Towards a prosperous India, where education is the cornerstone of development. India’s traditional disciplines combined with cutting-edge technologies can help combat climate change, produce clean energy, achieve Net Zero Emissions.
On July 29, Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the Akhil Bhartiya Shiksha Samagam at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi to celebrate the third anniversary of the transformative National Education Policy 2020. Drawing on his previous address at the Rudraksh Convention in Varanasi last year, he acknowledged the role of teachers as the torchbearers (dhwaj vahak) in architecting the nation’s future. The audience of over 7,000 people responded with applause as he highlighted how the policy effectively bridges the past with the future, fostering a sense of duty, accomplishment, innovation and nation-building amongst the youth.
He recounted achievements of the past three years, such as the National Curriculum Framework for Foundational Stage, the production of skill and curriculum textbooks in 12 regional languages by the NCERT, and a focus on social equity, research and innovation. He assured that no child born in any part of the country would face language barriers hindering their excellence, praising the availability of higher education courses in various regional languages.
Looking ahead to the next 25 years of the Amrit Kaal, leading to the hundredth year of India’s independence, the Prime Minister expressed confidence in India’s development as a nation characterised by quality education, equal opportunities and top-notch infrastructure, leaving no room for discrimination.
Addressing his vision for educational institutions, he emphasised the establishment of the Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM-SHRI) in every block of the country, as well as the Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) to promote tribal education. He acknowledged the release of the first instalment of Rs 630 crore central fund to over 6,000 schools selected under the PM-SHRI scheme. He talked about the role of digitalisation in bridging infrastructural gaps and mentioned online learning portals like DIKSHA (National Digital Infrastructure for Teachers), Swayam Prabha (group of 80 DTH channels devoted to telecasting of high-quality educational programmes) and NISHTHA (a capacity building programme for improving quality of school education through integrated teacher training).
Continuing with the NEP 2020 story, the Prime Minister spoke about the importance of interactive and engaging pedagogy, hands-on learning and nurturing 7.5 million students as little scientists through Atal Tinkering Labs. Such an approach would open up new possibilities in India’s space, defence and technology sectors.
He announced the rising global rankings of Indian institutions, especially IITs, and the establishment of campuses abroad in Zanzibar and Abu Dhabi. Additionally, two Australian universities are setting up campuses in GIFT City, Gandhinagar, further solidifying India’s position on the global education stage.
The Prime Minister’s address filled the audience with optimism as he reaffirmed India’s commitment to achieving its dream (swapn) through determination (sankalp). He emphasised the importance of harnessing India’s traditional disciplines such as Yoga, Ayurveda, music and art, and combining them with research in cutting-edge technologies to combat climate change, produce clean energy, achieve Net Zero Emissions, and manage disasters efficiently. He asserted that the road to siddhi (achievement) lies in equipping the youth and fulfilling their aspirations.
But what truly stole the day were the chants of ‘Namaste Modi Ji’ by the tiny tots at the Bal Vatika exhibition. Their innocent hugs, confident appeal for a photo-op and fledgling strokes with a brush must have overwhelmed the Prime Minister. This event marked a significant milestone in the journey towards a more prosperous India, where education is the cornerstone of progress and development.
The article was first published in Financial Express Aug 2023.
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