Centre wants nation to have say in new edu policy, says Katheria

LUCKNOW: The Modi government wants the “country to have a say” in framing the new education policy. Ram Shankar Katheria, the union minister of state for human resource development (HRD), told HT that the ministry had undertaken a gigantic task with the aim of addressing the ills in the system.

“Nearly 15 to 25 committees are in various stages of being set up for the purpose. The whole idea of the BJP government is to encourage swalamban and swabhiman (self-reliance and pride). When ready, you will see the new education policy displaying these two aspects very clearly,” Katheria said over the phone.

Rubbishing allegations of the HRD ministry working on an RSS script to ‘saffronise education’ system of the country, he said, “In that case, there was no need for us to seek consultations from across the country. But if we are doing it, does that not prove that we are working with a clear mind and a clearer conscience?” The national policy on education was

THE HRD MINISTRY IS TARGETING APPROX 2.75 LAKH DIRECT CONSULTATIONS EVEN AS INPUTS HAVE ALSO BEEN SOUGHT ONLINE

framed in 1986 and subsequently modified in 1992. But, the HRD ministry now plans to reach out to individuals across the country to seek suggestions on what “all the new education policy must have”.

The union minister said the Modi government’s policy would be one that would have employment-focus. Katheria said, “It’s a first-of-its-kind initiative, so there is no time frame to it. The more suggestions we get, the better it is. For the first time perhaps the common man would get to have a say on the kind of education that needs to be imparted to students.”

The HRD ministry is targeting an estimated 2.75 lakh direct consultations even as inputs have also been sought online.