HRD calls CABE meeting on Saturday; deliberations on National Education Policy on agenda

The HRD Ministry has called a meeting of its Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) on Saturday and discussions on giving shape to the new National Education Policy is on the agenda, sources said.

Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' and education ministers of the states will be present at the meeting of the CABE, which is considered the most important educational advisory body of the government.

"We want to give a final shape to the policy by October-end. The meeting will have discussions on the same. When the draft was put in public domain, over 2 lakh suggestions and feedbacks were received," a source said.

A new education policy was part of the Bharatiya Janata Party's manifesto ahead of the 2014 general election. The existing NEP was framed in 1986 and revised in 1992.

A panel headed by former ISRO chief K Kasturirangan had submitted the draft of the new National Education Policy to Union HRD Minister Pokhriyal when he took charge the ministry. The draft was then put in the public domain to seek feedback.

The drafting experts also took into account a report of a panel headed by former cabinet secretary T S R Subramanian and formed by the HRD Ministry when it was being headed by Smriti Irani.

Incorporating Indian knowledge systems in the curriculum, constituting a National Education Commission, renaming MHRD as the Ministry of Education and curbing arbitrary fee hikes by private schools were among the recommendations.

The NEP draft suggests that students be allowed to take a board examination in a given subject in whichever semester they take the corresponding class in school, that is, whenever they feel most ready.

It also called for a policy to allow students to repeat subjects in the board examination if they feel they can study and do better.