New National Education Policy focuses on how to think: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said the new National Education Policy focuses on 'how to think', while the education system till now emphasised on 'what to think'.

He also said that there were no major changes in the country's education system over the years. As a result, instead of promoting values of curiosity and imagination, herd mentality was being encouraged.

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National Education Policy aimed at changing 'intent' and 'content' of education system: PM Modi

The prime minister made these remarks while delivering the inaugural address at the Conclave on Transformational Reforms in Higher Education under National Education Policy' via video link.

The conclave is being organised by the Ministry of Human Resource Development and the University Grants Commission, an official statement said.

Modi said it is a matter of happiness that after the introduction of the National Education Policy, no region or section has said that it has any kind of bias, or is leaning towards one side.

There is a lot of emphasis on teacher training in the National Education Policy, he pointed out.

The NEP approved by the Union Cabinet at a meeting presided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi replaces 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.

Choice between three- or four-year undergraduate courses, multiple entry and exit options in degree courses, adding 3.5 crore seats in higher education institutions — which will now have a single regulator, discontinuation of MPhil programmes, and fixation of fees are among the higher education reforms outlined in the new NEP.

The policy has proposed setting up of a 'single overarching umbrella body for the entire higher education'.

The Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) will have distinct and independent bodies, which will each assume separate functions of accreditation, funding, and academic standard setting.

These bodies will replace autonomous bodies like the University Grants Commission (UGC), All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE), and the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC).

(Disclaimer: Additional background information has been added to this PTI copy for context)