Almost all states implementing NEP 2020: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan

Hyderabad, Jan 19 (PTI) Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday said that almost all states are implementing the National Education Policy 2020.

He said that even the states that seem reluctant are indeed implementing the policy although they are using different terminology.

"I am happy. Let them be satisfied with using different terminology. But, with full responsibility I can say almost all states are implementing National Education Policy 2020 which is a very philosophical and historical document," he told reporters when asked about the present status of NEP 2020 and the number of states implementing it.

He was speaking at IIT-Hyderabad after inaugurating IInvenTiv 2024, described as the country's largest R&D Innovation Fair from Higher Education Institutions.

"Pleased to inaugurate #IinvenTiv2024 at IIT Hyderabad. Glad that in the second edition, we have enlarged the scope of this innovation showcase and have taken this event beyond IITs," Pradhan said.

"With such extensive participation from HEIs and industry, #IinvenTiv is poised to become an iconic brand in the technology, innovation and entrepreneurship sector," he said.

Asked about the government's plans to extend the scale and quality of R&D of IITs and other premier institutions to tier-2 and tier-3 cities and institutions there, Pradhan said, "it is a wrong notion (that) IITs are (the) only quality institutions".

While IITians are doing wonders in the global sphere, he said he could cite a hundred examples of non-IITians in the country doing a great job.

The 'IInvenTiv' is a level playing field, he said.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the event earlier, Pradhan said ancient India was the land of innovations, and today, modern India, acting as 'Vishwa Mitra', is leveraging technology to reach new heights.

Observing that the country is determined to achieve the goal of 'Viksit Bharat' (developed India) by 2047, he said primacy is being given to research, innovation and entrepreneurship as the key drivers of the transformation.

The world has now recognised the 'Indian Model of Development', which is rooted, futuristic and focused on sustainable development, he said.

"We recognise the dynamics of the ‘market economy’ and at the same time focus on ‘welfare economy’. That is our strength," he said.

Noting that the service sector with more than 50 per cent contribution to GDP has brought the country to the position where it is today, he felt that, perhaps, the service sector has become saturated and there is a need to focus on the manufacturing sector, which contributes only around 17 per cent to the GDP.

"We need to make India a manufacturing hub," he said, adding that manufacturing should be increased so that it contributes to at least 25 per cent of the GDP.

The government has focused on strengthening the manufacturing sector through important policy changes, such as ‘Make In India’, ‘ Invest in India’, PLI Scheme, and FDI liberalisation.

These initiatives will act as a catalyst in India becoming the third largest economy in the future and help the country achieve the target of becoming a five trillion dollar economy, he said.

India is a knowledge civilisation and, historically, India was called the ‘land of inventions’, he said.

"We are painfully aware that today our past contributions to astronomy, mathematics, medicine and practical arts are not adequately acknowledged either due to ignorance or prejudice. This remains a formidable challenge before all of us," he said.

" I am sure, research and innovation in Indian Knowledge Systems, as envisaged under the NEP, will pave the way for greater scientific validation of India’s traditional knowledge and their worldwide acceptance," Pradhan said.

The country is making a leap in the field of innovation. Under the guidance of PM Modi, innovation is growing in the country, he said.

The startup culture has taken firm root with the numbers of enterprises having risen manifold to 1.2 lakh in nine years, a rise of more than 300 times, he said. PTI