Chennai: Refuting Opposition parties’ allegation of the Centre attempting to “saffronise” education, BJP state president Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan said Union human resource development minister Prakash Javadekar has voiced his concerns over the growing dissent against the recently-proposed new education policy and said the NEP is only in draft stage.
He had asked why people in Tamil Nadu were against an initiative that is still in the draft stage, Dr Tamilisai who had called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mr Javadekar at the national capital on August 5, claimed. He had voiced his concerns on the growing dissent against the proposed draft NEP, during his meeting with her, the senior leader claimed.
According to a senior leader in the party, the Centre’s NEP deserved to be appreciated in totality as it envisages equal opportunities for the underprivileged sections. “The children belonging to poor families will be provided 25 per cent reservation to avail free education,” he added.
Pointing out that Mr Javadekar had already made it clear that the policy would not encroach upon the states’ rights, another senior leader said
the Narendra Modi government was only attempting to make the education system vibrant by improving its quality.
It may be recalled that the last education policy, formulated in 1986, was implemented only in 1992. On July 26, Javadekar had extended the time till August 16 for receiving views and suggestions from citizens groups and interested organisations.
As per the draft NEP, “since the formulation of the National Policy on Education, 1986/92, significant changes have taken place in India and the world at large. India’s political, social and economic development is passing through a phase which necessitates a robust and forward looking education system.”
Dr Tamilisai also took strong exception to the DMK Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi for her remarks on certain Hindu practices and said prostrating before teachers and seeking their blessings by touching their feet is an act to show students’ respect for teachers. “There is nothing wrong in this gesture,” she added.
