NEP makes our civilisational lessons relevant for contemporary life: Murmu

The new National Education Policy (NEP) makes "our civilisational lessons relevant for contemporary life", while also preparing learners for the 21st century challenges, President Droupadi Murmu said on Wednesday.

In her maiden Republic Day eve address to the nation, Murmu said the policy has introduced ambitious changes.

"With the economy on a sound footing, we have been able to begin and carry forward a series of praiseworthy initiatives. The ultimate goal is to create an environment in which all citizens can, individually and collectively, realise their true potential and prosper. As education builds the right foundation for this purpose, the National Education Policy has introduced ambitious changes," she said.

"It rightly addresses the two-fold aims of education: as an instrument of economic and social empowerment and as a means to explore truth. The policy makes our civilisational lessons relevant for contemporary life, while also preparing the learner for the 21st century challenges. The National Education Policy appreciates the role of technology in expanding and deepening the learning process," she added.

The NEP approved by the government in August, 2020, replaced the 34-year-old National Policy on Education framed in 1986 and is aimed at paving the way for transformational reforms in school and higher education systems to make India a global knowledge superpower.

Teaching up to Class 5 in mother tongue or regional language, lowering the stakes of board exams, a single regulator for higher education institutions (except for law and medical colleges), and common entrance tests for universities are part of the sweeping reforms in the new NEP.

Replacing the 10+2 structure of school curricula with a 5+3+3+4 curricular structure corresponding to age groups 3-8, 8-11, 11-14 and 14-18 years, respectively, scrapping MPhil programmes and implementing common norms for private and public higher educational institutions are among other salient features of the new policy.