Saffron takeover of India’s education system | Modi report card, Ep 4

Summary

The video script discusses the Modi government's impact on education in India, highlighting the 2014 BJP manifesto's promise to prioritize education. It critiques the government's curriculum changes, such as the removal of certain historical chapters and scientific theories, and the introduction of religious texts. The script also examines budget allocations, showing a discrepancy between promises and actual spending. It notes slight improvements in enrollment but expresses concern over declining learning outcomes. The National Education Policy 2020 is mentioned, with its structural changes and foreign university partnerships, alongside criticisms regarding privatization and a lack of focus on caste-based reservations.

Takeaways

• 📚 The 2014 BJP Manifesto emphasized education as a powerful tool for national advancement, leading to changes in the textbook curriculum.
• 🗑️ The NCRT in April 2023 announced the erasure of certain chapters related to the Mughal Empire from class 12 history textbooks and removal of Charles Darwin's theory of evolution from class 9 and 10 science textbooks.
• 📖 Gujarat assembly passed a resolution to start teaching the Bhagat Gita in schools, reflecting the influence of cultural and religious ideologies on education.
• 🔍 An example of questionable historical content was the claim in a class 8 textbook that VD Savarkar could fly out of prison on the wings of a bullbull bird, which has since been removed.
• 💰 The Modi government's allocation to education averaged only 0.44% of the annual GDP between 2014 to 2024, lower than the Congress's 0.61% between 2004 and 2014.
• 📈 Despite lower spending, there was a slight increase in school enrollment and gross enrollment ratio in higher education, according to the ASER report and the All India Survey of Higher Education.
• 👧 Enrollment of girls aged 11 to 14 in schools has significantly improved, with the percentage of girls not enrolled dropping from 10.3% in 2006 to 2% in 2022.
• 📉 Learning outcomes have not been encouraging, with a decline in the ability of rural grade 3 and grade 5 students to read materials at their grade level between 2018 and 2022.
• 🏫 High dropout rates were observed among students from marginalized backgrounds, particularly from SC/ST communities, in IITs, NITs, and other centrally funded technical institutions.
• 📝 The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 introduced a new 5+3+3+4 structure for education and allowed foreign universities to establish campuses in India, but faced criticism for encouraging privatization and lack of focus on caste and reservation provisions.
• 🌐 The COVID-19 pandemic exposed India's digital divide in education, highlighting the unfulfilled promise of the BJP's 2014 manifesto to address this issue.

Q & A

What did the 2014 BJP Manifesto state about education?

The 2014 BJP Manifesto stated that education is the most powerful tool for the advancement of the nation and that the government would use this tool to change the textbook curriculum.

What changes did the NCRT announce in April 2023 regarding history textbooks?

In April 2023, the NCRT announced that it would erase certain chapters related to the Mughal Empire from class 12 history textbooks.

Why was Charles Darwin's theory of evolution removed from science textbooks?

A BJP leader claimed that Darwin's theory of evolution was scientifically incorrect and should not be taught in schools, leading to its removal from class 9 and class 10 science textbooks.

What resolution did the Gujarat assembly pass regarding the teaching of the Bhagat Gita in schools?

The Gujarat assembly passed a resolution to start teaching the Bhagat Gita in schools.

What was the claim made in the Class 8 Canada textbook about VD Savarkar?

The Class 8 Canada textbook claimed that VD Savarkar, while jailed in the Andaman Cellular Jail, used to fly out of prison and return on the wings of a bullbull bird.

How has the Modi government's budget allocation to education compared to the Congress?

Between 2014 to 2024, the BJP allocated an average of 0.44% of the annual GDP to education, which was less than the Congress's allocation of 0.61% between 2004 and 2014.

What has been the trend in school enrollment according to the ASER report?

According to the ASER report, there has been a slight increase in school enrollment, from 96.7% in 2014 to 97.2% in 2018 and 98.4% in 2022.

What was the gross enrollment ratio in higher education according to the All India Survey of Higher Education 2019-2020?

The gross enrollment ratio in higher education went up from 26.3% in 2018-19 to 27.1% in 2019-20.

What was the learning outcome for grade three children in rural India in 2018 and 2022?

In 2018, only 27.2% of grade three children in rural India were able to read grade two level material, which increased to 40.5% in 2022.

What was the situation regarding dropouts from IITs, NITs, and other centrally funded technical institutions between 2016 and 2020?

Between 2016 and 2020, 60% of dropout students from IITs, NITs, and other centrally funded technical institutions belonged to the SC/ST communities.

What is the National Education Policy 2020 and what are some of its main recommendations?

The National Education Policy 2020 is a framework for both school and higher education across the country. It recommends changing the current 10+2 structure to a 5+3+3+4 structure and includes children from ages 3 to 5 within the formal education system. It also allows foreign universities to set up their campuses in India.

What are some criticisms of the National Education Policy 2020?

Critics argue that the NEP encourages privatization of public institutions, has too many exit options leading to large scale dropouts, focuses on vocational education over meaningful education, and does not mention caste and reservation provisions. The biggest criticism is over the union government controlling education, which many regional political parties oppose.