Question : Cooperation among BRICS Nations on Education

(a) whether Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) Ministers of
Education have adopted the text of New Delhi Declaration on Education in
their meeting in New Delhi on September, 2016 and if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether BRICS nations have initiated actions to formulate country-specific
targets within the broader scope of the Sustainable Development Goal 4 and
if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether BRICS nations have agreed to share information on various aspects
of higher education and if so, the details thereof;
(d) whether BRICS countries have also agreed to identify a nodal institution
within each country and create an institutional network to share Information
and Communication Technology policies, Open Educational Resources and
other e-resources, including e-libraries, among BRICS member countries; and
(e) if so, the steps taken by the Government in this regard?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
(DR. MAHENDRA NATH PANDEY)
(a) to (e): In the 4th meeting of BRICS Education Ministers recently held at New
Delhi on 30th September, 2016, BRICS member countries have signed New Delhi
Declaration on Education in which they have inter alia declared to:
(i) Initiate actions to formulate country-specific targets within the broader scope
of the SDG4 and corresponding targets, taking into account the past gains
and achievements in the education sector, emerging national development
priorities, availability of resources, and institutional capacities; integrate the
SDG4-related targets with the national and subnational-level education sector
development plans/programmes; and build capacity at the national and
subnational levels for measuring and monitoring progress towards SDG4 and
corresponding targets using the indicators adopted by the UN General
Assembly in September 2016;
(ii) Share information on higher education systems, approval and recognition
processes, quality assurance and accreditation, and prevalent procedures
and practices for evaluation and recognition of qualifications to facilitate
academic mobility; may also consider subsequently to constitute an expert
group to work towards the development of a framework for mutual recognition
of qualifications across BRICS countries;
(iii) Identify a nodal institution within each country and create an institutional
network to share ICT policies, Open Educational Resources and other eresources,
including e-Libraries, among BRICS member countries;
The implementation of these recommendations is a long drawn process which is
done through various stakeholders in India and other BRICS member countries.
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