New Education System Aims to Promote Regional Languages Rather Than Impose: Prakash Javadekar

Native languages are also important and now there will be more opportunities to learn mother tongue under NEP 2020.

New Delhi: After the Union Cabinet approved the National Education Policy 2020 on Wednesday which is set to change the face of the education system in India, Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar stressed on how it will benefit the students by ensuring lesser dropouts and increase the opportunity for students besides refuting the allegations that it will impose regional language in the education system. Also Read: National Education Policy 2020: A Brief Guide On Changes In School, Board Exams And Higher Education Under NEP The New Education Policy (NEP) policy will introduce a slew of major changes in school and higher education systems. Prakash Javadekar on Thursday, while explaining the need for the new education policy said it is not drafted just thinking about employability, but also to produce better human beings. This education policy will offer skills and prepare them for employment besides training them to become a better human. “It is mostly assumed that people write by memorizing and a few only understand the concepts but now students will understand concepts and derive more strength,” he added. The NEP 2020 tries to promote mother-tongue/local language/regional language as the medium of instruction at least till Grade 5, but preferably till Grade 8 and beyond. It also mentions Sanskrit to be taught at all levels of school and higher education as an option for students, including in the three-language formula. The dropout children are around 20 million but there will be no dropouts. There will be universalization of education and 100 per cent children will get education, he added. Speaking on the allegation being made regarding the imposition of regional languages, he said, “This is absolutely wrong, it is a good thing to learn English … Native languages are also important and now there will be more opportunities to learn their mother tongue. Students will learn English along with their mother tongue. The policy will promote Indian languages.” Javadekar stressed, "We will stick to the flexibility in the choice of language as a medium of instruction and nothing will be imposed". He clarified no board exams have been canceled yet and no languages ​​have been imposed. He added, “So far one out of four students can study in college,  but now 50 per cent students will go to college ..... this means they will get the double opportunity, especially in rural areas.” The curriculum will also get released shortly and the policy will be implemented as soon as the notification is issued. A National Research Foundation is also being set up which is very important.