New Delhi, Apr 5 (PTI) The Congress on Friday promised to revisit and amend the new education policy in consultation with state governments if it comes to power, saying several educationists and state dispensations have opposed the policy.
In its manifesto for the Lok Sabha polls, the Congress said it brought in the Right to Education (RTE) Act in 2009 which transformed education for children aged 6-14 years, and promised to amend the law to make education for Classes 1 to 12 in public schools compulsory and free.
“The New Education Policy (NEP) announced by the BJP-NDA government has been opposed by educationists and several state governments. Education is a concurrent subject and the rights of states to formulate an education policy must be respected. Hence, we will revisit and amend the NEP in consultation with the state governments,” the manifesto said.
The party also promised to end the practice of charging special fees for different purposes in public schools.
“For greater equity, affordability and transparency in school fees charged by private schools, we will encourage state governments to establish fee regulation committees. The quality of teaching is the most important determinant of educational outcomes,” it said.
The Congress said it will work with states to ensure that every class and every subject has a dedicated teacher.
The party said it will discourage the use of teachers for non-teaching activities.
“We will discourage the appointment of contractual teachers in regular vacancies and ensure that such appointments are regularised,” the manifesto said.
“We will accelerate the integration of pre-primary and primary education to ensure that all children receive at least two years of pre-school education. Annual surveys have revealed the huge gaps in learning outcomes in school education,” it said.
“We shall take urgent measures to address these deficiencies and ensure wholesome learning outcomes within a period of five years,” the party said.
The Congress also promised to increase the number of Kendriya Vidyalayas, Navodya Vidyalayas and Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas in consultation with the state governments.
“We will restore the autonomy of colleges and universities. Higher educational institutions will have academic freedom and will be encouraged to experiment, innovate and promote research. We will protect and preserve students’ freedom of speech and expression and the right to have elected student unions,” the manifesto said.
“To reduce dropout rates, we will ensure that pre-matric and higher education scholarships for disadvantaged groups including SC, ST, OBC, EWS, denotified tribes and minorities are restored, increased and fully funded,” the party promised.
“We will ensure that all central textbooks promote a scientific temper and are aligned with India’s constitutional values as contained in the Preamble and other provisions of the Constitution of India. Textbook revisions will not be done arbitrarily or driven by political motives,” the party said.
The Congress also said it will revive the education loan programme for college students implemented under the UPA government and instruct banks to extend collateral-free education loans of up to Rs 7.5 lakhs, especially to students belonging to the SC, ST, OBC, EWS and minority communities.
“Due to widespread unemployment, as a one-time measure of relief, the amount due including unpaid interest as on March 15, 2024, in respect of all student educational loans will be written off and the banks will be compensated by the government,” the party said.
The Congress said it will ensure that serving teachers are represented in the governing bodies of colleges and universities.
“We will fill all teaching and non-teaching vacancies in central universities and other central educational institutions,” the manifesto said.
“We will ensure that all higher educational institutions — central, state and private — meet the prescribed standards for admitting students. We will revisit the policy of centrally-conducted qualifying examinations such as NEET, CUET, etc. and make it optional for state governments to adopt these examinations for admissions or conduct their own examinations meeting the prescribed standards to state-funded and state-approved higher educational institutions,” the Congress promised.
The manifesto, focusing on five “pillars of justice” and 25 guarantees under them, was released at the AICC headquarters in the presence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former party chiefs Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. PTI ASK IJT
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