Karnataka Becomes First State To Implement National Education Policy

Karnataka became the first state in the country to implement the National Education Policy yesterday. Launching it virtually, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan virtually said Karnataka has set an ideal example for other states of the country for the implementation of the NEP-2020.

“Karnataka has taken a lead role and has become a laboratory in implementation of NEP. India has a huge number of about 310 million who belong to the student community with 25 million being newly added every year. The real challenge lies in making reach the benefits of NEP to all these. The success of NEP will enable creating a new global order”, he added.

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraja Bommai, who launched the Admission Module as per NEP-2020, announced that a New Digitalization and Research and Development policy focusing on students will be rolled out at the earliest.

He also announced the setting up of a Primary and Secondary Education Council with the objective of transforming and empowering the knowledge landscape of the state of Karnataka.

Terming this as 'historic' and a 'day of liberation', Bommai said the new policy, if successfully implemented, would “free the education system from vertical silos, compartmentalization and closed jacket structure of teaching-learning process”.

Bommai announced the facilitation of broadband network connectivity to all the villages of the state to facilitate successful implementation of NEP along with distribution of Tablet PCs for students joining first year degree courses.

“Ordinary politicians will not attempt and aspire for revolutionary changes. But statesman like Prime Minister Narendra Modi will venture to bring in transformations in society," said Bommai, adding that the NEP-2020 was the result of forethought of the Prime Minister, to empower the new generation to be globally competitive.

Dr.C.N. Ashwatha Narayana, the Minister of Higher Education, who unveiled the MoU of Internationalisation of Higher Education, said, the NEP will break the barriers and bring together Science-Arts-Humanities, Curricular and Extra Curricular, Theoretical Knowledge and Skill Development."

As part of the event, Dr.K. Kasturirangan, chairperson of the NEP drafting committee, Dr.M.K. Sridhar and Dr.T.V. Kattimani, members of the committee and Dr. Anuraga Behar, member of the implementation committee were felicitated.

A website and a helpline were also launched on the occasion for the reference of students. The teaching programmes will begin from 1 October.