New Delhi: Amid calls for his resignation by CJP, protesters and the Opposition across the country, Union Education Dharmendra Pradhan on Wednesday said
that the upcoming sixth anniversary of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 will play a major role for the next phase of national education.
Addressing Education Ministers from the state and the Union Territories, the minister spoke on the directives of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on key programmes like NIPUN Bharat 2.0, Samagra Shiksha 3.0, and PM POSHAN.
What Dharmendra Pradhan said at the conclave?
“July 29th is an important occasion for all of us. It marks the completion of six years of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020… Before that, the Prime Minister had suggested that we should plan for the coming days and give further momentum to the implementation of important schemes such as Samagra Shiksha 3.0, NIPUN Bharat 2.0, and PM POSHAN. We also need to expand initiatives like Atal Tinkering Labs. Against this background, this two-day conference of Education Ministers and senior officials is very important,” he said, as per news agency ANI.
Importantly, the conference was held for the strategic review of six years of NEP implementation across the country. Discussions were also held on the target milestones for the next academic cycles. The government had earlier announced the National Education Policy 2020 on July 29, 2020.
Under the programme, the policy has proposed a number of reforms in school education as well as higher education. The focus of the government continued to remain on the fresh iterations of important educational schemes. Among them include foundational literacy under NIPUN Bharat 2.0, school infrastructure under Samagra Shiksha 3.0, among others.
Opposition, protesters demand Pradhan’s resignation
Pradhan participated at the conclave amid growing demands for his resignation on the backdrop of NEET paper leaks. Among the few demands of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP ) which continued to protest at Jantar Mantar, include his resignation.
At least 21 students reportedly died by suicide after the government cancelled NEET paper following allegations of paper leaks. While a re-exam was organised by the government, the anger against him only grew with each passing day.
Even the Congress and other Opposition leaders have put their weight behind the protesting students on the issue. Early on Wednesday, even Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused the government of ruining the education system in the country. He called the demand for the removal of Pradhan as education minister as ‘legitimate.’
