Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, June 23: Expressing reservations over certain clauses in the draft National Education Policy 2019, the Group of Concerned Citizens (GCC), J&K, today suggested that the time allowed for making comments on the draft policy should be extended.
“The time of one month, allowed for making comments on the draft policy, is too little. We feel that the Government of India should extend the date by at least one month, if not more, beyond June 30, 2019,” said a statement, issued here today by Shafi Pandit, former Chairman JKPSC and member of the Group, which comprised of civil society members across communities and regions, including jurists, former civil servants academicians, journalists, businessmen and social activists.
Pertinent to mention that the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India, had uploaded the draft National Education Policy 2019 on its website, on May 31, 2019, and invited comments and suggestions from the public till June 30, 2019.
Pointing out that the draft policy immediately attracted controversy since certain clauses in it sought to impose a three-language rule in schools with Hindi being made compulsory, Shafi Pandit said that there are many other recommendations in the draft policy, which have far reaching implications on the concurrent status of education and it’s process.
“This calls for detailed deliberations by wider sections of society whose lives will be affected by the proposed changes in the draft policy. Moreover, since the draft is available only in English and Hindi, there is not enough time to engage in discussions in local languages as is required for more participatory policy making on the part of stakeholders, on the draft policy,” he explained and demanded that the time allowed for making comments on the draft policy should be extended.
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