Deadline to submit comments on draft NEP to be extended: HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal

The deadline for public comments on the draft of the new National Education Policy (NEP) will be extended by a month till July 31, HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal said in the Rajya Sabha Thursday.

The draft of the new NEP, which was formulated by a panel led by former ISRO chief K Kasturirangan, provides reforms at all levels of education. The current deadline to submit public views will expire on June 30.

"The report (on the draft NEP) has been put on a public domain for suggestions. The draft has been prepared after discussions at all levels. And the date for submitting comments will be extended by a month," Pokhriyal said during the Question Hour in the Upper House.

He was responding to a supplementary asked by TMC member Derek O' Brien that if the committee prepared the draft of the new NEP without holding any meetings and without discussion. Public inputs have been sought on four broad categories school education, higher education, additional key focus areas and transforming education.

To another query on implementation of 25 per cent reservation to economically weaker section (EWS) in private schools, the Minister said this provision has been in place since 2009 but was implemented seriously from 2014 onwards.

Consequently, the enrolment in private schools under the EWS category has gone up from 18 lakh children in 2014 to 41 lakh in 2018, he added. To a query on 6-month delay in supply of books and uniform under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan in Andhra Pradesh, the Minister assured the state government will get supplies on time.

He also said the government was preparing a list of children deprived of education not only at district level but also at gram level. The minister also said the vacant post of director at Central Hindi Directorate will be filled up very soon as a new policy has been put in place.