“The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character—that is the goal of true education.”
—Martin Luther King
Education is a cornerstone of development and progress. It is recognised as a primary objective of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. In this era, primary education has emerged as a fundamental instrument for national development. However, the Indian education system faces a significant challenge with the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which threatens to undermine the principles on which this nation was built. It acts as a veil of jingoism masquerading as pedagogy.
The NEP 2020 was introduced by the Union government as a “massive transformation in education through a system rooted in Indian ethos”. However, these tall promises are a cover for systemic propaganda aimed at influencing the future of this nation and using education as a tool for electoral gains. The agenda is to manipulate factual history and indoctrinate students.
One of the aims is to include Indian knowledge systems (IKS) in undergraduate and postgraduate curriculums. These range from Indian astronomy to textiles, town planning and Vedic mathematics. While on the surface this may seem beneficial, the deliberate imposition of IKS surreptitiously introduces right-wing ideologies that favour a select few. This is executed through the ‘Bhartiya Gyan Parampara Prakoshth’ initiative, which calls for the establishment of cells in institutes equipped with literature, books, charts and posters promoting IKS. The effectiveness of this will be considered in the institute’s National Assessment and Accreditation Council ratings.
The similarities between this policy and the Modified Scheme of Elementary Education of 1953, or Kula Kalvi Thittam, are striking. The Kula Kalvi Thittam faced fierce opposition from the Dravidian movement led by E V Ramasamy (or Periyar) for attempting to preserve caste-based discrimination. The DMK vehemently opposed Rajaji’s scheme, viewing it as a ‘Brahminist conspiracy’ to maintain caste hierarchies. The resistance culminated in agitations, leading to the policy’s reversal. This historical parallel underscores the need to challenge any policy that perpetuates inequality in the guise of education.
The IKS initiative is problematic on many levels. For instance, the higher education department of Madhya Pradesh recently notified a list of books for the IKS sections of libraries in government, government-aided and private institutions that include those authored by individuals with RSS connections. IIT Mandi’s IKS department introduced a mandatory course titled ‘Introduction to consciousness and wellbeing’, which included topics like reincarnation, for engineering students. The irony of students with scientific backgrounds being taught unscientific theories seems to have escaped the institution.
The IKS initiative allows a backdoor entry to pseudoscience, contradicting a fundamental duty enshrined in the Constitution—the development of scientific temper.
The DMK, under the leadership of Chief Minister M K Stalin, has vehemently opposed the NEP since its inception, citing several reasons that align with our core principles of state autonomy and social justice. A primary objection is the push towards centralisation. The NEP’s approach to creating a uniform education system is seen as an infringement on state autonomy. Since education is in the Concurrent List, states should have a substantial say in shaping policies that cater to their unique needs.
We also oppose the NEP for its potential to exacerbate social inequalities. Its inclination towards privatising education could marginalise students from disadvantaged backgrounds, widening the educational divide. The country is concerned NEP does not sufficiently address the needs of these communities, potentially undermining efforts to promote social justice.
The state has stood in opposition to the Centre’s deliberate attempt to establish a system of uniform curriculums and examinations such as NEET. This policy ignores socio-economic differences among students, placing underprivileged students at a disadvantage and making them victims of the financial greed of coaching institutes.
The Centre has focused on NEP and IKS with guidelines that leave little room for training faculty in traditional knowledge, advancing research and integrating it with contemporary skill requirements. At best, it appears to be a careless attempt at reinvigorating selective traditions draped in casteism, jingoism and political ignorance.
The Annual Status of Education Report 2023 should set off alarms in the country. It found 25 percent of youth cannot read Class 2 texts fluently in their regional languages, only 40 percent of 14-18-year-olds were able to solve 3-digit division problems, and only 16 percent pursued vocational training. These statistics underscore the urgent need to focus intensively on basic literacy and numeracy in early schooling years, and skill development in higher education.
Any education policy should help students acquire the necessary skills to excel in their chosen field. Traditional knowledge must be unbiased and grounded in principles of logic and reasoning. The youth should know about the past to build a better future—but this must be inclusive, reasoned and diverse. The policy’s propagation of a majoritarian cultural ideology marginalises the diverse cultural fabric of India. Education is a driver of character and must not fall prey to political vendettas. Rather, it should ignite compassion and harmony.
Thamizhachi Thangapandian
Member of Lok Sabha from South Chennai
(Views are personal)