Union Government: The Union Government clarified that there is no proposal to introduce a 'One Nation, One Education' initiative by consolidating all school boards into one national board like CBSE. In a textual response to a query put by MP Ramashankar Rajbhar in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Education Jayant Chaudhary confirmed that education is still a Concurrent List subject of the Constitution, and it is in the hand of the concerned State Governments and Union Territory (UT) Administrations to decide on opening, closing, or merging schools.
The idea of 'One Nation, One Education' proposing a single curriculum and uniform board system has incited controversy among teachers, policy makers, and state governments. Critics opine that it might dilute regional, cultural and linguistic diversity while proponents argue that it would establish the same level of academic standards throughout the country. The government's recent clarification seeks to allay these fears.
Chaudhary also pointed out that the government's attention is towards the provision of equal opportunities for learning to students in all boards central or state and not towards having a uniform setup. "There is no plan to consolidate all school boards into one. Rather, there is a move towards curricular and evaluation parity across different boards to provide quality education through equitable access," he stated.
He referred to the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which emphasizes consolidation of schools only when it does not impede access to education. The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, requires that schools be set up within specified neighbourhood boundaries to facilitate universal elementary education access. States have been going about consolidating to create bigger school complexes, according to local needs, to enhance learning and teacher deployment effectiveness.
States are assisted by the Central Government under the Samagra Shiksha scheme in keeping proper Pupil-Teacher Ratios (PTR), infrastructure, and computer learning facilities. These include classrooms, separate toilets for boys and girls, science laboratories, computer laboratories, libraries, and smart classrooms.
The Education Ministry is also focusing on the well-being of students. Schemes such as Manodarpan offer mental counseling to students, teachers, and parents, particularly those under stress due to competitive exams or academic stress. The NCERT has also launched revised curriculum frameworks (NCF-FS and NCF-SE) that include mental well-being and health as an important educational aspect.
