Are semantics overtaking the pragmatics?

By Colonel Satish Singh Lalotra

‘The purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows’.—-SYDNEY J HARRIS.

The nine lettered word ‘Education’ encompasses within its realm those qualities albeit specialties’ that have within themselves the power to turn a man into a beast and vice versa depending upon the absence or presence of this excellent facet in him respectively.

The presence of education can kindle a flame of multitude of subtle humane qualities which go by the name of compassion, tolerance and perceptivity of events as they occur in a man’s life to help him place himself on a an even keel.

Since it is education that makes a man, contrarily the absence of education in a human being acts as a catalyst to go diametrically against the laid down norms of societal propriety.

Education is that interface which separates the subtle from the base qualities of a human that are hardwired into the physicality of his very being from birth. No wonder Sydney J Harris the famous American

National Education Day

Journalist once remarked -‘The purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows’. Education ought to mirror not only our own qualities of scholastic achievements to the world, but should also open up as windows to the world to learn and to help escape the unwanted.

In the Indian context, the ‘National education day’ is an annual observance to commemorate the birth anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad , the first education minister of Independent India, who served from 15 August 1947 until 02 February 1958.

The HRD ministry announced on 11 September 2008 quote– ‘The ministry has decided to commemorate the birthday of this great son of India by recalling his contribution to the cause of education in India. November 11 every year, from 2008 onwards, will be celebrated as the ‘National education day’ with declaring it as a holiday” unquote.

All educational institutions in the country mark the day with seminars, symposia, essay writing, elocution competitions, workshops and rallies with banner cards and slogans on the importance of literacy and the nation’s commitment to all aspects of education.

The day is also seen as an occasion to remember Azad’s contribution in laying the foundations of the education system in an independent India, and evaluating plus improving the country’s current performance in the field.

Maulana Azad was one of the most distinguished leaders of pre and post independent India. He was a renowned scholar and a brilliant orator. Being well versed in many languages as Persian, Urdu, Arabic, Hindi, English etc he was a linguist of eminence of his times with few rivals.

His full name was Abukalam Ghulam Mohiuddin Ahmed, quite a mouthful. Though entire India is aware of this towering personality but few are privy to his seminal efforts towards pulling out the country from the quagmire of illiteracy, obduracy and obscurantism through his single-minded devotion to the cause of education.

Maulana Azad played an important role in modernizing the education system in India that too at a time when the British had imposed their own stamp of education oblivious to the requirements of a heterogeneous nation -state as India. Although he was a Muslim scholar, he was also a nationalist.

He was open to anything of value anywhere. Having synthesized the Islamic, Indian and the western ideas of value system in a single mosaic of ‘Pan-Indian’ hue that even the 200 years of British rule failed abjectly to accomplish, the Maulana by a single master stroke of his modernization of education system , integrated the hearts and minds of the country’s young.

The Maulana was instrumental as an education minister to assess the requirement of education in a country as diverse as India and started his task by enquiring the limitations of existing educational system in the country that was a legacy of the British who being the occupiers were beset by their own requirements of educating the natives (read Indians).

In other words a prismatic view (highly varied) as was the wont of ‘Robert Macaulay’ who Anglicized the education system to obtain a typical ‘Brown Sahib’ capable of carrying forward the agenda of the British. Some of the contributions of Maulana Azad in refurbishing the education system were—
* Establishment of ‘University enquiry commission (1948) ,Kher commission of elementary education, and secondary education commission 1952-53).
* Universal compulsory basic education for all children of school age.
* Social education for all adult illiterates.
* Measures for improvement in the quality and expansion of facilities for secondary and higher education.
* Technical and scientific education on a scale adequate to the country’s needs.
* Measures for the enrichment of the cultural life of the community by encouraging the arts and providing facilities for recreation and other amenities.
The Government of the day under Jawahar Lal Nehru’s premiership formulated the policies as advocated and guided by the Maulana. He further was instrumental in spearheading the reorganization of AICTE ( All India council of technical education) and saw the establishment of the following –
* ICCR (Indian council of cultural relations.)
* UGC
* National institute of basic science.
* Hindi sikshasamiti
* Lalitkala academy.
* Board of scientific terminology for Hindi
* Delhi polytechnic etc.

Be that as it may, what exactly is the ground reality of these institutions as on today? Are they able to redeem their names and high status as was expected about from them at the time of their formulation?

Or is there a big mismatch in their level and quality of deliverance? Though it is not possible for me to cover the entire gamut of issues that have been plaguing the above mentioned temples of higher learning , a small effort though has been made here to show that it’s all about now semantics concerning the ‘National education day’ and much less the core concerns being projected via these celebrations.

Firstly according to the latest MHRD report nearly 2/3 of India’s colleges and universities are below standard warranting de-recognition of many of these universities.

In a recent ranking of business schools by the financial times at global level in the top 15, only a miniscule few Indian universities managed to make the grade. In the world ranking of universities few years back done by ‘Quacquarelli Symonds’ out of 200 world renowned universities , only one (1) Indian educational institution made the grade.

The main problem of higher education in India has been rampant absenteeism, inadequate funds, and inefficient work culture, large scale vacancies in the teaching faculty positions, low student enrolment rate , outmoded teaching methods, declining research standards, unmotivated students, overcrowded classrooms etc to name a few.

The growth of higher education in India has been impeded by a serviceable prerequisite of the economy i.e it has problems of access, equity and affordability.

There are nearly 6 to 7 percent of Indian youths in the age group of 17 to 23 years who have access to higher education. This condition becomes starker when analyzed in terms of its share among the deprived sections of the society.

According to a NSS study, Muslims constitute only 8 percent of total growth in Gross enrolment ratio (GER). I am sure late Maulana Azad must be turning in his grave on realizing these facts which would not have crossed his mind at that time of independence. It has also been perceived that there is a preponderance of urban rich youth in higher education institutes.

Similarly the GER ( Gross enrolment ratio) of India in higher education is a dismal 15% which is very low when compared to just created nations -states. There are territorial varieties too in this stated GER in India. Some states are very high in the GER comparatively to certain other areas of the country.

As a template I have taken the case of UT of Jammu & Kashmir to proffer my above stated statement regarding the concept of GER as also other facets of education.

Only three of the 142 Government degree colleges in the UT have received an ‘A’ grade from the ‘National assessment and accreditation council’ ( NAAC) . The majority of the remainder have only been bestowed with a B or C grade.

As if the above state is not a damning indictment of the state of affairs in the erstwhile state of J&K, there is very low enrollment in the colleges too.

J& K faces a spate of systemic challenges to education involving governance gaps, administrative inefficiencies, as also inadequate support from all stakeholders. The literacy rate of the UT stands at a dismal low of 68.74%.

Male literacy rate is about 78.26% , with the female literacy rate standing at 58.01 %. The recent call for suggestions by the Dte of colleges in J&K regarding the sharp decline in college enrollments reflects the alarming state of affairs in the UT.

A Fundamental flaw exists in the rigid focus on conventional career options, leaving little room for innovative or less competitive fields.
Students are burdened with societal and familial expectations, overriding their own interests and aptitudes.

A shift towards choice based education, where the focus is on the student’s will and potential could relieve pressure. The college curriculum is also in dire need of reforms , as it remains riveted to rote learning , leaving little scope for creativity and practical application. Degrees, once considered gateways to promising careers are now mere pieces of papers.

There have been cases in Kashmir valley where PhD holders in botany from Kashmir university are selling fruit juices on the road side and have to hide themselves from embarrassment when their own students or juniors unknowingly visit their juice corner as customers.

The situation is particularly dire for the nearly 3000 contractual lecturers, who are underpaid, seasonally employed and often go without pay during winter months. Despite their qualifications ranging from PhD/ Post doc to NEET/SET/JRF, publications , teaching experiences etc , they receive only Rs 28,000 which is not as per the UGC norms of Rs 57,700/.

While neighbouring Ladakh has implemented salary reforms for college teachers as per UGC norms, the UT of J&K had yet to follow suit. The 2018 decision by the State administrative council ( SAC) under the then Governor Satya Pal Malik to regularise the ‘Rehabar -e-Taleem’ teachers originally hired for a contractual term further compounded the problem by blocking the job opportunities of for more highly qualified youth.

Without a comprehensive job policy and secure employment for its educated youth , J&K is on a precipice of an educational disaster.

Under these circumstances the very raison d’ etre of hoisting the so called ‘National education day -2024’ seems rather laughable not only in UT but also elsewhere in the country.

Will celebrations of the kind expected out of such an important day and issue fetch the affected lot their dividends? If not, then aren’t semantics overtaking the pragmatics when even the NEP-2020 ushered in after more than three decades maintaining a studied silence on issues reflected by my write up ?

Time for the educationists of the country to put their heads together, rather than clink champagne glasses on 11 November 2024 to raise a toast on National education day.