Critical Review of National Education Policy 2020 Concerning Nomadic Tribes and De-notified Tribes

Abstract

Education is a primary tool for any community to uplift itself from the vicious cycle of poverty, illiteracy and unemployment. Nomadic tribes and de-notified tribes (NT–DNT) groups have been victims of the draconian colonial Criminal Tribes Act (CTA) of 1871, which was repealed in 1952, replacing another version of the CTA with the Habitual Offenders Act (HOA). Several commissions and committees attempted to address the issue of NT–DNT over the decades. Most of their recommendations have yet to be implemented, including a proper census to track their socio-economic profile. With this background, National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 plays a vital role in deciding the future of the education of marginalised students in India. This article examines the possible outcome of NEP 2020 on the educational status of NT–DNT groups and if specific attention has been provided to address the question of NT–DNT education. This study plans to understand the issues NT–DNT communities face regarding their fundamental education rights. Despite policies and legislatures focused on compulsory education, NT–DNT students find it challenging to achieve even a basic level of educational attainment. A review of previous studies reflects that NT–DNT students face several barriers like discrimination, lack of care and protection, language barriers and so on. They experience the stigma of criminality, difficulty in representation, accessibility to education and availing of fundamental rights assured to them by the Indian Constitution. NEP 2020 has clubbed all the marginalised population groups into a single category. It will make it even more difficult for students of NT–DNT groups to represent themselves.