The Centre has urged the Kerala government to implement the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 in order to avail the benefits of the Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA) aimed at supporting higher education institutions.
A letter sent by the Union Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan has put the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in a tight spot, considering its defiant stance towards the national policy.
Yet to sign
Many other non-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled States including Tamil Nadu are also yet to sign the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that are mandatory in seeking funds under the Central flagship scheme.
The scheme, which has subsumed the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA), is envisaged to fund government and aided institutions in States and Union Territories by redesigning the previous scheme for “rationalisation and higher impact”. It will focus on various aspects including improving graduate employability by promoting market-linked courses, industry linkage and student internships.
The scheme guidelines highlight that NEP 2020 is the “guiding force” behind PM-USHA. Besides, the scheme has adopted a multi-stage selection criteria that chiefly involves signing an MoU that would include commitment from States regarding the implementation of NEP reforms, among others.
While Kerala earlier expressed interest in applying for the scheme, it has now been reminded by the Centre to comply with its terms on NEP 2020.
The Centre has urged the State government to align itself with reforms such as multiple entry-exit, academic bank of credits, National Higher Education Qualifications Framework and Indian knowledge systems. The State would have to enter into an agreement to enable higher education institutions to submit project proposals through a dedicated portal created for PM-USHA.
‘Unfair’
While the State is yet to decide on its future course of action, Higher Education Minister R. Bindu called it unfair to impose the NEP 2020 as a directive.
“We do not intend to reject the policy in toto, but several recommendations such as phasing out the affiliation system and granting autonomy to every college are impractical in a State as ours,” she pointed out, while hinting that the scheme could emerge as a new flashpoint in Centre-State ties.
