Derek O’Brien Calls on School Heads to Unite Against NEP

Kolkata, Jan 6, 2025: Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien on Monday called on ICSE–ISC school principals to unite in opposing the New Education Policy (NEP), alleging that it was “anti-federal” and drafted without consultation with states or key stakeholders.

Speaking at a gathering of school heads in Kolkata, O’Brien said the NEP weakened the nation’s federal framework as “no states were consulted” during its formulation. He noted that several states, including West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, have developed their own education policies.

“West Bengal implemented the state education policy in 2023 under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, while Tamil Nadu’s policy and Karnataka’s draft policy were released in 2025,” he said, adding that the absence of stakeholder consultation had made it difficult for schools to implement NEP-linked initiatives.

O’Brien was speaking as chief guest at the 103rd Annual Conference of the Association of Heads of Anglo-Indian Schools in India, hosted at La Martiniere for Girls School in Kolkata, attended by representatives from over 3,000 ICSE–ISC schools.

Addressing the governance of minority-run institutions, he said Article 30 of the Constitution guarantees minorities the right to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice, a right he claimed was being “adversely affected by the centralising tendency of the NEP.” He also raised concerns about “legislation like the recently introduced Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill,” arguing that such measures further dilute institutional autonomy.

O’Brien added that government expenditure on education had “never touched 6 per cent of GDP,” as recommended by the NEP, and had remained at around 3–4 per cent. He urged members of the Christian community to stay visible in public life for “positive reasons,” citing their contributions to education and healthcare.

According to him, nearly six crore students are enrolled annually in about 54,000 Christian-run institutions nationwide, with at least three out of four students belonging to non-Christian communities. Healthcare institutions run by the community serve around 2 per cent of India’s population, he said, adding that nearly 80 per cent of this work takes place in remote and medically underserved areas.

Courtesy: PTI