High Expectation Of Higher Education From Modi 3.0?

The education industry is one major contributor to the nation’s GDP and growth. The youth of the country is the future of India, and education is the determining aspect in assisting to make the country’s future brighter. The sector has been assigned as the top priority by government machinery while preparing the annual budget and any policy-making. 

According to the recommendation report of the Kothari Education Commission (1966) on the issue of government financing of education are important benchmarks. The commission estimated the financial requirements of the educational system in India up to 1985-86, and recommended that “if education is to develop adequately, the proportion of Gross National Product (GNP) allocated to education will rise ... to 6.0 per cent in 1985-86”. 

Recently, after the general election of 2024, the new government was formed by the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) and Prime Minister Modi was sworn in for the third time. His government was known for its developmental vision and for inducing research & innovation in the education field that formulated in the form of NEP 2020 and other policies. 

Multidisciplinary and internationalisation of Indian education were some of the most appreciated provisions packed in the NEP 2020. As Narendra Modi has again come to power and Dharmendra Pradhan is ready to serve the nation again as the Education minister, there are many expectations from the industry leaders and educators to facilitate the system for students and teachers. 

In the same regard, Prof. Devendra Jalihal, IIT Guwahati Director, said, "At IIT Guwahati, we are enthusiastic about the new government directives that prioritise innovation, sustainability, and societal impact. These directives align perfectly with our institution's mission to foster a culture of excellence and entrepreneurship. We are committed to ensuring that our graduates not only excel in their careers but also make meaningful contributions to the nation's progress and development.”

He also added that they are particularly excited about the government's focus on enhancing support for translational research and entrepreneurship which is crucial in bridging the gap between theoretical research and practical applications. 

Employment is the ultimate goal of any education system, for which the Modi government in their last tenure much more emphasised the bridging skill gap so that individuals get equal opportunities. 

Jalihal also said, “By facilitating the transition from laboratory discoveries to real-world innovations, we can accelerate technological progress and deliver widespread societal benefits. Our researchers and entrepreneurs are eager to contribute to this endeavour, working on projects that have the potential to transform industries and improve quality of life.”

The Indian education sector is dynamic and constantly growing at a high pace but at the grassroots level, these fancy terms of multidisciplinary and internationalisation are still untouched in the tier 2 & 3 cities. 

Neelima Gupta of Dr Harisingh Gour University said, “I look forward to a complete overhauling of the education system, with a focus on increasing the Gross Enrolment Ratio in higher education to 50 per cent by 2035.”

While the government and its policies are highly concerned with the Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER), she added that she also hopes that the new government will lay a special focus on multidisciplinary learning, research, innovation, academia-industry partnership, skill-based education and internationalisation of education so that in the coming years we may succeed not only in improving the GER but also become a global leader. 

K-12 is the fundamental of whole education strucutre, and like higher education there are many new norms has been fromulated in the last two tenure of Modi government. For the next five years, Mohina Dar, Director, Academics at Amity International and Global School, said, “A well-defined and effectively formulated education system of a nation nurtures competent citizens and fosters its remarkable progress and development. In the wake of fast changing world, NEP 2020 recommended reforms which would enable the young minds to cope up with the challenges and changes and steer India towards the mission to make it a developed nation.”

She added that as the new government assumes office, the expectations surrounding the K-12 education system are quite high since the reform in the education policy was initiated by this government itself with a focus on improving outcomes and preparing students for the future, several key reforms are being proposed to revamp the educational landscape. Some crucial aspects that stakeholders. 

Before introducing the reforms, the government must have a research based holistic perspective, involve all the stakeholders, bridge the gap between education imparted and educational skill required for employment. There is no denying the fact that transformative potential of these reforms promises to improve the pedagogy and shape a brighter future for generations to come.

Shruti Tripathi

BW Reporters Shruti Tripathi