Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Narendra Modi government have locked horns over the removal of some members of National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) appointed during UPA regime.
In its latest diktat, the RSS has asked the Union Human Resource Development Ministry to ‘change all members’ appointed by the previous UPA government in the NCTE. The RSS has communicated its demand to HRD minister Smriti Irani.
The RSS has red-flagged the appointment of professor Kishna Kumar, professor Janaki Rajan, professor Padma Sarangapani and professor Virginius Xaxa saying they don’t fit the criteria prescribed by the NCTE Act 1993.
Hailing RSS’ move, Indian Association of Teacher Education president professor PK Sahoo said, ‘We welcome the move of RSS as all the four appointees have been illegally selected during the tenure of the then HRD minister in May 2013.’
Sahoo further alleged that these handful members have occupied key positions in various committees for formulation of norms and regulations of several teacher education programmes and curriculum revision.
Shaoo also demanded dissolution of committees constituted by these ‘incompetent’ members of the NCTE.
It is pertinent to mention here that the basic criteria for being a member as per the NCTE Act are deans of faculty of education and professor of education in universities. Krishna Kumar is a professor in Delhi University while Janaki Rajan is also a professor with Jamia Milia Islamia sans any degree in education. The profession qualifications of other two members Padma Sarangpani and Virginium Xaxa are even lesser than the above two members, alleged Shaoo.
Meanwhile, sources in RSS said that the right-wing outfit of BJP has advised the government to re-examine other appointments. The Sangh has also reportedly told the HRD minister that the NCTE should be instructed not to call any meeting of the Council or go ahead with the constitution of the executive council.
In its latest diktat, the RSS has asked the Union Human Resource Development Ministry to ‘change all members’ appointed by the previous UPA government in the NCTE. The RSS has communicated its demand to HRD minister Smriti Irani.
The RSS has red-flagged the appointment of professor Kishna Kumar, professor Janaki Rajan, professor Padma Sarangapani and professor Virginius Xaxa saying they don’t fit the criteria prescribed by the NCTE Act 1993.
Hailing RSS’ move, Indian Association of Teacher Education president professor PK Sahoo said, ‘We welcome the move of RSS as all the four appointees have been illegally selected during the tenure of the then HRD minister in May 2013.’
Sahoo further alleged that these handful members have occupied key positions in various committees for formulation of norms and regulations of several teacher education programmes and curriculum revision.
Shaoo also demanded dissolution of committees constituted by these ‘incompetent’ members of the NCTE.
It is pertinent to mention here that the basic criteria for being a member as per the NCTE Act are deans of faculty of education and professor of education in universities. Krishna Kumar is a professor in Delhi University while Janaki Rajan is also a professor with Jamia Milia Islamia sans any degree in education. The profession qualifications of other two members Padma Sarangpani and Virginium Xaxa are even lesser than the above two members, alleged Shaoo.
Meanwhile, sources in RSS said that the right-wing outfit of BJP has advised the government to re-examine other appointments. The Sangh has also reportedly told the HRD minister that the NCTE should be instructed not to call any meeting of the Council or go ahead with the constitution of the executive council.