Evolution

The previous policies have focused largely on equality of education and accessibility. The first Education policy came in 1968 and the second in 1986 which was revised in 1992 and the third one is The Education Policy under the BJP Government. The cabinet approved the New Education Policy on July 29^th, after a 34-year gap. The other major development since the 1986/92 policy has been the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Act 2009 which laid down legal underpinnings for achieving universal elementary education. The implementation of the policy will further depend on both State and Centre as education is a concurrent subject. The global education development agenda reflected in the Goal 4 (SDG4) of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by India in 2015 – seeks to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all” by 2030. The major aim of the education policy is to make “India global knowledge of superpower”.^[i] The world is undergoing rapid changes in various technological, scientific and research advancement. The new policy extensively focuses on these major changes in the system of rote learning.

A BRIEF

The New Education Policy has been a mammoth task. Two committees undertook the policy various feedback was taken and widely consulted. The policy document was examined several times before being sent for approval. The new document is radically different from all its predecessors as it outlines a completely new framework for our education. Good education policy is where wide learning is offered with good infrastructure and appropriate resources are provided. The key points which the policy emphasis on are:

• Recognising and fostering every individual’s capabilities and sensitizing teachers and parents as well to promote students in holistic development.
• One of the essential fundamentals which have been left unaddressed until now is Early Childhood Care and Education. The policy says, over 85% of a child’s brain development occurs prior to the age 8. Thus, it focuses on achieving Foundational Literacy and Numeracy for all students by grade 3^rd.
• Flexibility for learners to choose their learning projectors and choose their life paths according to their talent. Furthermore, there will be no hard separation between the streams. This also promotes the dispel of various notions of society and hierarchies.
• Multidisciplinary approach in order to promote uniformity and integrity for all knowledge. Emphasis on conceptual understanding and critical thinking.
• The vocational programs from school education. The policy has reconceptualised practical learning and give it a heads up. Which focuses on giving students an opportunity to intern at school level and learn a programming language.

The fundamental keynotes ensure integrity, transparency and empowerment of all students. 

The Vision of the Policy

School Learning

The policy envisages that the 10+2 old schooling structure will be modified with a 5+3+3+4 which will cover the age group of 3-6 and brings early childhood education. It constitutes the foundational stage of education. The restructure has been proposed keeping in mind the holistic development of the children. As the policy focuses on ‘the overarching goal would be to ensure universal access to high-quality ECCE across the country. It facilities amalgamation project led ecosystem of education which focuses on process and not just an outcome. It shifts the focus from conventional learning practices of delivering assignments. The Boards are redesigned now students can appear for it twice one for main examination and other for improvement if they desired. NEP 2020 also proposes a shift from summative assessments to regular and formative assessments. Which will focus on analysis, critical thinking and conceptual clarity? The government also focuses on multilingualism and suggests that students until class 5 should be taught in their mother tongue or regional language. This received a mixed reaction some says it will promote multilingualism while others comment it as a downfall for rural-urban students who wish to learn English.

The introduction to vocational studies grades 6 onwards and creation of National Committee for the Integration of Vocational Education (NCIVE) is an extremely important decision to remove the societal stigma attached with taking vocation as a career. Lastly one of the major problematic situations for every student has been choosing the streams, one of the critical factors of the new policy is flexibility. The dismantling of the rigid distinction of academics gives students much more flexibility and freedom to choose subjects of their interest and desires. Thus, it focuses on universalising education from early childhood.

Higher Education

According to the makers of this policy, some of the salient problems in the higher education institutions in our country is lack of research, limited teachers, less multidisciplinary courses and poor institutional governance.

Recognising the problems the policymakers came up with various new key ingredients. The decision to break the wall of streams and bring in flexibility, provisions of freedom to exit and entre courses, credit-based system and introduction to a 4-year degree with research.

The document also states universities among the world top 100 will be able to set up in India. However, this will only process ones the HRD Ministry brings a new law that includes the details of how foreign universities will operate. We can also see a partnership between government and private educational programmes which will result in the fruitful outcome and a shift into the latest technologies. Among the several new features of NEP 2020, one of the best is granting more autonomy to educational institutions which are providing quality education. The other is a single regulator for higher education. The other significant reform is the provision of multiple entries and exits points. This will help students to pursue the course of their choice at their own pace and without getting affected by the impact of their personal circumstances.

It also eliminates the MPhil programme which does not affect higher education trajectory at all. But it also emphasis equally on research and offers a 4-year undergraduate degree. As research is the foundation of knowledge creation and it plays a crucial role in the upliftment of any human. The policy envisages the creation of the National Research Foundation (NRF). Its main objective will be to provide areas of themes for research and coordination and build a platform for budding researchers which the nation strives for the next coming decade. However, the biggest challenge for the government would be to reduce the digital disparity which exists among students as well as teachers. Additionally, we also need to focus upon the skill development and training of educators and teachers who will help the nation in the rebuilding project. 

These are some of the pathbreaking provisions which NEP 2020 focuses on. It opens the door for hopes and aspirations. It is visionary and transformational however, the success lies in its implementation.

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India-US, Foreign Office Consultations

Historically, India has always chosen to tread the neutral path when it has been faced with the decision of choosing a side in geopolitics, especially during the Nehruvian years, that is immediately after it attained independence, where it followed a strict policy of non-alignment. However, in recent times as India has chosen to increase its influence and emerge as an important geopolitical leader in the South-Asian region, it has substantially increased its cooperation and strengthened its ties with the United States. The latest developments between the two nations include a set of Foreign Office Consultations. The virtual meeting took place between the Foreign Secretary, Harsh Vardhan Shringla, and the US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, David Hale. Given the current situation where the virus is surging by leaps and bounds in both countries, the two representatives agreed to further strengthen the health partnership, including in the areas of pharmaceuticals and vaccine development.

They further agreed to ensure the enhancement of mutually beneficial trade and people-to-people ties. During this discussion, the Indian delegation addressed the issues regarding the VISA facilitation post-COVID, especially keeping in mind professionals and students. Following this, the two representatives moved on to address the elephant in the room, the Indo-Pacific, that has come to be seen as one of the most strategically important regions in the world, with 75% of world trade passing through the region. Keeping in mind India’s geographic proximity to the region and the US’ trade and military interests, both nations have persevered in the past to ensure a free open and inclusive Indo-Pacific, against China’s predatory approach. The following consultation acted as a testimony to India-US joint initiatives in the Indo-Pacific in the future. Lastly, the United States emphasised the US-India cooperation in the United Nation, especially after India was elected as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the year 2020-21.

India-European Union Summit

India’s increased engagement in the Western Indian Ocean regions has led to the country cooperating and investing in strategic relationships with several European Nations. The 15th meeting of the India-European Union summit is scheduled to be held virtually. The meeting was co-chaired by the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, the President of the European Union, H.E Charles, and the President of the European Commission, H.E Ursula Von Der Leyen. The summit that is to be held in the coming days will mainly focus on India-EU cooperation covering political and security relations and at the same time will look into avenues of trade and investment. The summit would mainly be addressing the issues of development during the COVID 19 pandemic and contemporary global matters.

Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China border Affairs

India has been locking horns with the Chinese Republic over several issues. Most recent of these has been the border situation, at the Galwan Valley. On the 10th of July, 2020. The 16th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs was held. The Indian delegation was led by the Joint Secretary (East Asia) from the Ministry of External Affairs. Meanwhile, the Chinese delegation was led by the Director-General of the Boundary and Oceanic Department of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Before deliberating over the future steps in regards to the de-escalation in violence at the border regions, the two delegations looked back at the agreements between the two nations. The first of these agreements were between the two foreign ministers on the 17th of June, following which there was an agreement reached between special representatives on the 5th of July. The recent consultation essentially reviewed the situation at the India-China border including the progress made in terms of the ongoing disengagement of troops. It was decided that another meeting of the WMCC will be conducted in the future, followed by a meeting of the Senior Commanders, which will discuss further steps to ensure a complete disengagement and de-escalation in a timely manner. 

High-Level Summit of the United Nations Economic and Social Council

The Prime Minister recently delivered the keynote address at a high-level summit of the United Nations Economic and Social Council on the 17th of July. PM Narendra Modi had previously addressed the member nations of the council in 2016 at the 70th anniversary of the ECOSOC. This time around the Prime Minister delivered his address at the Valedictory session, where he was joined by the Prime Minister of Norway and the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The summit attracted a diverse set of representatives from several nations. The Conference that celebrated the 75th anniversary of the United Nations, bears the theme of ‘Multilateralism after COVID 19: What kind of United Nations do we need at the 75th anniversary’. The session that primarily focused on bolstering leadership through global cooperation and international institutions, was the first opportunity the Indian Prime Minister had to address member nations since India got elected to the United Nations Security Council. The Summit acts to India’s advantage as it aligns with India’s Security Council priority, wherein India has emphasised the need for reformed multilateralism in a post-COVID-19 world. The session also recalled India’s role as a holder of the inaugural Presidency of the Economic and Social Council.

International Appointments

Jawed Ashraf, the Indian Ambassador to the French Republic has been concurrently accredited as the Ambassador to Principality of Monaco. At the same time Dr Vidya P Nair, who currently serves as a Director in the Ministry of External Affairs, has been designated as the next Ambassador to Turkmenistan. Lastly, Shri Hemant Harishchandra Kotalwar, presently Joint Secretary on deputation to NCSC has recently taken up the position of the next Ambassador to the Czech Republic.

Conclusion

India has for long followed an inward-facing forward policy, that did not prioritise bilateral relations and strategic partnerships and adopted a neutral stance on geopolitical matters. However, that is not the case anymore. With the given situation that the country finds itself in regards to the Chinese Republic, and the leadership position it has assumed after the Indian Prime Minister addressed nations at the Shangri-La dialogue, India has further increased its relations with European Nations and further strengthened its bilateral relations with the United States, to an extent where India has been promoted to the status, generally granted to treaty allies. With India’s burgeoning interest in geopolitics, India’s current foreign policy decisions will shape the position it assumes in the post-pandemic world order. 

Read Also: INDIA’S FOREIGN POLICY REPORT – EDITION #3

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