Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar while emphasizing the need to pursue the National Education Policy, said that it would prove effective in the direction of making the country self-reliant. He was speaking during ‘Chhatra Samvad’ programme on National Education Policy-2020 organized by Himachal Pradesh State Higher Education Council in Govind Vallabh Pant Memorial College at Rampur Bushahr in Shimla District today. The Governor said that it was his first visit to Rampur. Appreciating the efforts of the college administration to organize a programme on NEP, he said that the happiness of the students clearly shows that they were enthusiastic about this policy. He called upon the teachers to read this policy thoroughly and answer the queries of the students. He said that NEP was for the future generations but the teachers were responsible for the effective implementation of the policy.
He said that the initiative to formulate an education policy had not been done for the first time. Attempts were made before this too but could not reach the result, he added and said that this NEP had been prepared completely by the academicians, which connects us with our soil. He said that this policy did not oppose any other language, but it definitely emphasizes on the mother tongue as our thoughts, rituals and behavior was always rooted in our mother tongue only. He said that all the developed nations of the world had been able to achieve the heights of success in their own languages. He said that Macaulay’s education policy destroyed our education system through a well-planned conspiracy. Our education system was so advanced which was evident from the report of the British Commission in 1850. At that time, in the survey conducted in four presidencies of the country, the literacy rate was about 90 per cent, which came down to 34 percent at the time of independence and we could not connect with our culture with the education we were getting today, he added. He said that NEP would decolonize our colonial education system. “Over the years, our educational system has produced job seekers only. Today, we have to become self-reliant and create an educational system which could produce job providers, and National Education Policy will go a long way in this direction”, said Arlekar.
Prof. Sunil Gupta, Chairman, State Higher Education Council in his address said that under the NEP, more attention had been paid to the mental development of children. He said that knowledge about culture and moral values would be given to the students in this policy. Provisions had been made in this policy to determine the outcome so that holistic development of the child could be ensured, he added. He said that provisions had been made for all vocational studies from class VI onwards and its practical exposure would also be ensured. He said that research facilities would be available to the students at the college level. He said that the goal of making India self-reliant would be achieved by implementing this policy P.C. Negi, Principal, GV Pant Memorial Government College welcomed the Governor on the occasion. He said that college was committed to the pursuit of excellence in higher education, total character and personality building. He also detailed the achievements of the college during the last one year. An interactive session was also organized on the occasion. A colourful cultural programme was also performed by the students on the occasion.
