States’ Cooperation Essential for NEP: Parliamentary Panel to Centre
Tamil Nadu recently became the first state to formulate its own education policy, rejecting the Centre’s New Education Policy (NEP) and describing it as an attempt at ‘Hindi imposition’.
At a time when Tamil Nadu and several other southern states are opposing the NEP, a parliamentary standing committee submitted a report on Monday emphasising that securing full trust and cooperation of the states is crucial for successfully implementing the NEP’s vision.
The committee, chaired by Congress MP Digvijaya Singh, presented its findings on the ‘Implementation of NEP-2020 in Higher Education’.
The report stated, “Successful implementation of the NEP requires coordinated collaboration among all stakeholders. Education falls under the concurrent list of the Constitution. Therefore, it is vital to have the complete confidence of the States to effectively progress the NEP’s objectives.”
It further pointed out that the Centre’s responses to the committee did not clarify how the Union Government is engaging with State Governments that have raised concerns about certain aspects of the NEP in Higher Education.
“Thus, the Committee recommends that the Ministry devise a mechanism to liaise with States regarding any issues or reservations they might have,” the report added.
Last week, Tamil Nadu became the first state to adopt its own education policy, rejecting the Centre’s NEP on the grounds of ‘Hindi imposition’. Tamil Nadu has also opposed the three-language formula under the NEP, choosing instead to teach only Tamil and English in schools. Similarly, the Karnataka government has expressed its rejection of the NEP.
The Centre has withheld funds to Tamil Nadu for not implementing the NEP 2020, but the Tamil Nadu government has stated that it will not accept the funds, maintaining that the two-language formula is paramount.
