Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh today said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s National Education Policy, NEP-2020 is in keeping with India’s global ascent.
The Minister said, NEP-2020 supplements Start-Up ecosystem with the promise to open new career and entrepreneurship opportunities for students and youth in India.
Delivering the Keynote address as Chief Guest at the DAV United Festival titled “Celebrating Unity” at Indira Gandhi Stadium in New Delhi, Dr Jitendra Singh said that DAV institutions are the most suited one to implement the NEP-2020 in an efficient fashion as their foundational values matches with the core theme of the New Education Policy and that is Nationalism.
Dr Jitendra Singh promised that the Science & Technology ministry is taking on board education institutions to promote Start-Up movement in India. He said, because of the impetus given by Prime Minister Modi by his call for “Start-Up India Stand-Up India” from the ramparts of Red Fort on Independence Day in 2015, the number of Start-Ups in India has grown to about 90,000 from about 300 to 400 in 8 years from 2014 to 2022.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, DAV Institutes can become a medium of transformation of India by re-looking into the syllabus and fine-tuning with emerging technological and innovative interventions like Artificial Intelligence, Geospatial and Space Applications and Drone revolution in all sectors.
The Minister promised that DAV Institutes adopt Mentorship Programmes and students will be encouraged to explore young scientist scholarship schemes and junior ones in Atal Tinkering Labs.
Dwelling on the National Education Policy-2020, Dr Jitendra Singh said, the new policy came when it was most desired as India was jumping up the developmental ladder very fast and its curriculum must reflect the new and emerging realities of the world. He said, for aspiring to become a Global Leader, one must have global benchmarks, parameters and global achievements.
Dr Jitendra Singh reminded the Principals, Teachers, Parents and Students of the DAV Institutes gathered from whole India that the provision of multiple entry/exit option is something to be cherished as this academic flexibility will have a positive impact on the students related to the availing of different career opportunities at different times, depending upon their intrinsic learning and inherent aptitude. The Minister also said that this entry/exit option can be opted in future for the teachers as well, giving them career flexibility and upgradation opportunities as is done in some western countries and also in America.
Referring to increasing clamour for government jobs, Dr Jitendra Singh said, one of the objectives of NEP-202 is de-linking degree from education and added that linking degrees with education has taken a heavy toll on our education system and society as well. One of the fall-outs has been an increasing number of educated unemployed seen sitting on dharnas in many states, he added
Dr Punam Suri, President of DAV College Managing Committee and Arya Pradeshik Pratinidhi Sabha in his welcome address said that there are 948 DAV Schools, Colleges and Institutes spread over 23 States of the country. He informed that even in a Naxal infested State of Chhattisgarh, DAV has 72 institutes and promised to increase the DAV penetration in South India.