'Centre Respects States' Differing Methods in NEP': Edu Min Dharmendra Pradhan

Pradhan also sought active participation of all states in developing 'curriculum frameworks'.

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

(Photo: IANS)

Addressing the two-day National Education Ministers' Conference at Mahatma Mandir in Gujarat on Thursday, 2 June, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said that the Centre will have no objection to states implementing their own methodologies under the National Education Policy, 2020 (NEP-2020).

"We know that some states disagree with the new NEP. But, the Centre does not have any issue with that, because we know whatever you have thought (other than what is prescribed in NEP) will be in the interest of the people and we will accept that too."

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan

He also sought active participation of all states in developing 'Curriculum Frameworks'.

Opposition-ruled states such as Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal skipped the event, which was attended by education ministers of states and union territories (UTs).

Officials such as Goa CM Pramod Samant, who handles education portfolio, Delhi Education Minister Manish Sisodia, and Union MoS for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Rajeev Chandrasekhar were among the attendees.

The Union education minister also indicated that 10,000-15,000 ‘PM Shree Schools’ will also be established, which will reportedly be state-of-the-art ‘NEP 2020 labs’.

He stressed that education in India should be free from 'colonial influence', and expressed that all local languages of India are national languages.

"This is the time of decolonisation of our education. We all need to change our mindset. In the 21st century, we need to create a knowledge-based India," he added.

Speaking on the importance given to regional languages in the NEP, he said, "All languages are national languages, be it Gujarati, Tamil, Bengali, or Marathi. No language is inferior to Hindi or English because each language has its own importance. That is why we have given importance to local languages in our new NEP."

(With inputs from PTI and The Indian Express.)