FROM MACAULAY TO NEP: India’s Education Journey; from a People’s Perspective

Description

Education in India has never been merely about schools, universities and classrooms. It has always been about power, social hierarchy and the struggle over what kind of society India will become. In From Macaulay to NEP, Neeraj Jain tells the compelling story of this struggle—from colonial policies designed to produce a narrow elite to the ongoing battle for universal, democratic education. Bringing into conversation the visions of Jyotirao and Savitribai Phule, Bhagat Singh, Gandhi and Dr. Ambedkar with the promises of the Indian Constitution, the book exposes how successive policy shifts—from neoliberal reforms to NEP 2020—have reshaped education in ways that deepen inequality and exclusion. Deeply researched and passionately argued, this book is a powerful call to reclaim education as a universal public good—and the very foundation of democracy. — Prof. Anil Sadgopal, Distinguished educationist-activist; former Dean, Faculty of Education, University of Delhi (From the Foreword)

Distinguished educationist-activist; former Dean, Faculty of Education, University of Delhi (From the Foreword) Education has always been a contested terrain, and this book stands out for its focus, brevity, honesty and contemporary relevance. At a time when the very idea and practice of education are under strain from political and financial pressures, the author holds out a candle of hope and shows the way forward with convincing data and analysis. The book deserves serious attention and wide circulation. — Prof. Deepak Kumar, Former Chairman, Zakir Husain Centre for Educational Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi

This book moves away from the usual academic narratives of policy-making and offers a refreshing historicisation of education from a people’s perspective. — Prof. Ravi Kumar, Director, Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, South Asian University, New Delhi

Neeraj Jain is a social activist and writer. A B.Tech. graduate of IIT (BHU), Varanasi, he is convenor of Lokayat, an activist group based in Pune, and editor of Janata Weekly, India’s oldest socialist magazine. His writings and public work focus on democracy, education, political economy and social justice. He is the author of several books, including Globalisation or Recolonisation?, Nuclear Energy: Technology from Hell, and, most recently, Union Budgets 2014–24: An Analysis.