Karnataka State Private Schools’ Association opposes scrapping of NEP

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: The decision by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to discard the National Education Policy (NEP) in the upcoming academic year has sparked dissent within the education domain.

The Karnataka State Private Schools’ Association is now actively opposing this move, asserting that alterations should be made to the policy rather than removing it entirely.

Describing this turn of events as "not a healthy development," the private schools’ association has called for the government to retain the already implemented NEP while making necessary amendments.

In contrast, CM Siddaramaiah recently convened a meeting involving vice chancellors and experts on August 21.

During this session, he announced the formation of a committee aimed at drafting the Karnataka Education Policy, set to be implemented in the forthcoming academic year.

Addressing the situation regarding students enrolled under the NEP guidelines, Higher Education Minister MC Sudhakar clarified that they would receive a three-year degree certificate and not proceed to the fourth year, in line with the state's decision to discontinue the NEP.

Various state BJP leaders, including former CM Basavaraj Bommai, CT Ravi, and Ashwath Narayan, expressed their objection to the government's plan to scrap the NEP.

In response to these opposing viewpoints, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar questioned the reason why BJP-led states have not put the NEP into action.

Concurrently, Union Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan directed eight questions related to children's education towards Shivakumar and inquired about the Congress' stance on the matter.

The Congress, in its election manifesto, pledged to dismantle the NEP, labelling it the "Nagpur Education Policy" about the RSS headquarters