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Education

Sohela College

 Sohela, Odisa, India 

Lecturer

Education

Sohela College

Sohela, Odisa, India

Abstract

NEP 2020 advocates for SWABALAMBANSILA  BHARAT. It means every member of the society should be self sufficient and economically efficient. Higher education plays an important role in fulfilment of this objective. Thus there is an urgent need of higher education for all like school education.

Though  the no. of students received higher education since post -Independence period has been rising from 0.7% in1950, 1.4% in1960 and 8%in 2000 yet  Higher in  India is facing a lots of problem. The most important problem is seen in accessibility, equality and equity in higher education specifically in socially disadvantage group.

In India exclusion takes place on account of three parameters in higher education .One is social exclusion on the basis of caste, another is on the basis of gender and third one is on the basis of disability.  The inequality or disparity experienced by social groups like schedule castes, schedule tribes, other backward classes and women and persons with disability reflected by the a fore said data is a matter of grave concern for India. All these major issues can be solved when we will go for inclusive   education.

 The Rastriya Uchchatar Aviyan(RUSA) has been set up by govt of India for improving the quality aspect in higher education. The major objective of RUSA is to increase the enrolment in higher education.. It states that every higher education department  must create equal opportunities for women, disadvantaged class, and for differentially abled and must have a greater focus on serving the rural areas and urban areas. Inclusion may lead to the needs and requirements of all the children and young people, those who are not defined only by their special educational needs; other factors such as social disadvantage, family background, gender or ethnic group In support of a broader interpretation, Slee says, ‘[t]hat which is represented as the SEN agenda must articulate across all forms of educational exclusion.

Key Words : Exclusion , PWD, RUSA, inclusion, equity, Socially Disadvantaged Group.

Inclusiveness in Higher Education

NEP 2020 advocates for SWABALAMBANSIL  BHARAT. It means every member of the society should be self sufficient and economically efficient. Higher education plays an important role in fulfillment of this objective. Thus there is an urgent need of higher education for all like school education.

Though the no. of students received higher education since post -Independence period has been rising from 0.7% in1950, 1.4% in1960 and8%in 2000 yet  higher in  India is facing alots of problem. The most important problem is seen in accessibility, equality and equity in higher education  specifically in socially disadvantage group.

Exclusion scenario in higher education  In India exclusion takes place on account of three parameters in higher education .One is social exclusion on the basis of caste, another is on the basis of gender and third one is on the basis of disability  .

Enrolment  of social groups to Higher Education:

In India exclusion takes place on account of three parameters in higher education .One is social exclusion on the basis of caste, another is on the basis of gender and third one is on the basis of disability. Most people belonging to lower castes don‟ t have opportunity for higher education, skill training or availing decent jobs. Second is economic exclusion, on account of poverty, because of which there is no upward mobility (Manisha, 2013).Historically, education in India had an elitist and upper caste centered basis. In ancient India the education was the monopoly of Brahman class and rest of society was excluded from education due to the water tight compartments of caste (Shahlani, 2013).

As per AISHE REPORT 15-16 out of 3.45,84,781 enrolled in higher education SC students constitute only 13.91% ST student only 4.9% and OBC constitute 33.75%. low participation of schedule castes and schedule tribes in higher education as compared to the national average 24.5% is a matter of grave concern. (AISHE, 2016).

Enrollment of Women in Higher Education

The present enrollment ratio of women as the report of All India Survey on Higher Education is concerned is 23.5% (AISHE, 2016) .Though the increase in the enrollment of women is a sign of progress but they don t have access to higher education commensurate with their population share and still there is a gap when we compare it with the gross enrollment ratio of men which is 25.4% (AISHE, 2016). The exclusion experienced by these groups on the basis of caste, ethnicity or gender is aggravated by insufficient scholarships, lack of mature loan system administrative apathy etc (Nagraja, 2013).

Enrollment of person with disability

The enrollment   status of person with disability  is also very much disgusting. Out of 74435 person with disability students enrollment only 39718 are male and 34717 are female. There are only 9.9% male PWD of SC,2.7% of ST and 31.2 % of OBC  have enrolled  in higher education .The female PWD are 11.9% in SC,2.3% in st and 34.2% in OBC category. The total percentage of PWDs students in higher education constitute only 10.9% inSC,2.5% in ST and 32.6% in OBC (AISHE 15-16) give a very poor  picture of  social exclusion  in higher education.

So the inequality or disparity experienced by social groups like schedule castes, schedule tribes, other backward classes and women and persons with disability reflected by the a foresaid data is a matter of grave concern for India. The most prominent policy for promoting access to higher education has been reservations .The policy of reservation in higher education is based on the assertion that participation of disadvantaged groups has been low and reservation would enhance their participation.

 All these major issues can be solved when we will go for inclusive  education. Originally, the inclusive education movement was focused primarily on people with disabilities and learning difficulties. But recently the concept of inclusion expanded to embrace thosewho are at risk of marginalization or exclusion for whatever reason. It can be thought of as an approach that seeks to address ‘barriers to learning and participation’, and provide ‘resources to support learning and participation’ (Ainscow et al., 2006). This support is seen as all activities, including those considered to be extra or co-curricular which increase the capacity of schools to respond to diversity (Booth and Ainscow, 2002). Some of these reasons are associated with ability, gender, race, ethnicity, language, care status, socioeconomic status, disability, sexuality, or religion (Gerschel, 2003). Inclusion may lead to the needs and requirements of all the children and young people, those who are not defined only by their special educational needs; other factors such as social disadvantage, family background, gender or ethnic group In support of a broader interpretation, Slee says, ‘[t]hat which is represented as the SEN agenda must articulate across all forms of educational exclusion.

Despite low gross enrollment ratio for the schedule castes ,schedule tribes and other backward classes and women ,several policy initiatives have been taken by the Ministry of Human Resource Development and in the 12th five year plan to promote inclusiveness so as to accommodate more students from marginalized sections with higher education in Indian context .

The Rastriya Uchchatar Aviyan (RUSA) has been set up by govt of India for improving the quality aspect in higher educationThe major objective of RUSA is to increase the enrolment in higher education..

According to RUSA Equity based development initiative must form an essential part  of any developmental expansion plan. It states that every higher education department  must create equal opportunities for women, disadvantaged class, and for differentialy abled,and must have a greater focus on serving the rural areas and urban areas. According to RUSA  Equity based development initiative must form an essential part  of any developmental expansion plan.It states that every higher education department  must create equal opportunities for women, disadvantaged class, and for differentialy  abled,and must have a greater focus on serving the rural areas and urban areas.

For improving access, equity  and equality in higher education RUSA states that all infrastructure under the scheme  of  the institution shall be barrier free and accessible to person with disability and follow harmonious guiding and space standard for barrier free built environment for person with disability and elderly  person.

RUSA  recommended  for converting all the existing  building  into fully disabled friendly  to improve access and ensure special facility, equipment for the disability students  .It also suggested for hostel and toilet facility for girls.

The National education policy 2020 introduced keeping a broad vision like swavalambansil Bharat. This policy lays emphasis on the development of the creative potential of each individual irrespective of their differences. For improving access, equity  and equality in higher education RUSA states that all infrastructure under the scheme  of  the institution shall be barrier free and accessible to person with disability and follow harmonious guiding and space standard for barrier free built environment for person with disability and elderly  person.

This Policy recommended the following steps for equitable access to quality education to all students, with a special emphasis on socially economically disadvantaged groups.These are

1. Increasing Government funds for the education of SEDGs

2. Icreasing GER for SEDGs in higher education.

3. Enhanceing  gender equity in admissions to HEIs and making admissions processes more inclusive
4. Enhance access by establishing more high-quality HEIs in aspirational districts and Special Education Zones containing larger numbers of SEDGs

5. Conducting outreach programmes on higher education opportunities and scholarships among SEDGs
6. Facilitating develop and support technology tools for better participation and learning outcomes.

7. Making curriculum more inclusive.

8. Ensuring all buildings and facilities are wheelchair-accessible and disabled-friendly

9. Increase employability potential of higher education programmes

10. Develop more degree courses taught in Indian languages and bilingually

11. Develop bridge courses for students that come from disadvantaged educational backgrounds

12. Ensure sensitization of faculty, counsellor, and students on gender-identity issue and its inclusion in all aspects of the HEI, including curricula.

Suggestions and Recommendations

Few suggestions and recommendations can also be followed to promote inclusive culture  in higher education There must be a fee concession; regular scholarships as well as education loan must be provided at right time to all students including schedule castes and schedule tribes to complete their courses successfully (Joseph, 2013). Effective measures will have to be adapted for effective resources and input services for higher education. . The career counseling and redressal grievance cells should be established and made operational for schedule castes, schedule tribes and women and for persons with disability in every higher education institution.There should be construction of ramps ,disabled friendly campus,and input services for disabled in higher education. Besides access to qualitative professional higher education needs to be further expanded at the same time equity must be ensured by extending financial and academic support to poor and marginalized sections of the society. Parents counselling, community involvement ,administrative support, leadership, collaborative and cooperative efforts by students and teachers, cultivation of positive attitude towards inclusive education  etc are the most important efforts for making higher education inclusive.

References

1.  Agrawal, P. (2009).Indian Higher Education: Envisioning the future, New Delhi: Sage Publications India Ltd.

2. Agrawal Rasmi “Education For Disabled Children” Sipra Publication, Delhi.

3. Dash Suniti & Supakar R.C. “Inclusive Education : A wholistic approach to education for all.” REMARKING an International Journal, SRF Kanpur (UP) 2016.

4. All India survey pn Higher Education (2015-16).Ministry of Human Resource Development of Higher Education, New Delhi.     

5. Agrawal,P, (2009) Indian Higher Education Envisioning the future, New DELHI Sage Publication IndiaLtd

6. Inclusive Indian Higher Education And Equity Issue Of Marginalized Social Groups, Tanveer Ahmad Zoie  Showkat RashidGovt. GDC (Boys) Pulwama,

7.  RUSA Ministry of Human resource Development.Deparment of  Higher education Govrrment Of India.