'No Language Any Less Than Hindi Or English': Dharmendra Pradhan Spells Out 'Main NEP Feature'

Pradhan said this is the main feature of this National Education Policy (NEP), ANI reported.

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan | File Image

New Delhi: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has said all Indian languages are national languages, adding no language is less than Hindi or English.

Pradhan said this is the main feature of this National Education Policy (NEP), ANI reported.

“For the past many days, there have been many doubts over the issue of languages. All languages are national languages, whether it is Gujarati or Tamil, Punjabi or Assamese, Bengali or Marathi. No language is less than Hindi or English,” he said addressing the inaugural session on the second day of the National School Education Ministers’ conference in Gujarat’s Gandhinagar.

Pradhan said that school education is the foundation of a knowledge-based society, adding the National Education Policy is a knowledge document that aims to promote all-round development and make education accessible to everyone.

“We are in the age of Amrit Kaal. The next 25 years are crucial to establish India as a knowledge economy that is committed to global welfare,” Pradhan said.

“We are a civilisation which believes in Vasudhaiv Kutumbukam and we must realise that we have not only responsibilities of our nation but also that of the world,” he added.

The Union Minister emphasized that “we must leverage technology to strengthen our education and skilling ecosystem” as “we prepare for the opportunities and challenges of the 21st century”.

“Yesterday, during the visit to various education and skilling institutions we all got a glimpse of various dimensions of 21st century futuristic education systems,” he added.

Pradhan highlighted 5+3+3+4 approach of the NEP covering pre-school to secondary, emphasis on ECCE, teacher training and adult education, integration of skill development with school education and prioritising learning in mother tongue which are steps for preparing global citizens of the 21st century.

The Union Minister informed the Central government is in the process of establishing PM Shri schools which will be fully equipped to prepare students for the future.

“These state-of-the-art schools will be the laboratory of NEP 2020,” he added.

Pradhan solicited suggestions and feedback from all the states/Union Territories and the entire education ecosystem for creating a futuristic benchmark model in the form of PM Shri schools.

He stressed that experience and knowledge sharing from all state Education Ministers in structured and outcome-based discussions at the conference will lead one step further towards transforming the learning landscape, in line with the NEP 2020.

The Union Minister expressed confidence that the deliberations taking place in this conference will go a long way in strengthening the education system across the country.