A section of educators have called for the withdrawal of the proposed academic bank of credits (ABC) and the Draft National Higher Education Qualification Framework (NHEQF), and objected to the proposed multidisciplinary approach to higher education. The academics felt the idea of a four-year undergraduate honours programme would only keep higher education out of the ambit of those from lower socio-economic groups.
The All India Save Education Committee, on Wednesday, called for the withdrawal of the proposed ABC scheme and the Draft NHEQF, stating the proposals would undermine the autonomy of the universities. The universities are governed by a robust body of teachers to frame curriculum and chart courses for their students, the members said.
L. Jawahar Nesan, who heads the committee said the ABC was conditional and could result in students dropping out of higher educational institutions before completing their course. It mandated that on re-entry after a break, the candidate would have to clear a test to be eligible to continue education. Also, unlike the current system, students cannot carry over arrears to the next year. Such conditions would only affect the target of 50% Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER). The proposed multidisciplinary approach to higher education was aimed at creating a workforce pool, he said.
According to him, the current mainstream system met the diverse demands of the society, offering students options that took cognisance of the diversity in their social background. The proposed system only furthers vocational education and does not emphasise inclusive curriculum, he said.
Mr. Nesan said education should be holistic and not market-oriented, which is what the Draft NHEQF proposed. It had been developed on a process that some European nations had adopted and should only be an advisory and not regulatory, he added.
