Bhubaneswar: Former All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) chairman Damodar Acharya Thursday called for a complete overhaul of the country’s school curriculum, tests such as the Joint Entrance Examination severely undermined the education system.
“It has only led to the mushrooming of coaching institutes, which are estimated to have a turnover of Rs 40 crores by 2030. They create an impression that merit is city-centric and it is only for those with money. There is a need to completely overhaul the school education system,” said Acharya during his inaugural address at the 61st national conference of Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the students’ wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh here. Around 5,000 delegates from 500 universities from across the country are taking part in the four-day event at the Siksha O Anusandhan University here.
ABVP general secretary Srihari Borekar echoed the sentiments of the former AICTE chief, claiming that he wants a system that is inherently “Indian”, which would provide weaker students with employability. He called for the current system, which brands students in the “pass” and “fail” category in the board examinations of Classes X and XII, to be abolished, Telegraph reported.
“As a students’ body, we will send our recommendations on the new education policy and urge for a new system in which weaker students are provided education based on locally-available resources through which they can gain employment. We also want 100 per cent Indianisation of education,” he said Borekar.
Borekar also raised demands for textbooks to contain adequate information about India’s history, culture and tradition, including its great leaders.
Over the next three days the conference, will deliberate crucial issues of national interest such as education and women empowerment. Four resolutions on the New Educational Policy, National Security, Educational Environment in Country and National Scene would also be adopted at the conference.
This is the first national conference of the ABVP in the state in 22 years and the state unit is leaving no stone unturned in making the conference a success.
An exhibition on Odisha culture, history, Jagannath cult and ABVP activities cross India was inaugurated earlier in the afternoon to provide visitors a glimpse of state’s art, culture and tradition.
Social worker Imtiaz Ali and founder of Sarthak Samudayik Vikas Evam Jan Kalyan Sansthan will be conferred the Professor Yashwantrao Kelkar Yuva Puraskar on the last day of the conference. The award, instituted by the ABVP in 1990, is conferred on nationally acclaimed youths for their individual contribution to society.
Delegates at the conference also enjoyed a performance by the Prince Dance Group of India’s Got Talent fame.