New Delhi: Around 10 countries have contacted the Education Ministry showing their willingness to implement India’s new National Education Policy (NEP), Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ said on Friday. He was speaking during a webinar on “NEP 2020 – The Brighter Future of Education” organised by ASSOCHAM.
“Around 10 countries have contacted us, with their education ministers showcasing the willingness to implement India’s new education policy in their countries,” Pokhriyal said. “The government is seeking paragraph-wise suggestions on how to go about implementing the NEP. So far 15 lakh comments have been received and we are open to receiving more suggestions,” he added. The minister lamented some people are arguing that to make progress on international level one needs to learn English. “I must say we are not against English but mother tongue as a medium of education would help strengthen Indian languages. The government does not intend to impose any language on any state. We are in the favour of strengthening 22 Indian languages and we want to promote all of these languages,” he said. “People need to understand that English is not an Indian language. I would like to tell those people who argue that if we do not learn English we cannot progress on a global level, we need to look at countries like Japan, Russia, Israel, France, USA that all provide education in their language,” the minister added.
The NEP approved by the Union Cabinet in July replaces the 34-year-old National Policy on Education framed in 1986 and is aimed at paving the way for transformational reforms in school and higher education systems to make India a global knowledge superpower. Choice between 3 or 4 year undergraduate courses, multiple entry and exit options in degree courses, adding 3.5 crore seats in higher education institutions, which will now have a single regulator, discontinuation of MPhil programmes and fixation of fees are among the higher education reforms outlined in the new NEP.
“The main objective of NEP 2020 is to develop good human beings and not machines. It is a nation-centric policy, full of human values and with regards to innovation, knowledge, research, science and technology, it will be on the top on international level,” Pokhriyal said. “Perhaps it is the first such policy in the world which has seen such huge consultations with over 1,000 universities, 45,000 degree colleges, 15 lakh schools, 1 crore teachers and professors along with 33 crore students and their parents, politicians, state governments and their education ministers, chief ministers, parliamentarians and industry bodies,” he added. The minister said that they have incorporated most of the 2.25 lakh suggestions received from across the country.
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