Question : Improvement in Education

(a) whether the Government has decided any new policy on higher education;
(b) if so, the details thereof along with the time by which and the manner in which it is likely to be
implemented;
(c) whether various committees have given suggestions to fix teacher’s accountability in this regard
and regarding review of teacher’s works by the students;
(d) if so, the reaction of the Government thereto along with the steps being taken in this regard;
(e) the time by which a final decision is likely to be taken in this regard; and
(f) the steps taken by the Government to ensure jobs for the youth with graduate and bachelor of
technology (B.tech) degree?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
(Dr. SATYA PAL SINGH)
(a) to (f): The Government is in the process of framing a New Education Policy (NEP) for meeting
the changing dynamics of the population’s requirement with regard to quality education, innovation
and research, aiming to make India a knowledge superpower by equipping its students with the
necessary skills and knowledge and to eliminate the shortage of manpower in science, technology,
academics and industry, for which wide ranging consultations were undertaken at multiple levels of
online, expert/thematic and grassroots from village to State, Zonal levels as well as at the National
level.
Initially, a Committee for Evolution of the New Education Policy was constituted which submitted its
report in May, 2016 and it has been recommended therein that the Centre and States should jointly
prepare norms and guidelines for teacher accountability. The Committee has also recommended
that learning outcomes for each class should be formulated, and monitored through internal
and external evaluations. Teachers and headmasters should be held accountable for achieving the
prescribed outcomes, and their career progression linked to their academic performance. Thereafter,
the Ministry prepared ‘Some Inputs for the Draft National Education Policy, 2016’ wherein it has
been recommended that issues relating to teacher absenteeism, teacher vacancies and lack of teacher
accountability will be resolved with strong political consensus and will and the Programmes
for enhancing the capacity, motivation and accountability of teachers to deliver quality education
and improvements in learning outcomes of students will be accorded priority. The Some Inputs
document also recommends that Skill development programmes in school and higher education
system will be reoriented not only for gainful employment of our students but also help them
develop entrepreneurial skills. However, both these documents are treated as inputs for policy
formulation.
Suggestions and inputs have been received from various stakeholders such as, individuals,
organisations, autonomous bodies, Hon’ble MPs, GoI Ministries and State Governments on various
aspects of education. The exercise of preparing a New Education Policy is still ongoing as a
Committee for Draft National Education Policy under the Chairmanship of Dr. K. Kasturirangan has
been constituted which will consider and examine all inputs and suggestions and is expected to
submit its report by 31.03.2018.
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