The National Council of Educational Research and Training or NCERT has recently been granted a ‘deemed to be university’ status by the Central Government. The NCERT has functioned as the backbone for Indian education with it being the standard set by the Indian government for schools and other educational institutions. It is responsible for the syllabus and semester schedule of all affiliated schools and has long since held the responsibility of quality for Indian children. On the surface this seems to be a move into expansion of their domain but on a deeper note is it the right thing to do?
From Backbone to Centerpiece
Should a body like the NCERT which historically has been charged with overseeing the entire education sector be allowed to join the exact sector which it has been tasked with enforcing? With a shift into university like status comes a lot more control over the structure over the industry comparative to prior eras. The NCERT can now train teachers at scale and influence syllabi over a plethora of areas where it previously could not. The NCERT now offers teachers specialized course training degrees as well as creating individual academic programmes. The issue at hand is that when a centralized organization is given so much independent agency, you run the risk of centralization in terms of syllabi throughout states which leads to friction between State and Central players. Should an institution responsible for management of the sector be allowed to act within it as well.
How did this come about?
Over the last few years the NCERT has been involved with countless textbook revisions over portions, lessons, paragraphs especially during Covid. Chapters have been removed, updated and debated over. Against this backdrop, the NCERT has transitioned more from a revisionary update to a structural shift in how education is handled in the country. Teaching in India is fragmented and many teachers are taught with a subpar standard of testing. Centralization paves the way for a uniformity of education allowing more teachers to better do their jobs in critically affected areas. From a long term standpoint this move is less about the amassing of power within the country and more about filling institutional gaps from internal border to border.
What changes?
Immediate change is not at the forefront of this move. The NCERT still prioritizes education at the school level and its syllabi but over time this affects the methods by which teachers are formally trained as well as the very curriculum itself with a shift into a more centrally revised, research based approach being increasingly likely. This could also mean a transition from a diverse, individual state based curriculum to a uniform, country wide education program.
Positives to look forward to
As previously stated, teachers stand to gain the most from this with standardized testing and formal education. This aims to help regions with a struggling education sector where teachers are not trained to the best of their abilities and so education for children is affected. Uniformity brings about a standard quality of education across the nation and if implemented correctly, stands to be a huge win for the development of the future generations of India.
Points of concern
While uniformity aims to raise the standard of education, a centrally devised curriculum could prove disastrous for the inherent diversity held by the various states of our nation. A major factor influencing the various boards of education is the complex diversity of culture from state to state and a blanket central curriculum could affect how this diversity is perceived.
Conclusion
In short, the development of the NCERT to a ‘deemed to be university’ institution paves the way for the development of this nation as a whole through various initiatives aimed at the holistic growth of both teachers and students alike but also poses a non definite threat to individual statehood based diversity and culture.
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