October-2015:

The Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD) constitutes a committee, known as the TSR Subramanian Committee, for ‘Evolution of the New Education Policy’. The committee is led by former Cabinet Secretary Sri TSR Subramanian.

April-2016:

The TSR Subramanian Committee submits its report to the MHRD. In the words of the ministry itself…

“The Committee has examined the large body of outcome documents, recommendations and suggestions received from the various consultations. The Committee also had several meetings with various stakeholders and held regional consultations as well as undertaken field visits to educational institutions”

May-27-2016:

The MHRD issues a press release confirming the submission of the report. The press release also makes some generic statements about the future of the report, and in fact the NEP itself.

June-04-2016:

The chairperson of the Committee, Sri Subramanian, questions why the report is not being made public. He threatens to go public with the report if it is not made public.

He gives some information on the contents of the report stating that it contains up to 90 suggestions. One of the important recommendations, he discloses, is that the committee has recommended reintroduction of detention of students beyond Class V

July-06-2016:

The Modi Government undertakes a cabinet reshuffle. Some portfolios amongst Cabinet ministers are re-arranged and a lot of changes take place at the minister-of-state level.

But at the Cabinet level, there is only one change that stands out – Smriti Irani is removed as Cabinet Minister in charge of MHRD. Prakash Javadekar is elevated to Cabinet rank and made in charge of MHRD.

August-2016:

TSR Subramanian gives another press interview and states that the Government has made public only some extracts of the report, and not the entire 200+ pages original report.

August-2016:

MHRD Prakash Javadekar assures everyone, especially the minority community, that no constitutional changes will be made in relation to freedom given to minority community with regard to Education.

What’s the point?

I draw your attention to page 89 of the report submitted by the TSR Subramanian Committee, where the following recommendation has been made:

6.6.13 The issue of extension of Clause 12 (1) (c) of RTE Act to minority institutions needs a review. The Committee feels that the larger national obligations to meet the rights of economic weaker sections should extend to all institutions including minority (religious and linguistic) institutions.

We may never know the real, and complete, reasons behind Smriti Irani’s transfer. And I am not trying to whip up a conspiracy theory here. But the above sequence of events DO lead to some interesting inferences and conclusions to be drawn!