No change in reservations in new education policy: Javadekar

MUMBAI, Aug 19: Union Minister Prakash Javadekar today said that the Government has no plans to make any changes in the constitutionally guaranteed reservation in the new education policy.
Speaking to reporters here at state BJP head office, he clarified that the Government has not finalised the new Education Policy and that the draft policy is yet to be placed before the Union cabinet for debate.
“The Government will place the draft before education experts for a debate and thereafter the draft policy will be made ready to be placed before the cabinet,” he said.
“As far as reservations are concerned, it is the constitution which provides for it (for reserved categories) and we have no plans to make changes in reservations,” he added.
The Government wants to usher in all-inclusive quality education that places emphasis on social justice and accountability of those entrusted with imparting education, Javadekar said.
“The Government has invited recommendations on the proposed Education Policy 2015 right from the village to state level,” he said and added that people can still make suggestions on the policy till September 30 on mygov.In.
“The Government has set up 13 teams for school education and 20 teams for higher and technical education. In all, 29,000 suggestions running into lakhs of pages were received. The T S R Subramaniam committee has compiled it into a 200-page summary,” he said.
Javadekar said the Government has once again sought suggestions from the Chief Ministers of all the states.
Replying to queries he informed that more than 20 lakh posts of teachers across the country are lying vacant from Kindergarten to IIT level.
About five lakh temporary teachers are engaged in imparting education in the country and there are more than 85 lakh posts of teachers till the junior college level in the country.
He admitted that even some teaching posts in IITs are lying vacant. (PTI)