Western influence in the Indian education system has to be removed: Dharmendra Pradhan

Democratic Alliance (NDA) government is being attacked by the opposition leaders with regard to their handling of the education sector. Member of Parliament (MP) from the Hyderabad constituency Assaduddin Owaisi claimed that the Muslim community is being stigmatised in educational institutions. “Direct connection can be drawn between policies of the government and the continued education backwardness of the Muslims. In both higher education and schooling, Muslims want to get formal education but because of government apathy and negligence, the Muslim dropout rate in the education system is higher than children of any other community,” Owaisi said. 

Questions were also raised over the National Education Policy. The changes being made to the NCERT textbooks were criticised. “The systematic revision of textbooks under the current government poses a threat to our children’s intellectual integrity. Deleting chapters on Muslim rules, Gujarat riots, have been widely criticised by academicians... These changes are leading to intellectual stagnation, political manipulation, and are targeting the intellect of Indian students,” TMC MP Pratima Mondal remarked. 

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Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan reacted to the allegations by highlighting the achievements of the government including increased spending on education and higher recruitment of female teachers. He justified the changes made in the textbooks. “Western influence in the Indian education system has to be removed. The National Education Policy is not just a 60-page policy document. It is a philosophical element for the rebuilding of India, enhancing brotherhood in the world, and solving global problems. The entire nation unanimously accepts it today,” Dharmendra mentioned.