We're working to make India a knowledge economy: PM Narendra Modi

We are working to make India a "knowledge economy" in the 21st century and the National Education Policy (NEP) will also tackle the issues of brain drain, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday.

"We are working to make India a knowledge economy. To tackle brain drain, the NEP has paved the way for opening campuses of best international institutions in the country to bring them within reach of youth from simple families," the Prime Minister said.

The Prime Minister, along with President Ram Nath Kovind, Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and others are participating in the Governor's Conference on NEP via video conference.

PM Modi said that the NEP will prepare the country's youth on parameters of both knowledge and skill needed in the future.

"Today the world is discussing the fast-changing nature of work, jobs in the future. This policy will prepare the country's youth according to the needs of the future on both knowledge and skills front," he said.

The Prime Minister said that the NEP focuses on "learning instead of studying" and is based on "critical thinking rather than curriculum" with a special focus on "passion, practicality, and performance" and also added that the policy had been made with the intention to bring higher education, whether it is technical, academic or vocational, out of the silos and keep the administration's interference to a minimum.

"Any system can be as effective and inclusive as its governance model is. The same thought is reflected in the governance related to education in this NEP. This is not the government's education policy, it is the country's education policy," he said.

The conference titled "Role of NEP-2020 in Transforming Higher Education" has been organised by the Ministry of Education, Government of India.

The new National Education Policy strives for turning India into an equitable and vibrant knowledge society. It envisions an India-centred education system that contributes directly to transforming India into a global superpower.

The Governors' Conference is also being attended by Education Ministers of various states, Vice-Chancellors of state universities, and other senior officials.