facilities available for technical education and to promote development in the country in a coordinated and integrated manner.
According to the National Policy of Education (1986), AICTE is vested with:
- Statutory authority for planning, formulation, and maintenance of norms & standards,
- Quality assurance through accreditation,
- Funding in priority areas, monitoring, and evaluation,
- Maintaining parity of certification & awards,
- The management of technical education in the country.
- Vidya Pravesh & SAFAL: Vidya Pravesh, a three month play based school preparation module for Grade 1 students will be released along with SAFAL (Structured Assessment For Analyzing Learning Levels), a competency based assessment framework for Grades 3, 5 and 8 in CBSE schools.
- National Digital Education Architecture (NDEAR): It will help in building up a new education ecosystem that will create a digital foundation leading to self-governance of all parties involved, particularly states and the Centre. It lets educationists do evaluation based on talents and abilities, helping students understand their area of specialties that can be utilised in their future profession.
- National Education Technology Forum (NETF): It will provide independent evidence-based advice to central and state government agencies on technology-based interventions. A special focus will be on improving technology access at the grassroot education level. Schools will be required to have skilled professionals. In addition, schools will have to hire qualified candidates to teach emerging technological skills to students. Once the forum is set up, school-wise information will be sought on how technology is being used for imparting academic content and what steps are being taken to enhance research. It will be funded by the government but at a later stage, private funding and support from industry bodies would be invited.
- NISHTHA 2.0: It will provide training to teachers as per their needs and they will be able to give their suggestions to the department. It will have 68 modules including 12 generic and 56 subject-specific modules and will cover around 10 lakh teachers. NISHTHA is the largest teachers’ training programme, first of its kind in the world to motivate and equip teachers to encourage and foster critical thinking in students.
- Sign Language as a Subject: Indian sign language, for the first time, has been accorded the status of language subject. Students will be able to study it as a language also. There are more than 3 lakh students who need sign language for their education. This will give a boost to Indian sign language and will help the divyang people.
RELATED PREVIOUS INITIATIVES
- National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning.
- Rashtriya Ucchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA).
- Prime Minister's Research Fellowship (PMRF).
- Scheme for Promotion of Academic and Research Collaboration (SPARC).
- Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.
- Mid Day Meal Scheme.
- Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009.
- Beti Bachao Beti Padhao.
PROVISIONS RELATED TO EDUCATION IN INDIA
Constitutional Provisions: Part IV of Indian Constitution, Article 45 and Article 39 (f) of Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP), has a provision for state-funded as well as equitable and accessible education. The 42nd Amendment to the Constitution in 1976 moved education from the State to the Concurrent List. The education policies by the Central government provides a broad direction and state governments are expected to follow it. But it is not mandatory, for instance Tamil Nadu does not follow the three-language formula prescribed by the first education policy in 1968. The 86th Amendment in 2002 made education an enforceable right under Article 21-A.
Related Laws: Right To Education (RTE) Act, 2009 aims to provide primary education to all children aged 6 to 14 years and enforces education as a Fundamental Right. It also mandates 25% reservation for disadvantaged sections of the society where disadvantaged groups.
TEST YOURSELF
Q.1 Recently, which of the following launched multiple initiatives in the education sector at a conference, to mark the completion of one year of reforms under the National Education Policy 2020?
- Narendra Singh Tomar
- Dharmendra Pradhan
- Ramesh Pokhriyal
- Narendra Modi: ANSWER
Q.2 Under the initiative 14 engineering colleges in eight States are going to start engineering studies in five Indian languages. Which of these are the five languages?
- Hindi, Gujarati, Telugu, Kannada and Bangla
- Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi and Bangla: ANSWER
- Hindi, Kannada, Telugu, Odia and Bangla
- None of the above
Q.3 The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) apex advisory body whose purpose was to conduct a survey on the facilities available for technical education was established in ___________?
- November 1945: ANSWER
- December 1955
- November 1976
- None of the above
Q.4 By which of the following constitutional amendments does the provisions of Right to Education was added in the Constitution under article 21A?
- 42nd Constitutional Amendment, 1976
- 44th Constitutional Amendment, 1978
- 86th Constitutional Amendment, 2002: ANSWER
- None of the following
Q.5 The foundation stone of the modern system of Indian Education was laid by which of the following?
- Charter Act of 1813: ANSWER
- Macaulay's Minutes
- Educational efforts of the Missionaries
- All of the above
