The key reform promised by the ruling BJP in its manifesto before the 2014 general elections took 5 years for preparation and now it will be implemented from 2020 to 2040.

Though the new National Education Policy (NEP) is ready but the model code of conduct has been implemented so NEP cannot be implemented now.

The report of the committee, headed by former ISRO chief K Kasturirangan, to draft a new National Education Policy is ready but may not be taken up at this juncture since the model code of conduct has already kicked in, Union Human Resource Development (HRD) minister Prakash Javadekar said.

The Kasturirangan panel, which was constituted last June, has been granted five extensions so that the report could be finalised. The tenure of the committee was extended December last year and on April 6, June 20th and August 28th this year.

“..The report is ready; the Hindi translation is being done. And now I don’t know whether we can publish it with model code of conduct in force. I am very sure that soon after elections it will come… After all, it [NEP] is to be implemented from 2020 to 2040,” Javadekar said.

The country’s national policy on education was framed in 1986 and modified in 1992. The new policy is expected to lay down the contours of the way education is disseminated in the country from the most basic to the higher levels.

This was the second panel formed by the government to bring out a draft of the country’s education policy. The first, headed by former cabinet secretary TSR Subramanian, was constituted when Smriti Irani was the Union HRD minister. The Subramanian committee submitted its recommendations in 2016. However, having received the report, the government went to form the Kasturirangan panel.

  education, education system, elections, politics