NEP 2020 a well-planned roadmap to nurture young talent, says President Ram Nath Kovind
Kasaragod, Dec 21: The National Education Policy (NEP) of 2020 is a well-planned roadmap to develop an ecosystem that will nurture the talent of the country's young generation, President Ram Nath Kovind said on Tuesday.
Delivering his speech at the 5th Convocation of the Central University of Kerala at the Periya campus here, Kovind said the NEP aims to prepare the students for the world of tomorrow, while also equipping them with the best of India's own traditions.
"India is, after all, the land of Nalanda and Takshshila, of Aryabhata, Bhaskaracharya and Panini. Gandhiji compared the indigenous educational system with a beautiful tree that perished under colonialism. An effort is being made to rediscover its best aspects so that India makes a contribution to the world that it alone is destined to make," Kovind said.
The President said the most outstanding feature of the NEP is that it aims to promote both inclusion and excellence.
Kovind said through its varied curriculum, NEP promotes liberal as well as professional education, because each stream of knowledge has a role to play in society and in nation-building.
"That way, the NEP can become instrumental for India to harness and reap the demographic dividend," he added.
He said the country's growing population makes it "incumbent upon us to nurture the next generation talent." "When the younger generation is provided with skills and knowledge required for success in the world of the twenty-first century, they can do miracles," he said.
Praising Kerala, Kovind said it has led the other states on critical parameters of literacy and education, enabling it to be a leading state on several other parameters of excellence too.
The President also pointed out that the Union Government has recommended names of three cities from the entire country for being listed in UNESCO's Global Network of Learning and two of them are from Kerala.
"These two cities are Thrissur and Nilambur. Being part of this Global Network supports the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, especially the goal of ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting life-long learning opportunities for all," he said.
He said as far as gender equity is concerned, Kerala not only has favourable sex ratio, but has also been at the forefront of women empowerment.
"I am not surprised at all that all the three gold medal winners in today's convocation happen to be our daughters. I am also glad to note that the number of daughters who have received degrees is nearly thrice the number of boys. I have been told that our daughters constitute 64 per cent of the total number of students in the university," he said.
He said he has been observing the growing empowerment of women through education in other parts of the country also.
"In this empowerment-through-education of our daughters, I see the India of the future which will become a knowledge power with rich contribution from our daughters," Kovind said.
Kovind handed over gold medals to three graduates.
Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan and State Local Self Government and Excise Minister M V Govindan also attended the event.
After the event, the President flew to Kochi and was welcomed by government officials.
Kovind is accompanied by his wife Savitha Kovind and daughter Swathi. The first family will stay at the Taj Malabar resort.
The President will witness the operational demonstration of the naval officers of the Southern Naval Command on Wednesday. He will also visit IAC Vikrant.
The President will leave for Thiruvananthapuram on December 23 to take part in various programmes there and will return to New Delhi on December 24.
Earlier in the day, Kasaragod MP and Congress leader Rajmohan Unnithan and Udma MLA and Left leader C K Kunhambu voiced their protest against the CUK for not inviting them for the function and said it was a protocol violation.
Unnithan said not inviting him for the convocation, even though he represents the area in Parliament, is a breach of protocol.
"Without following any protocol, the event has been turned into a completely saffronised event involving only BJP representatives. This is objectionable and completely undemocratic," the Kasaragod MP said.
Kunhambu has written to the Vice Chancellor of the University expressing displeasure over not being invited to the programme scheduled to be held in his Udma assembly constituency.
"I was not informed about the event to be attended by the President, in the district," he told PTI.
However, university authorities said the decision on the invitees was taken by the security and protocol officers.
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Sisters' gangrape-suicide: Two arrested in Jodhpur
Jodhpur (PTI): Two persons have been arrested here in connection with alleged rape of two sisters, both of whom committed suicide after repeated police complaints were purportedly ignored.
The younger sister consumed pesticide after climbing a water tank in the village of the accused persons on May 15, alleging that she and her sister had been repeatedly raped by the accused for years and police had turned a blind eye to their complaints.
In her complaint to police, she alleged that the accused were now sexually assaulting her and extorting money from her by threatening to circulate videos of her elder sister.
Her elder sister took the extreme step on March 20.
The younger sister's suicide sparked outrage, triggering protests by her angry family members and villagers. They gathered outside the mortuary and demanded the immediate arrest of all accused and compensation for the family.
The protesters said that timely action by police could have prevented the two deaths.
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) (Jodhpur Rural) Bhopal Singh Lakhawat on Monday said two accused have been arrested in the case and are being interrogated.
The two arrested accused are among eight booked in connection with the matter based on a complaint lodged by the women's brother. Searches are underway to trace the remaining accused, police said.
According to the women's family, the younger sister had lodged a complaint at the Khedapa police station on April 11, alleging that she was raped by eight men. However, despite repeated complaints and appeals, no action was taken for over a month.
On May 7, she wrote to the superintendent of police, accusing the local police of failing to act against the accused. From May 10 onwards, she started receiving threats through WhatsApp calls and messages and this information was also shared with police. Still, no legal action was initiated in the matter, the family alleged, the family claimed.
On May 15, the woman consumed the pesticide and died while being taken to the hospital.
The woman's elder sister was sexually assaulted, blackmailed with obscene videos and repeatedly threatened by the same accused. Unable to bear the harassment, she committed suicide after no action was taken on her complaint as well, the family claimed.
Amid mounting criticism, the investigation into the case has been transferred to an Additional Superintendent of Police-level officer.
Bawdi outpost in-charge Dharmendra has been attached to the police lines pending inquiry, police said.
No action has been taken yet against other officials concerned.
