The New Education Policy is a means to fight poverty and to meet the needs of the 21st century, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday.

He said the new policy focuses on encouraging teaching in regional languages.

"I consider the new National Education Policy a means to fight against poverty. Today, the country has a new 'National Education Policy' to meet the needs of the 21st century," the Prime Minister said during his Independence Day speech.

He said the NEP has a special feature under which sports have been made a part of mainstream education instead of extracurricular. Sports are also one of the most effective means to move forward in life, he said.