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6 EDITORIAL DELHI
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Krishna Kumar eyes and mind process a written starting too early, the need for
I
ndia’s strong protest to the UN Security Council over New break-up text has made no decisive diff e such a bridge is precluded. This
Pakistan’s socalled “statement” to a special discus
O
verhaul has a nice connota One signifi cant shift NEP proposes rence in countries like ours. This has longterm consequences for
sion on terrorism is explained by a number of fac tion. The smooth fi rst run is in the reorganisation of elemen body of research has demonstrat learning mathematics and for per
tors. First, the statement, which Pakistan’s mission to of one’s childhood bicycle tary education. As of now, it com ed that a child’s search for mean ceiving it as an attractive subject.
the UN published as something delivered at an “open” after it got overhauled is a lasting prises eight years of schooling ing is a far sounder basis for learn
debate on a report by the UN Secretary General, was memory. When people say that a starting with Grade 1 at age six as ing to read than mechanical Culture of speed
system has become so bad that it Article 45 of the Constitution en practices like letter recognition A culture of speed pervades all
never actually delivered. The only countries invited to
needs an overhaul, they actually visaged. The Right to Education country and you will inevitably and associating letters with their spheres of school life. Middleclass
the discussion were permanent and nonpermanent believe that such a thing is possi (RTE) act promulgated a decade fi nd three to fouryear olds recit names and sound values. Prema parents set the norm for this cul
members of the UNSC and offi cials briefi ng them. ble, that someone can do it. In ago treats these eight years as a ing the English alphabet and num turely acquired literacy can be ture by pushing their infants to
Neither does the UNSC take cognisance of statements popular imagination, an overhaul composite stage, consisting of fi ve bers. The idea that learning begins harmful in that it creates a habit, consume the various products
by nonparticipating countries. The statement, then, also carries an association with years of primary and three years with the alphabet and numbers is diffi cult to remedy later, of ignor sold in the pedagogy market. Digi
appeared to be an exercise by Pakistan in repeating its radical improvement. Machines of upperprimary education. NEP very popular indeed. Many people ing the message. tal equipment is the latest addition
allegations against India. In the letter, Pakistan’s Am improve quite radically after an off ers a surgical procedure which believe that there is nothing wrong In daily life, we see plenty of to the educational toys that have
bassador sought to portray Pakistan as a victim of overhaul, but social systems like will graft the fi rst two primary in introducing a child of three to evidence of such a habit. Reading long been favoured over cottage
education behave more like living grades on to three years of pres reading and writing. If you express without relating to the text or to its toys which quietly represent the
“crossborder terrorism”, and claimed that Pakistan is
beings as they carry legacies and chool education. On the face of it, some doubt about such an idea, author is far more common than wider world and serve as a sym
“responsible” for “decimating” alQaeda in the region. tendencies rooted in the wider so this idea looks great as it starts a some people might agree to delay using one’s ability to read in order bolic bridge to what all lies outside
As India’s mission at the UN retorted, the envoy could cial ethos. These tendencies need child’s educational journey from this plan by a year or so, but that is to make sense of a text. Despite the home.
not have forgotten that Osama bin Laden and other to be studied and recognised be age three instead of six. the limit. The reasoning behind education, many literates develop The school’s long shadow now
leaders of the terror group were all found in Pakistan. fore radical remedies are adminis The plan also implies a historic this belief is that if reading and no interest in reading. An intro extends to the home, and parents
The statement then went on to list “four types of terro tered for improvement. break from the system as envis writing are the two fundamental duction to the alphabet and being sigh with relief when they secure
rism” Pakistan confronts, each of which was attributed The National Education Policy aged in the Kothari report (1964 skills a child will need to do well at drilled for letter recognition at a their children’s admission to a nur
(NEP) 2020 off ers to revise and re 1966) which recommended the school, what is the harm in cultiv very young age is a major source of sery in the third year of their life, if
to India. The fi rst included some of the attacks in Pakis
vamp the system of education. present 10+2 system. NEP propos ating these skills from the earliest reading without deriving any not earlier. Changing family norms
tan carried out by the TehrikeTaliban Pakistan (TTP), Such a promise carries great pu es a new structure. Instead of possible age? meaning or showing any interest. and social conditions make the
a group that according to Pakistan’s unsubstantiated blic appeal because a lot of people 10+2, we will now have a 5+3+4 sys Indeed, the faith in early acqui Similar harm is done to writing transfer of the young child from
claim has been funded by an “Indian terror syndicate” feel quite fed up with the system. tem, in which the fi rst fi ve years in sition of literacy and numeracy ex when it is acquired before one home to a nursery inevitable. Alth
based in Afghanistan. That claim has been rejected by Any doubt about the need for an clude three years of preschool tends to the feeling that any delay needs it. Writing is basically a ough nurseries routinely use the
the UNSC in part already, as two of the four names for overhaul in education today is like education (starting at age three), on this front will harm the child’s means of conveying one’s ideas to rhetoric of playway, their pro
warded by Pakistan weren’t accepted into the terror de ly to be stigmatised as a sign of followed by Grades 1 and 2 of the development. Nothing could be someone else. It becomes a mea grammes are mostly a downward
conservatism. Disruptors and out primary school. Although a wide more contrary to truth although ningful activity when an intended extension of the school. This social
signations list. The second allegation was that India has
ofthebox solutions have been in spectrum of goals is mentioned for we must acknowledge that the audience begins to matter for the reality makes early childhood edu
“hired” mercenaries to carry out attacks, in operations the air for some time. the preschool years, the overarch matter is still regarded by many as small child. If no need is felt for an cation in its present form a mixed
Pakistan claims have been organised by Kulbhushan The National Knowledge Com ing focus is on making children a subject of debate. The key issue audience, acquisition of writing blessing. By promoting founda
Jadhav, a former naval offi cer. Next is Pakistan’s conten mission (NKC2008) had set the ‘schoolready’ in the context of in the debate is our concept of becomes merely the attainment of tional literacy and numeracy as a
tion that policies of the government amount to “Hin stage for this kind of popular radi reading, writing and arithmetic. reading itself. There is a sharp divi a mechanical skill. key educational target of early
dutva terrorism”, with specifi c references to the Citi calism. We now have a fuller The term used in NEP is ‘founda sion among perspectives on what What applies to reading and schooling, we are likely to stress
zenship Amendment Act and the Ram temple script. At times, it falls back on ol tional literacy and numeracy’. A constitutes reading; more specifi writing is equally true of prema further an already embattled
der, tired ideas, such as the three separate section is devoted to it, cally: how is reading learnt? turely acquired numeracy. Mathe childhood.
construction. Finally, there is the oftrepeated allega
language formula. It evinces ap underlining its importance as a The older perspective is that matics off ers to the child a means
tion about Indian government actions in Jammu and proval for the recent trajectory of ‘prerequisite to learning’. It reading starts with familiarity with to make sense of the world, but Krishna Kumar is a former Director of the
Kashmir which it refers to as “state terrorism”. ideas like quantifi able basis for sounds great, but let us stop to stu the alphabet. According to this the desire to relate to diff erent ob National Council of Educational Research
India, which has described these allegations as “pre seeking credit ratings and rank dy its implications. view, the child must learn to recog jects arises with the widening of and Training and the author of The
posterous” and “laughable”, need not worry about its ings, outcomebased assessment, Visit a nursery in any part of the nise individual letters and their experience and engagement. Pro Child’s Language and the Teacher
reputation, given its acclaimed role in fi ghting terror
and cooperating on the international stage to deny ter
rorists funding and safe haven. Pakistan has consistent
ly done the opposite, and its continued greylisting at
the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), as well as the
Making agricultural market reforms successful
presence of the names of hundreds of Pakistani terror
groups and individuals on UN terror lists, are proof of Consistency in Central policy, complementary reforms and a collaborative Centre-State approach are necessary
that. Even so, it is important that the government take
agricultural market (eNAM) was farm household with a budgetary between the Central and the State
the Pakistani attempt to build its case seriously, and
launched with a lot of fanfare. The outlay of ₹ 75,000 crore. This pro governments, and also among va
preempt its larger strategy of painting India in a poor eNAM was intended to be a mar gramme has worked reasonably rious States becomes crucial. Also,
light ahead of its tenure at the UN Security Council 2021 ketbased mechanism for effi cient well so far with many States top the States must have faced several
2022 and the upcoming scrutiny process at the FATF.
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T
he recent reforms in agricul ral Produce Market Committee cover 415 more markets, farmers problems in implementation of
The RBI’s annual report makes clear there is tural marketing have (APMC) Acts to put in place three have been allowed to sell and tran the ordinances. Such a consulta
more pain in store for the economy brought a sea change in poli prerequisites for the success of sport directly from registered wa tive and conciliatory approach will
cy. The removal of restrictions un this programme — a single licence and private procurement was not rehouses and Farmer Produce Or also minimise friction between the
T
hree weeks after its monetary policy committee der the Essential Commodities Act across the State; a singlepoint levy initiated, even on a pilot basis, in ganisations (FPOs) and appbased Centre and the States when the or
decided to hold fi re on interest rates amid accel (ECA) should help attract private of the market fee; and electronic any State. However, the initial bud transport services have been de dinances come up before Parlia
investment in agriculture and help auctioning in all the markets. Sev getary outlay did not match the le vised. Taking this thrust further, ment.
erating retail infl ation, the Reserve Bank of India
farmers of cereals, pulses, oil eral States could not or did not car vel of ambition of the programme. the government announced a slew The third important issue is the
(RBI) has forecast more pain for the economy. Its as seeds, onion and potato, who have ry out these amendments and the An outlay of only ₹ 4721 crore was of reforms on May 15, including multiple market failures and the
sessment of the economic landscape and its prognosis been adversely aff ected by the pol eNAM proved to be far less eff ec made in 201819. A study by the In the major marketing reforms men resultant interlinkage of rural
for nearterm prospects posit a stark picture: of de icy regime hitherto that discour tive than desired. stitute of Economic Growth at the tioned above. markets. Absence or failure of cre
mand hollowed out by the severe shock to private con aged private investment. The two time showed that the programme However, some of the issues dit and insurance markets may
sumption, public fi nances strained by the imperative of new ordinances are expected to Policy reversals needed a much larger outlay to that impeded the success of the lead a farmer to depend upon the
funding mitigation measures, anaemic appetite for in enable interState trade and pro As a result, the government revert provide comprehensive coverage. earlier initiatives still remain. The local input dealer or the middle
mote contract farming, thereby ed back to public price support by The initial outlay further dwindled frequent fl ipfl ops in farm policy — man to meet his/her farming
vestment among corporates and creditfl owimpeding
providing a large number of op launching an ambitious pro to ₹ 321 crore in 20192020 and on from a marketbased eNAM to a needs. This, in turn, may tie him to
risk aversion among bankers, to name but a few. The tions to farmers. gramme, PMAASHA, in Septem ly ₹ 500 crore have been ear public funded PMAASHA and these intermediaries and con
COVID19induced economic contraction that manifest However, there are several diffi ber 2018. The main objective of marked in 20202021. In addition now back to marketbased mea strain his choice of output mar
ed itself in the fi scal fi rst quarter, is now almost certain culties that need to be addressed this programme was to provide an to the PMAASHA programme, sures — may not inspire much con kets. Similarly, the widespread res
to extend through the JulySeptember period, the RBI before the full benefi ts of these assured price to farmers that en two Model Acts were formulated fi dence in the minds of private in trictions on land leasing in many
said in its Annual Report. Observing that the “reimposi policies are realised. The fi rst one sured a return of at least 50% more by the Central government in 2017 vestors about the continuance of States lead to ineffi cient scale of
tion or stricter imposition of lockdowns” in diff erent is what the behavioural econo than the cost of cultivation. The and 2018 to promote agricultural the present policies. This may re production. Thus, reforms in the
parts of the country in July and August had mainly con mists call the ‘timeinconsistency’ programme was confi ned to puls marketing and contract farming in sult in the investors adopting a output market alone are not suffi
problem, or in simple terms, the es and oilseeds to limit the fi scal States. States were required to le waitandwatch approach. cient and must be supplemented
tributed to damping the tentative revival in momentum
policy credibility problem. This costs, although many other crops, gislate these Model Acts. However, and complemented with liberali
seen in the preceding two months, it said several recent situation arises when a decision which did not receive the benefi ts progress has been tardy and many Better coordination sation of the lease market and bet
highfrequency indicators pointed to an unprecedent maker’s preferences change over of the MSPprocurement system, States have not adopted the Model The second issue is the Centre ter access to credit and insurance
ed retrenchment in activity. Noting that the services time in such a way that the prefe also needed this coverage. Public Acts. This uninspiring perfor State and StateState relations. markets.
sector has been a prime mover of the Indian economy, rences are inconsistent at diff erent procurement, defi ciency pay mance of PMAASHA necessitated Although the Ordinances were In conclusion, consistency in
the central bank fl agged the fact that whatever con points in time. Why is this pro ments and private procurement a more radical and direct ap passed by the Central Government policy, collaborative approach and
sumption had survived the shock was now manifesting blem relevant in the present con were the main planks of this pro proach. Thus evolved the PMKI using the constitutional provi complementary reforms are ne
text? Because the policy signals gramme. However, only public SAN, a direct cash transfer pro sions, the implementation of the cessary for the success of the re
as essential spending with services including transport
are not very clear in the last few procurement was carried out in a gramme, in the interim Budget of same vests with the States. Also, cent agricultural market reforms.
and hospitality almost completely eviscerated. years as relates to agricultural meaningful way. Defi ciency pay 20192020 (February 2019). This interState trade involves move
The Central government, which has gamely attempt marketing, as we will see below. ments were only implemented on programme involved a fi xed pay ment of goods across the State C.S.C. Sekhar is a Professor of Economics
ed ‘pandemic proofi ng’ demand by increasing its net re In 2016, the electronic national a pilot basis in Madhya Pradesh ment of ₹ 6,000 per annum to each boundaries. Thus, coordination at Institute of Economic Growth, Delhi
venue expenditure by a third in the fi rst quarter, is, ho
wever, likely to fi nd itself strapped for resources in the
coming months. As a result, it would have little leeway LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
to continue to undergird momentum. States too are ex
pected to fi nd their fi nances so tightly squeezed as to To read more letters
Congress meet commit blunders and the crucial Assembly election vendetta, rather than justice, exceptional that he could online, scan the QR code
have to cut capital spending. In its prescription to over The Congress Party lost a implode, which looks in Bihar. It is the Gandhis, for stating an opinion. What maintain such highlevel
come the funds crunch, however, the central bank ap golden opportunity to impossible in the near not the signatories of the we need today is judicial bowling skills, supreme new faces. Amidst such
pears to run into a contradiction. The RBI suggests that undertake a serious future. letter, who have emerged reforms and accountability fi tness and the undiminished intense competition,
the government should help “crowd in” private invest introspection that would Thumati Anuradha, bruised amid an of judges. We should not passion for the art over these Anderson had carved a niche
have helped it get rid of Hyderabad orchestrated chorus of forget that even the heads of years. He took a studied for himself. He is, even at 38,
ment through targeted public investment that could be
funded by monetising assets in steel, coal, power, land many archaic practices support for the former. The courts are accountable for decision in 2015 to stop a force to reckon with and
irrelevant in modern ■ The Congress, instead of signatories of the letter have their deeds and the public playing the shorter formats could take another 50
and railways. But given that private companies have
political discourse. It is reinventing itself after its also added grist to the BJP’s has a right to voice its of the game and this enabled wickets. Apart from Stuart
been either too highly in debt and therefore keen to use evident from the Congress second successive defeat in propaganda mill about the opinion when it feels him to remain fresh and free Broad, who is around 100
gains from the government’s corporate tax rate cut to Working Committee (CWC) Lok Sabha elections, NehruGandhi family. something is wrong with the from injuries so that he could wickets behind him, it is
repay loans, or loath to raise capital spending when deliberations that loyalty to continues to hop from one R. Sivakumar, judiciary. continue to serve England in unlikely that any fast bowler
saddled with excess capacity, it is hard to see the go the family continues to be crisis to another. The latest Chennai Anahatha D. Kalyani, white fl annels. In countries will emulate Anderson’s feat
vernment raising much out of its privatisation eff orts. the only way to grow in the crisis that surfaced after a Palakkad, Kerala like England and Australia, in the foreseeable future.
Ultimately, as Expenditure Secretary T.V. Somanathan party. Now, it is clear that host of senior leaders wrote Contempt case even a marginal drop in form V. Lakshmanan,
the words and actions of a letter to Sonia Gandhi I don’t understand why the Jimmy crosses 600 can force selectors to go for Tirupur, Tamil Nadu
has acknowledged, the Centre may opt to marshal its
Congress are not only seeking a change in Supreme Court is wasting its James Anderson, who
meagre resources more prudently and wait for the harming the party, but also leadership has led to the precious time on a contempt became the fi rst fast bowler
curve of infections to start fl attening before committing corrections & clarifications: >>A report titled “Monsoon
helping the Bharatiya alliance parties raising case, when we have a to achieve the milestone of session from Sept. 14” (August 26, 2020) erroneously said as per
to any further stimulus spending. A revival will ensue Janata Party (BJP). Perhaps, doubts on Congress’s ability backlog of important cases 600 Test wickets, has been the convention, Parliament has to meet within six months. It
only once consumers regain confi dence to go out and the refusal of Congress to to take on the ruling BJP. waiting to be heard. This an indispensable bowler for should have said as per the legal position fl owing from Article 85.
spend. And that, as of now, seems a fair distance away. reform itself may be due to Signifi cantly, the case is moving more into the England for 17 years now. It The Readers’ Editor’s office can be contacted by Telephone: +91-44-28418297/28576300;
its hope that the BJP will development comes ahead of territory of personal is not just diffi cult but E-mail:readerseditor@thehindu.co.in
CM A ND-NDE
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THE HINDU
THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2020
DELHI
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