NEP 2020 a dangerous education policy, says AIFUCTO

JOTSOMA— The All India Federation of University and College Teachers Organisation (AIFUCTO) on Friday termed the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 a “dangerous education policy” and expressed concern over its implementation.

President AIFUCTO Prof. Kesab Bhattarcharya, said that the education system in India should be combination of 3Es — entry education for all, equity in education and excellence in education.

However, he claimed that what has been proposed in the NEP 2020 is a combination of 3Cs- centralisation, commercialisation (corporatisation) and communalisation, because of which the AIFUCTO opposes.

Bhattarcharya was speaking at the AIFUCTO national executive council (NEC) meeting-cum-national seminar jointly organised by the organisation and All Nagaland Government College Teachers’ Association (ANGCTA) in collaboration with Kohima Science College Teachers’ Association (KSCTA), Jotsoma, on Friday.

He said at first reading there seems to be nothing wrong with the NEP 2020, which was introduced in the peak of the COVID-19. But after reading between the lines, there are many references made of “ancient India and knowledge,” he said and questioned why references were made only on ancient India.

Bhattarcharya also criticised the lack of inclusivity in the NEP and alleged that once implemented, it will be “the survival of richest.” He also pointed out that though NEP professes to develop scientific temper, Darwin’s theory of evolution and periodic table have been removed from the syllabus.

He further expressed concern over the increase in years for UG programmes from three to four years.

General Secretary AIFUCTO, Prof. Arun Kumar said the organisation is committed to democratic, secular, scientific and inclusive education system since its foundation in 1962, and that it continues to commit itself to the values of Indian Constitution by recognising the multicultural, multi-religious and multilingual identity of the nation.

Kumar alleged that in the country there has been a honeymoon between corporates and fundamentalists, threatening the values of Indian Constitution – democracy, secularism, federalism and socialism – even as neo-liberal economic policies pursued by the Government of India with unusual haste demolished the roots of public enterprises and given a farewell to the concept of welfare state.

In the midst of all these, the NEP 2020 which came into effect on July 28, 2020, now pose a great threat to the future of the country, he said and demanded that it should be withdrawn in the interest of collective wisdom of the nation.

General Secretary ANGCTA, Dr. Yelhi Vero, also highlighted the various issues confronting ANGCTA including contractual teachers, superannuation age, placement and promotion and introduction of CBCS system causing shortage of teachers in colleges.

Later briefing the media, AIFUCTO informed that it would write to Minister of Higher Education, Nagaland, and Government of India to address issues confronting the state.