HRD Minister calls meet with the states on draft policy

In a bid to fine-tune the draft National Education Policy (NEP), Human Resources Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' has called a meeting with the education ministers of the states on June 22. The meeting will deliberate on the recommendations suggested by the draft policy.

"Public suggestions are already being sought on the draft policy on the ministry's website. Simultaneously, a meeting with the education departments of all the states has been called to seek their point of view in the third week of June. The ministry will put forth the important recommendations made by the draft policy before the education ministers of the states," an official said.

The suggestions made by the public as well as the states will then be examined before it is presented before the Cabinet in July.

The 484-page draft NEP report was prepared by the government-appointed committee led by eminent scientist K Kasturirangan. It was put in the public domain by the ministry last Friday to seek public suggestions.A

Soon after it got embroiled in a political controversy over a clause that recommended mandatory teaching of Hindi to the non-Hindi speaking states.

Following outrage from south Indian states, the reference to Hindi in the three-language formula was dropped.

--IANS

pgs/prs