Politics More Important Than Children’s Future? With Impending Elections, HRD Ministry Defers New Education Policy

The Narendra Modi led government’s heavily endorsed new education policy misses yet another deadline on Wednesday (31 October) as the fourth extension given to a committee which was set up to draft it, expires today, The New Indian Express has reported.

The committee led by former ISRO chairman K Kasturirangan had been signalled to go slow during the election season said a source in the Union Human Resources Development (HRD) Ministry.

“As the code of conduct for Assembly elections in five states is on, we are not in a position to make headway in that direction. Also the committee wanted some more time as it is holding detailed consultations with states,” a senior HRD ministry official told The New Indian Express.

The panel constituted in June 2017 and was directed to submit its report by December, but was given an extension till March 2018. It was later extended till August and was again extended for another two months. The education policy may not be announced during the current term of the government as it could ‘anger’ other parties, a ministry source.

The committee has eight members apart form Kasturirangan and the mathematician Manjul Bhargava. The panel’s suggestions may not be implemented even in the next academic year according to sources close to the developments.

The government had come up with a draft policy, formulated by a panel led by former cabinet secretary TSR Subramanian during the term of former HRD minister Smriti Irani. A new committee was set up after Prakash Javadekar replaced her.