Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered the inaugural address at the “Conclave on Transformational Reforms in Higher Education” under the National Education Policy (NEP). He stressed that the NEP will usher a new world order and will lay a foundation of a new India in the 21st century. He said that it is a matter of happiness that after the introduction of the National Education Policy, no region or section has said that it has any kind of bias, or the policy leans towards a particular side.

For past many years there were no major changes in our education system

PM Modi said that through NEP, India will transform its students into global citizens who are rooted in their values. In recent years, there have not been major changes in education and thus the values of curiosity and imagination were not given the thrust. Instead, we moved towards a herd community. We need to develop critical thinking and innovative thinking abilities in our youths. It will be possible if we have purpose, philosophy, and passion for education, said PM. He further referred to Rabindranath Tagore and said, “Today is also the death anniversary of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore. He used to say – the highest education is that which not only informs us but brings our life in harmony with all existence. Certainly, the larger goal of the National Education Policy is linked to this,” the Prime Minister said.

From ‘What to Think’ to ‘How to Think’

Another important aspect of NEP 2020 that PM discussed was that there is no dispute that children learn faster in the dialect they speak at home. This is a major reason for the NEP to include imparting of education in children’s mother tongue at least till class 5. Till date, we’ve been focusing on ‘What to Think’ in our education policy. In the NEP, we’re focusing on ‘How to Think’. There is an avalanche of information in this digital era, and thus, we’ve tried to filter out what’s not needed. The policy focuses on inquiry-based, discovery-based, and analysis-based methods to help children learn, he added.

Multiple entries and exit options

PM Modi stressed on the flexibility offered by the NEP and pointed out the significant moves in the NEP are choosing between three or four-year undergraduate courses, multiple entries and exit options in degree courses. On most occasions, when students go for jobs, they realise that what they have studied does not count much in employment. Sometimes, students have to skip their education to pursue a job. Due to this reason, multiple exit options have been given to students under NEP. Teachers and professors are the biggest means of giving good students, good professionals and good citizens to the country. Therefore, special attention has also been given to the dignity of teachers in the National Education Policy.

 

Training teachers for the National Education Policy

NEP is going to play an important role in ending the gap between research and education in our country. When these reforms will reflect in institutions and infrastructure, then only the NEP can be implemented at a more effective and quick pace. The dignity of teachers has also been emphasized in the NEP. There is also an effort to make the talent of India remain in India to develop the generations to come. There is a lot of emphasis on teacher training and making teachers constantly update their skills in the National Education Policy.