Union minister says making progress in NEP implementation

TIRUCHIRAPPALLI: Significant progress is being made in implementing the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, and in tune with one of its major recommendations, 14 engineering colleges across 8 States shall impart technical education in 5 regional languages, Union Minister for education, skill development and entrepreneurship Dharmendra Pradhan said on Monday. The move, the minister said, will promote the country’s regional languages and “ensure that our aspiring youth can pursue technical education without worrying about language barriers.” Virtually inaugurating the Centre of Excellence in Advanced Manufacturing, created at a cost of Rs 7 crore at National Institute of Technology (NIT) Tiruchirappalli, in the presence of the director Mini Shaji Thomas, the Union Minister said “the NEP has multitude of futuristic recommendations which will empower our students with flexibility and the power of choice. I assure you that you shall witness tremendous transformation of our education system as we fully roll out the policy.” “As knowledge becomes the driving force of the modern economy, it becomes imperative that we transfer our education ecosystem in tune with the 21st century. It is in this spirit that we now have the NEP 2020 with us. It promotes accessible, affordable, equitable and quality education to all,” Pradhan said. This vision document provides the nation with a road map for the future, he said.

“We are making significant progress in implementation of the NEP. In tune with one of the major recommendations of the policy, 14 engineering colleges across 8 States shall be imparting technical education in 5 regional languages,” he said. Further, as India moves towards the realisation of Atmanirbhar Bharat, the country should ensure that innovation leads to inclusive and holistic growth of people belonging to different strata of the society.

“Our priorities for innovation must be to accustom education to our socio-economic realities. I am sure that institutions such as NIT Tiruchirappalli will play a crucial role in innovation and contribute to nation building to the best of its potential,” Pradhan said. The Union Minister who inaugurated the OPAL ladies hostel on the occasion, called for proactive measures to encourage women to opt for technical education and excel in this field even more. This is necessary not only to facilitate more choices for women but also for the nation’s empowerment, he said. Chairperson Bhaskar Bhat presided over the function. The Centre of Excellence in Advanced Manufacturing houses state-of-the-art facilities of 3D metal printing, Femtosecond micromachining system, laser shock peeing system and high-temperature indentation tester offering services like metal printing, marking, texturing, micro-channeling, micro-drilling, micro-cutting, laser shock peening and imaging. These additions will further the research and innovation climate at NIT Tiruchirappalli.

14 ENGINEERING COLLEGES ACROSS 8 STATES SHALL IMPART TECHNICAL EDUCATION IN 5 REGIONAL LANGUAGES