T.S.R. Subramanian Panel on education policy  and Why UGC Act should be allowed to lapse?

Background :-A high-power committee headed by former Cabinet Secretary T.S.R. Subramanian, tasked with drawing a blueprint for a new national education policy, has recommended that the law that set up the higher education regulator University Grants Commission (UGC) be allowed to lapse. The committee recently submitted its report to the Ministry of Human Resource Development.

University Grants Commission (UGC):

The University Grants Commission (UGC) of India is a statutory body set up in 1956 by UGC Act ,1956, and is charged with coordination, determination and maintenance of standards of higher education.

• It provides recognition to universities in India, and disburses funds to such recognized universities and colleges.
• After independence, the University Education Commission was set up in 1948 under the Chairmanship of S. Radhakrishnan and it recommended that the UGC be reconstituted on the general model of the University Grants Commission of the United Kingdom.

Reasons to scrap UGC?

The report says that the UGC has been unable over the years to effectively implement its regulations aimed at ensuring the quality of higher education in the country. Hence, the UGC act should be allowed to lapse.

Widespread irregularities in grant of approval of institutions and courses were also found by the committee.

Also, there are serious concerns about the quality of education provided by a large number of colleges/universities. But, UGC has failed in its responsibility to monitor standards of education in higher education institutions and it has not succeeded in ensuring this.

Besides, the credibility of the UGC has been seriously dented by approvals given to a large number of sub-standard colleges and deemed universities

Alternative to UGC:

The panel has instead suggested an alternative arrangement for a pruned UGC. The UGC could be revamped, made considerably leaner and thinner, and could be the nodal point for administration of the proposed National Higher Education Fellowship Programme, without any other promotional or regulatory function.

An expert Committee headed by Hari Gautam recently had examined thoroughly the past, present and future role of UGC. The report is under examination by the Ministry. The report had concluded that the UGC does not have the adequate number of personnel, of requisite quality, to be an effective regulatory force in the higher education sector.

Important recommendations made by the  T.S.R Subramanian committee:

• An Indian Education Service (IES) should be established as an all India service with officers being on permanent assignment to the state governments but with the cadre controlling authority vesting with the Human Resource Development (HRD) ministry.
• The outlay on education should be raised to at least 6% of GDP without further loss of time.
• There should be minimum eligibility condition with 50% marks at graduate level for entry to existing B.Ed courses. Teacher Entrance Tests (TET) should be made compulsory for recruitment of all teachers. The Centre and states should jointly lay down norms and standards for TET.
• Compulsory licensing or certification for teachers in government and private schools should be made mandatory, with provision for renewal every 10 years based on independent external testing.
• Pre-school education for children in the age group of 4 to 5 years should be declared as a right and a programme for it should be implemented immediately.
• The no detention policy must be continued for young children until completion of class V when the child will be 11 years old.
• At the upper primary stage, the system of detention shall be restored subject to the provision of remedial coaching and at least two extra chances being offered to prove his capability to move to a higher class.
• On-demand board exams should be introduced to offer flexibility and reduce year end stress of students and parents. A National Level Test open to every student who has completed class XII from any School Board should be designed.
• The mid-day meal (MDM) program should now be extended to cover students of secondary schools. This is necessary as levels of malnutrition and anaemia continue to be high among adolescents.
• Top 200 foreign universities should be allowed to open campuses in India and give the same degree which is acceptable in the home country of the said university.

Parliamentary panel to reviews election code, suggests ways to curb freebies

The model code of conduct (MCC) for polls is under review by a Parliamentary Committee. It will suggest ways to check use of cash and other freebies to lure voters during the elections. The Committee is visiting three states to talk to various stake holders about it.

The move comes after it took cognisance of the cancellation of polls in Aravakurichi and Thanjavur constituencies in Tamil Nadu recently following evidence of use of money and gifts to influence the voters.

The committee had, in an earlier report submitted three years ago, recommended reducing that the MCC should come into force from the date of notification and not the announcement of poll schedule. However, the proposal is pending with the government.

Model Code of Conduct(MCC):

Election Commission of India’s Model Code of Conduct is a set of guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India for conduct of political parties and candidates during elections mainly with respect to speeches, polling day, polling booths, election manifestos, processions and general conduct to ensure free and fair elections.

The Model Code of Conduct comes into force immediately on announcement of the election schedule by the commission. The Code remains in force till the end of the electoral process.

The need for such code is in the interest of free and fair elections. However, the code does not have any specific statutory basis. It has only a persuasive effect. It contains what is known as “rules of electoral morality”. But this lack of statutory backing does not prevent the Commission from enforcing it.

The Commission issued the code for the first time in 1971 (5th Election) and revised it from time to time. This set of norms has been evolved with the consensus of political parties who have consented to abide by the principles embodied in the said code and also binds them to respect and observe it in its letter and spirit.