New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today addressed the nation on the completion of one year of the new National Education Policy (NEP) via video conferencing.
In his address, PM Modi said that India’s youth is moving forward to make its mark in every sector. They are also revolutionizing the Indian start-up ecosystem. They’re also preparing India’s leadership for Industry 4.0 and giving new wings to Digital India.
He said, “In the last one year, all of you nobles, teachers, principals, policy makers of the country have worked very hard in bringing the National Education Policy to the ground. How far we will go in the future, how much height we will achieve, it will depend on that what kind of education we are giving to our youth at present i.e. today, what direction we are giving. I believe that the new national education policy of India is one of the big factors in the great sacrifice of nation building.”
“Over 2,300 crore hits on the DIKSHA portals in the last one year shows how effective it has been. Even today, it gets nearly 5 crore hits everyday,” PM Modi explained.
“The National Education Policy has been kept free from all pressures. The openness that is at the policy level, the same openness is also in the options available to the students. Now how much students study, for how long, it will not only be decided by the institutions, students will also participate in it. We’ve witnessed since decades that for quality education, our students went beyond the borders. Under NEP, students from outside India will come here and the best institutes will also open their doors in India,” PM Modi said further.
PM Modi said, “We have also developed a tool to translate Engineering courses in 11 regional languages. I congratulate students starting their education in regional languages. This will especially help the poor, needy, Dalits and other backward classes.”
“Our youth is ready to bring a transformation; it doesn’t want to wait anymore. We’ve witnessed how COVID changed the entire scenario, but students adapted to these situations quickly and online education is becoming the order of the day,” Modi said.
He also said, “The National Education Policy assures the youth that the country is now completely with them, with their spirits. The Artificial Intelligence program which has just been launched will also make our youth future oriented, opening the way for AI driven economy.”
“Over 3 lakh students need sign language in India today. Keeping this in mind, for the first time, sign language is being treated as a distinguished subject. This will help Divyangs in the country, ” PM Modi said.
Worth mentioning here is that the NEP, which was approved by the Union Cabinet last year at a meeting presided by Prime Minister Modi, replaced the National Policy on Education framed in 1986. It is aimed at paving the way for transformational reforms in school and higher education systems to make India a global knowledge superpower.