No language is being imposed in the new National Education Policy: K Kasturirangan

langu is being imposed in new National Education Policy and a flexible approach has been proposed with three-langu formula, according to policy drafting panel chief K Kasturirangan.

former ISRO Chief who was tasked with drafting new policy, says "opting local langus as medium of instruction till Class 5 is important in early phase of education because child's strengths in understanding principles and in displaying creativity manifest better in mor tongue as well in local langu".

policy was approved by Union Cabinet on Wednesday. As per policy, medium of instruction until at least class 5, but preferably till class 8 and beyond, will be home langu, mor tongue, local langu and regional langu.

"Children have a great ability to pick up multiple langus in early . policy talks about a flexible approach in three-langu formula. How it will be implemented in states it is ir decision. langu is being imposed in policy," he said.

"We have suggested that mor tongue or local langu or regional langu, one of m could be choice for medium of instruction. Experts have found when a child is born he starts learning in his home langu. It is t just in our country, in countries like France and Germany and even bel laureates have mitted that ir kwledge of science or any or subject has been better when y studied it in ir langu," he ded.

Teaching up to class 5 in mor tongue or regional langu, lowering stakes of board exams, a single regulator for higher education institutions except for law and medical colleges and common entrance tests for universities are part of sweeping reforms in new National Education Policy (NEP) unveiled on Wednesday.

Replacing 10+2 structure of school curricula with a 5+3+3+4 curricular structure corresponding to groups 3-8, 8-11, 11-14 and 14-18 years respectively, scrapping M.Phil programmes and implementing common rms for private and public higher education institutions are among or salient features of new policy.

NEP approved by Union Cabinet at a meeting presided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi replaces 34-year-old National Policy on Education framed in 1986 and is aimed at paving way for transformational reforms in school and higher education systems to make India a global kwledge superpower.

" policy has been prepared after widespre consultations and concerns arising due to ecomic as well as demographical disparities have also been dressed," he ded.

In May 2016, a ‘Committee for Evolution of New Education Policy’ under chairmanship of TSR Subramanian, former cabinet secretary, submitted its report. Based on this, Ministry prepared a document called ‘Some Inputs for Draft National Education Policy, 2016’.

n, a panel led by Kasturirangan h submitted draft of new NEP to Union Human Resource Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' when he took charge last year.

draft was n put in public domain to seek feedback from various stakeholders and over two lakh suggestions were received by HRD Ministry about same.