Students to have new curriculum in 2022, framework to be developed: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that a national curriculum framework will be developed and students should have a new curriculum in 2022 when the nation marks the 75th year of independence. The prime minister was addressing teachers, professors, on "School education in the 21st century."

Speaking on the recently approved National Education Policy, the prime minister said that so far marks and mark sheet dominated learning-based education in our country. "Marksheet became 'pressure sheet' for students and 'prestige sheet' for families, NEP's goal is to remove this pressure," he added. 

During the conclave, which was attended by HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal, Modi said that the NEP focuses a lot on children, stresses on learning based on fun, discovery, and activities and that it will sow the seeds for starting a new era giving a new direction to the 21st century India. 

 

"National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 is the result of ceaseless hard work of various stakeholders done over the last 4-5 years. Still, the work is not complete. It’s just the beginning. The road ahead is to ensure its effective implementation: Prime Minister Narendra Modi," Modi told professors and teachers in the conclave. 

Modi had earlier stated that “maximum flexibility” has to be shown in implementing the new National Education Policy (NEP) and all questions about it have to be addressed, as he asserted that it is not a government's but the country's education policy.

The prime minister stressed that there is no bar on learning or teaching any language in NEP, be it English or any international language, but Indian languages will be promoted as well. 

He urged teachers to emphasise the need to follow coronavirus guidelines like covering face, social distancing, and maintaining cleanliness ahead of the reopening of schools. 

Various webinars, virtual conferences, and conclaves on various aspects of National Education Policy 2020 are being organised across the country. The Ministry of Education and University Grants Commission earlier organised a conclave on 'Transformational Reforms in Higher Education under National Education Policy-2020' which was addressed by Prime Minister Modi.

Both the prime minister and the president had addressed a governor's conclave over the new policy and said that it is natural for stakeholders to have questions about the policy and “we are all working to address all these questions”. 

Highlighting the main features of the policy, first since 1986, the PM said it attempts to bring all aspects of higher education, be it academic, technical or vocational, out of silos and to cut down on administrative layers while bringing about a better coordination.