60 Days Daily Free Mains Answer Writing Program for UPSC 2023

Day 11

Topic: Salient Features of Indian Society, Role of Women and Women's Organization,
Date: 12/11/2022

Q.1) It is critical to ensure cultural and ethnic heterogeneity in the education systems not
only to enrich human learning and experience, but also to realise 'Unity in Diversity.'
Elaborate. (Answer in 150 Words, 10 marks)
How to Approach the Question
Introduction
• Write about cultural and ethnic heterogeneity in India.
Body
• Write about the importance of cultural and ethnic heterogeneity in education system for
human learning and experience; and ‘unity in diversity’.
• Write the measures that can be taken.
Conclusion
• Conclude based on the above points.

Ans:
Introduction
Education is crucial in enlarging the horizon of human mind and to improve learning in life.
On the other hand, India’s vast geography and plural society with every region having its own
history, language, culture and ethnicity etc. present a challenge in terms of having a broad set
of standards for educational system in the country.

Body
Importance of cultural and ethnic heterogeneity in education system to enrich human
learning and experience:
Cultural and ethnic heterogeneity can ensure that education system moves away from ‘one-
size-fits-all’ approach and enrich human learning and experience in following way:
• Gaining true education: Education based on local culture and ethnicity would ensure that the
students learn from their surrounding and can link the textbook knowledge with it, something
that Rabindranath Tagore had tried to achieve.
• Medium of education: An education system based on local language and curriculum can
ensure better understanding and enhance learning outcomes for the students, especially for
the tribal people.
• Learning best practices of past: Education system based on cultural and ethnic heterogeneity
can ensure that best practices of past are given due importance which might be helpful in
today’s world. For example: traditional water conservation techniques such as johad, baoli
etc. can be helpful in today’s time especially in water-deficit regions.
• Removal of prejudice and racism: Cultural and ethnic heterogeneity ensures that culture of
one region is promoted in another area and this removes prejudice and racism against another
group of people. This also eradicates cultural barriers.

Importance of cultural and ethnic heterogeneity in education system to strengthen unity in

diversity:

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 60 Days Daily Free Mains Answer Writing Program for UPSC 2023

Diversity is a strength of our country and an education system based on cultural and ethnic
heterogeneity can strengthen unity in diversity in the following way:
• Protection of self-identity: Giving importance to local culture and ethnicity in education
system would ensure that the self-identification needs of local population are fulfilled and
they do not feel that their culture is not given due importance and thus protect against toxic
regionalism.
• Promotion of tolerance: Cultural and ethnic heterogeneity ensures that students learn
cultural appropriation and young minds are widened enough to accept different cultures and
ethnicity.
• Provide authenticated information: Cultural and ethnic heterogeneity in textbooks would
provide authentic information to students and they are more likely to be secured against the
fake news and misinformation over social media platforms and not involve themselves in
communal agenda etc.

Way Forward:
• Content integration: Local culture and ethnic information should be integrated into the
present curriculum. It should provide teachers freedom to use examples of various
communities, ethnicity etc.
• Greater control to Panchayats: Panchayats should be given more power regarding primary
education to ensure that the local culture is truly reflected in the school curriculum and ensure
implementation of it.
• Promotion of cross-cultural learning: Higher education institutions should be given greater
freedom to include cross-cultural and ethnic projects. For e.g., Delhi University mandated
students to do project on Northeast region to remove prejudice and biasedness against the
region.
• Proper implementation of National Education Policy, 2020: To ensure heterogeneity in
education system, the provisions regarding education in vernacular language till class 5th
should be properly implemented and can be extended up to class 8th.

Conclusion
Thus, cultural and ethnic heterogeneity in education system can truly reflect the diversity of
India into our education system and expand the horizon for learning and experience of human
mind.

To join the program visit – dpp.onlyias.in Mail us – info@onlyias.com

Call us - 7007931912