The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : ‘Central education policy is skewed'

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Sunday, Jun 19, 2011
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‘Central education policy is skewed'

Staff Reporter

Stakeholders are not being consulted in reform process, says Javadekar

(From left) BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar; the former Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court M. Rama Jois, Chairman of the Legislative Council D.H. Shankaramurthy; and Minister for Higher Education V.S. Acharya at the workshop in Bangalore on Saturday.

BANGALORE: Attacking the Union Government for its alleged unilateral approach to policy formulation in the higher education sector, Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said that the current slew of reforms were “deeply flawed” because it did not involve State governments or other stakeholders.

He was speaking at a national seminar organised by the Karnataka State Higher Education Council on ‘Reforms in higher education and public participation'. Emphasising the role of private players in education, particularly technical and professional education, he said that “this important stakeholder had not been consulted”. Further, he pointed out that the State governments too had been left out of the consultation process for every Bill that has been tabled so far.

Mr. Javadekar also objected to the fact that the proposed Malpractices Bill does not cover minority institutions. Besides, it does not address the issue of affordability or include any provisions to curb the rising fees, nor does it provide a direct grievance redressal mechanism for victims (or students), he alleged.

While Mr. Javadekar appeared to agree with the proposed Foreign Universities Bill in spirit, he said not enough was being done to ensure the credentials of foreign universities that will be allowed to enter the market.

Agreeing with him, academic R.L.M. Patil pointed out that even in the Yashpal committee, only one State university member was included. Further, 75 per cent funding allotted to higher education continues to go to Central varsities, he added.

Also on the panel was academic S. Bisalaiah who attacked the fragmentation of the knowledge system, which is manifested in the form of growing numbers of mono-discipline universities.

In his inaugural address, State Higher Education Minister V.S. Acharya also said that Central policies required wider consultations. He also lamented that there is no set pattern for funding universities, and said a body should be set up to look into funding.

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