Panel drafting new education policy gets extension for three months

NEW DELHI: A government-appointed committee, entrusted with the job of drafting the New Education Policy, has been granted an extension of three months till June 2018, officials said.

Headed by former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chief K Kasturirangan, the panel was set up by the Union human resource development (HRD) ministry in June 2017. It was supposed to submit its report by December 2017, but was then given an extension till March 2018.

The policy in the past has served as a comprehensive framework to guide the development of education in the country.

“The basic work is complete but the committee is now going to hold consultations with various stakeholders, especially experts, and therefore it sought an extension. This requires time and hence the ministry approved it,” said a senior HRD official.

The existing National Education Policy was framed in 1986 and then revised in 1992. A new policy was part of the manifesto of the BJP, which is now in power.

Apart from Kasturirangan, the committee has eight members, including mathematician Manjul Bhargava among others.

It is learnt that most of the suggestions that will be made in the draft may not be implemented from this academic year, as the session for schools starts in April and colleges by June-july.

Work on the policy was first initiated by the then HRD minister Smriti Irani who had tasked a committee headed by the former cabinet secretary TSR Subramanian to prepare the draft.

The committee submitted the draft in May 2016.

However, later on, the report was termed as an input document and a new committee headed by Kasturirangan was formed by HRD minister Prakash Javadekar.

› The basic work is complete but the panel will consult various stakeholders, especially experts, and therefore it sought an extension. This requires time and hence the ministry approved it. SENIOR HRD OFFICIAL