PM Modi to address nation on July 29 over completion of one year of new National Education Policy

New Delhi, July 26: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation on July 29 on the completion of one year of the new National Education Policy (NEP), Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said on Monday.

"The NEP, 2020, is a guiding philosophy for changing the learning landscape, making education holistic and for building strong foundations for an Aatmanirbhar Bharat. On 29th July, on the completion of one year of reforms under the NEP, PM Shri @narendramodi will address the nation," he tweeted.

According to sources, the prime minister is likely talk about the progress made so far on implementation of the policy and will also share a roadmap for projects in the pipeline and their timelines.

The NEP, which was approved by the Union Cabinet last year at a meeting presided by Prime Minister Modi, replaced the National Policy on Education framed in 1986. It is aimed at paving the way for transformational reforms in school and higher education systems to make India a global knowledge superpower.

When Pradhan took over as education minister earlier this month, he had said that his focus will be on achieving the objectives of the new NEP in a time-bound manner. Choice between three or four years undergraduate courses, multiple entry and exit options in degree courses, adding 3.5 crore seats in higher education institutions, which will now have a single regulator, discontinuation of M.Phil programmes and fixing of fees are among the higher education reforms outlined in the new NEP.

The Ministry of Education (MOE) has also written to the states requesting their presence at a virtual event following the address. After the event, three theme-based webinars will also be held.

"The MoE is going to launch some of the important initiatives such as setting up of Academic Bank of Credit; multiple entry and exit in institutions of eminence (IoEs); first year teaching of technical courses in regional languages; Vidya Prakash - School preparation module; Indian sign language as a subject; NISHTHA 2.0; structured assessment for analysing learning levels (SAFAL); artificial intelligence website for public awareness; National Digital Education Architecture (NDEAR)," the ministry said in a letter to chief secretaries of states.