Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said that while several reforms have been introduced in the education sector through the New Education Policy (NEP), more efforts are still required as the education sector is yet to reach the desired level.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Adarsh Defence and Sports Academy building in Jodhpur, the Union Minister highlighted the difficulty in bringing reforms to the education system. Singh recalled his tenure as the Education Minister of Uttar Pradesh, where he introduced a law to curb cheating in examinations.
“Bringing reforms in the education sector is not easy.
Over the years, numerous commissions were established, and their recommendations were issued; and today, we have seen significant development and reforms in the education sector, from the syllabus of the textbooks to the techniques used… Reforms introduced today have interconnected subjects… Psychology is connected to science and so on… Today, every school has a laboratory. I thank our Prime Minister Narendra Modi for this,” he said.
“However, we still haven’t reached the level mark …. During my tenure as the Education Minister of UP, I took up the task to curb cheating. I brought a law against cheating. In the following Assembly elections, I lost to an opposition candidate who promised to repeal the anti-cheating law…” he added.
Singh further said that the reforms brought under the NEP would elevate the country’s education standards.
“The reforms that we have brought today will take our country to another level and we should be proud of them… I believe in our country, students will not only study but also take our cultural and moral values to another level….I am confident they will make India proud globally,” he said.
He also emphasised the importance of holistic development. “I feel when an educational institute can make sure their students have excelled in sports and education is when they will become a powerful leader and take our country forward…” he added.
The NEP (New Education Policy), introduced in 2020, is the first education policy of the 21st century, replacing the 1986 National Policy on Education. It aims to promote multidisciplinary learning, vocational training, and a stronger emphasis on skill development and digital education.
The Union Minister Singh credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for bringing these reforms, stating that they would equip students to compete globally while preserving India’s cultural ethos. (ANI)
