New Education Policy 2020 reflects vision of Swami Vivekananda: Atmapriyananda

The New Education Policy 2020 reflects the vision of Swami Vivekananda who had dreamt of an education system as a mix of tradition and modern scientific knowledge, Pro-Chancellor of Ramakrishna Vivekananda Mission Educational and Research Foundation, Swami Atmapriyananda said on Sunday.

He said this while speaking at a webinar on New Education Policy, 2020, organised by the Press Information Bureau, Kolkata and attended by eminent educationists who talked on different aspects of the NEP 2020 and how it will impact the students.

Swami Atmapriyananda said, "the education system that was dreamt by Swami Vivekananda is on the anvil now. Swamiji dreamt of an education system which will be a combination of age-old tradition with modern scientific knowledge and this has been given a proper shape in the new education policy." He said the new policy will result in "complete re- structuring, re-organising, revamping and rejuvenating of the existing education system in favour of students." Director of IIT Kharagpur Prof V K Tewari said the National Education Policy, 2020 will act as a catalyst towards future innovation in different sectors.

Tewari in this context appreciated the research work going on in the country and reiterated that it is not less than the research undertaken in other parts of the world.

Moving a little bit from the core issue, the eminent academician also pointed out that the role of the farming community, including small and marginal farmers, who provide us food and said they should be included in evolving any need-based farming technique in future research in agriculture sector to make farmers self-reliant.

Associate Professor, Economics, St Xavier's College, Dr Mallinath Mukhopadhyay said the new policy will bring back the economically disadvantaged students into the mainstream.

He also appreciated the multiple options a student can get in choosing his discipline in the NEP 2020.

Professor and Head, Centre for Journalism and Mass Communication, Visva-Bharati, Santiniketan, Dr Biplab Lohachoudhury said, "the new policy for the first time recognises master artisans, craftsmen, farmers, weavers and other traditional occupation experts as teachers to take classes in schools in proposed cluster schools." Professor (Dr) Chittaranjan Mandal, former Chairman, Central School service Commission, West Bengal spoke in length about the structure of the classes in the preparatory, primary, middle level and above and appreciated the division of the classes as indicated in the National Education Policy.