In a significant move, Karnataka’s Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah, has revealed the state’s plan to discard the National Education Policy (NEP) from the upcoming academic year. Instead, the Congress-led government intends to introduce a State Education Policy (SEP) that aligns with the Indian Constitution, bidding farewell to NEP.
Siddaramaiah pointed fingers at the previous BJP government, accusing them of pushing the agenda of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) through NEP.
“They [BJP] sought to advance the hidden RSS agenda extensively”. The draft [of NEP] was crafted in Nagpur, the RSS headquarters. While other BJP-governed states refrained from its implementation, Karnataka embraced it. Let me clarify: while we opted for continuity this year to prevent disruptions to students’ education mid-year, we are planning a complete overhaul of the education policy to align with the constitution in the next academic year,” the Chief Minister affirmed.
Speaking at an event organized by the Karnataka Congress Committee, CM Siddaramaiah mentioned that they retained NEP this year to avoid disturbing students’ learning. “However, a complete replacement is on the cards for next year,” he emphasized. He highlighted that NEP faced opposition from students, parents, lecturers, and teachers collectively. Moreover, he accused the BJP of prioritizing the implementation of NEP within the state, even before its enactment in other parts of the country.
The inclusion of SEP was a central promise in the Congress manifesto during elections. The party also committed to reversing alterations made to school textbooks during the BJP’s tenure.
Under the leadership of Bsavaraj Bommai, the BJP government adopted NEP for higher education in August 2021, making it the first state to embrace the policy. However, the Congress consistently opposed NEP, labeling it the “Nagpur Education Policy.”
