Education policy to be within parameters of constitution: Smriti Irani

Countering accusations of saffronisation of education, Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani on Monday said the new education policy would be within the parameters of the constitution.

Replying to a debate on the demands of grants of her ministry in the Lok Sabha, Irani said the education policy was earlier formulated on the basis of the advice of a select few people.

"Education will be given within the parameters of the constitution," she said.

Claiming that appointments during her tenure have been made impartially, Irani said: "Repeatedly, it is being said that appointments are being made due to vested interest."

The HRD minister, who seemed to be in a combative mood, reeled off examples of people appointed to educational bodies and asked whether their appointment amounted to being "partial".

While speaking on the issue, the minister got agitated and repeatedly pointed at TMC MP and grandnephew of Subash Chandra Bose, Sugata Bose, at one point asking him to sit down.

Bose during the debate on Friday had raised the issue of a spate of resignations from NCERT, National Book Trust and IITs.

Irani said: "We should go to the blocks, to the districts, talk to states, make the new education policy through mutual consultations".

The minister said the government was also paying attention to teachers' training and Rs.900 crore have been allocated under the Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya National Mission on Teachers and Teaching.

She urged the MPs to monitor progress in construction of toilets in schools in their constituencies.

Participating in the debate earlier, former Minister of State of HRD and Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said that the education sector is "overregulated and under governed."

He also raised concerns about "declining autonomy of institutions" including "attempts to move vice chancellor of Delhi University".