People from all castes can become priests by learning Sanskrit: Actor Kasturi

The New Education Policy (NEP 2020) was launched on Wednesday (July 29). Earlier, the Union Cabinet had approved the NEP. The policy document aims help in overhaul the country’s education system by leveraging the rich heritage of ancient Indian Knowledge which according to the policy document has been a guiding light.

“The aim of education in ancient India was not just the acquisition of knowledge, as preparation for life in this world or life beyond schooling, but for complete realization and liberation of the self,” the document notes. In the decade of 2030-40, the entire policy is expected to be in an operational mode.

“The foundational pillars of this Policy are access, equity, quality, affordability and accountability. It believes that the purpose of education is to develop good human beings – capable of rational thought and action, possessing compassion and empathy, courage and resilience, scientific temper and creative imagination, with sound ethical moorings and values” the report said.

Union Ministers for Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Prakash Javadekar and Human Resource Development (HRD) Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank made the announcement on the NEP-2020. Earlier in May, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviewed the NEP-2020, for which draft was prepared by a panel of experts, led by former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chief K Kasturirangan and comprised various eminent educationists and intellectuals.

The Federal spoke to spokespersons and political analysts to seek their reaction to their policy. In this edition, we specifically looked at reactions to policy announcements like instruction in mother tongue in primary, vocational education, ‘Sanskritisation’ of education and also entrance examination in the lines of a scholastic aptitude test that has been proposed.