The sudden demise on April 25 of Dr. K. Kasturirangan, author of the 484-page draft National Education Policy which transformed into the 66-page National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, has thrown a cloud of uncertainty over the future direction of Indian education. Like the proverbial curate’s egg, NEP 2020, based almost entirely on the recommendations of the K’Rangan Committee is good in parts. 

In two cover stories titled ‘More Government and Governance’ (EW July 2019) and ‘NEP 2020: Educracy Shadow’ (https://www.educationworld.in/national-education-policy-2020-visionary-charter-educracy-shadow/ 2020) your editors highlighted the contradiction between the policy mandating the creation of over a dozen education regulatory committees (SRA, SSRA, HECI, NHERC, NAC, HEGC and GEC), and also recommending autonomy in higher education in particular. Commonsense mandates administration of academic institutions and dispensation of education is best left to academics. However, although the K’Rangan Committee recommended “light but tight” supervision, the heavy hand of the Central and state governments is omnipresent in NEP 2020.

Nevertheless, despite your editors being more critical than approbatory of NEP 2020, the greatness of Dr. K’Rangan was that as a true democrat he appreciated constructive criticism and incorporated several EW recommendations — especially relating to ECCE (early childhood care and education), skills education and higher education autonomy in his draft subsequently translated into official policy. Moreover, after NEP 2020 was officially promulgated in July 2020, the indefatigable Dr. K’Rangan immediately constituted several steering committees to implement mandates of the policy.

Following his passing it’s doubtful if the Union education ministry will find a more committed and competent individual to step into his large shoes. In the circumstances, the best option for government is to accept his recommendations relating to institutional autonomy and drop the contradictory recommendation to appoint a spate of government supervisory committees. Academics is best left to academics.