Investing in Learning Generation

The country is swiftly moving towards making its population future-ready with the evolution of various new policies

As the world’s largest democracy is at the threshold of celebrating the 75th year of Independence, India has come a long way in pushing the boundaries of its education sector, helping learners achieve full human potential and developing a just and equitable society.

The Indian Constitution upholds its citizens’ Right to Education as a Fundamental Right and has provisions to ensure that the State provides education to its citizens, making it incumbent on part of the federal governments and local bodies to ensure that every child within the age group of six to 14 years gets an education in a school in the neighbourhood.

But the biggest challenge that has presented itself before the federal governments has been to ensure academic continuity for children across strata, in another year spent battling a global pandemic.

“The pandemic witnessed a massive disruption in primary and higher education across the world and India was not insulated from it. The Indian school system being the second largest in the world and the higher education system being the third-largest in the world prompted every stakeholder in the education system to reimagine ways to educate our next generation,” explains Dr Arindam Banerjee, Associate Professor and Deputy Director, Global MBA and MGB programmes, SP Jain School of Global Management, Dubai.

For providers of educational services in India, moving to an online education system across spheres had its own share of positives and negatives.

Banerjee adds, “Among the best things that could have happened as a result of the pandemic revolves around the gradual shift from the evolution of the traditional education system to the revolution of the digital space. This led to a situation of no more back-benchers, introverts and the no-participative students who suddenly felt being very much part of the digital classroom. Additionally, students availed locational accessibility and the effective utilisation of time.”

Experts further highlight at the same time, it cannot be ignored that as a country among the emerging economies, a significant section of the population lacked internet connectivity and accessibility to digital devices that widened the digital divide for underprivileged students. Not to forget, the shifting focus from the chalk-and-talk method to overreliance on technology led to the shift of physical proximity to digital socialisation.

Dr Vikas Nand Kumar Batheja, Co-Founder and Director, Capital University College says, “While the new developments are commendable, a chunk of the sector is constantly fighting challenges such as an unstable internet connection, uninterrupted power supply, lack of finance in building a robust education platform and difficulties in replicating the rapport between teachers and students. While professionals continue finding alternatives, one thing seems to be established — edtech and online learning will prevail even after the pandemic.”

India’s new education policy hailed as a ‘change-maker’

Alongside, there is a clarion call for the implementation of India’s new education policy. Defining the New Education Policy 2020 to be a ‘change-maker’, experts acknowledge that emerging from the global pandemic with a stronger education system is an ambitious vision and one that requires both financial and human resources.

They are optimistic and argue that articulating such a vision is imperative to guide the future of the country.

Veteran educationist, Annie Mathew and Principal of Gulf Model School, Dubai, underlines, “The new pedagogical structure, the multidisciplinary approach, the de-compartmentalisation of academic and vocational streams and the universal access at all levels will go a long way in putting the Indian education system at par with the best education systems in the world.”

NEET: Historic decision for expatriate communities

Moving to a recent and more local development, India decided to allocate a centre in Dubai for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Examination (NEET) 2021 entrance exam. This is being perceived as a huge step forward by the international community especially in the face of the existing travel ban.

The decision positively impacts a significant chunk of the non-resident Indian students in the UAE, ushering in respite both for NEET aspirants and their families.

The Education Ministry had earlier set up an exam centre in Kuwait for the Indian student community staying in the country, which is also a first.