'Mann Ki Baat': PM Modi says NEP helping remove language handicaps

Recalling a practice from earlier years when children would commonly drop out of schools or quit studying altogether because of language handicaps, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday the new National Education Policy was helping eradicate such obstacles to learning.

In his final 'Mann Ki Baat' address in the outgoing year, Prime Minister Modi said the Centre's endeavour is that language should not become a hindrance to education and the holistic progress of any child.

"In our country, many children would leave studies midway due to language handicaps. Our new National Education Policy is helping eliminate such obstacles to the process of learning and the holistic development of a child. It is our endeavour that language should not become a hindrance to the education and progress of any child," PM Modi said 108th episode of his monthly radio broadcast.

The Centre launched the National Education Policy (NEP) on July 29, 2020, seeking to bring sweeping reforms in school education. The government claimed that the policy would ensure universal access at all levels of schooling from pre-primary school to Grade 12.

Under the NEP, there will be early childhood care and education for all children between 3-7 years.

It will also introduce a new curricular and pedagogical structure (5+3+3+4) where there will be no matriculation and graduation will be of four years.

Further, during his radio address, PM Modi said the latest edition of the broadcast holds a special place in his heart as compared to the previous ones.

"This is the 108th episode of our shared journey. For me, the number 108 holds great significance and its sanctity is a matter of deep study. 108 beads in a rosary, chanting 108 times, 108 divine sites, 108 stairs in temples, 108 bells, the number 108 is associated with immense faith. That's why the 108th episode of 'Mann Ki Baat' is all the more special for me," he said.

During his address, PM Modi also brought up the Artificial Intelligence (AI) tool 'Bhashini', which he used during the Kashi Tamil Sangamam earlier this month for real-time translation for the benefit of his Tamil-speaking audience.

"I was addressing from the stage in Hindi but through the AI tool Bhashini, the people from Tamil Nadu, who were attending the event, could follow my address at the same time as the others. There was noticeable excitement around this new experiment among the visitors to the Kashi-Tamil Sangamam," he said.

"You can imagine the revolutionary change that could be brought about once this technology is used more widely in our schools, hospitals and courts. I would urge the youth and the future generation to further explore AI tools, especially those pertaining to real-time translations and make them 100 per cent foolproof. In the coming days, the onus will be on them to not just preserve our native languages but also promote them," PM Modi said.

He said the day is not far when the public will listen to real-time translation of regional films at cinema halls through new-age AI tools.

"The day is not far when an address will be delivered in one language and the public will listen to the same speech in their own language real-time. The same will happen with films, as the audience will follow real-time translation of regional films at a cinema hall," he added.