“New Education Policy 2020 is focused on making our students to be creative thinkers and skilled individuals, especially at school levels. Learning a third-language will give them a very great advantage in the future. I took part in Anti-Hindi agitation movement in 1965 but only later I realized the value of Hindi”, said renowned academician and Former VC of Anna University Dr.E.Balagurusamy in a virtual conference on Sunday on ‘NEP 2020 – Three Language Formula’
Along with him, Vice-President of BJP-Tamil Nadu, Vanathi Srinivasan, explained the importance of Three-Language Formula system in India. Speaking earlier, Vanathi Srinivasan underlined that while the outside impression in Tamil Nadu is that we don’t follow a third language in the educational practices, in reality there are places in Tamil Nadu where apart from the two-languages, additional language is taught in schools.
True to what Vanathi said, The New Indian Express also published an article in August 2020 stating that “most private schools in the State offer a total of three languages”. The link to that news is here – https://bit.ly/312HTQW
Vanathi pointed out that parents are interested in seeing their child and other students learn another language and that is one of the opportunities that NEP 2020 is trying to provide to them. She said that an online survey needs to be taken among parents and their children whether they are interested to learn a third language as proposed in the NEP 2020. She said that when the people and student community openly give their answer, that could be documented and shown to those who oppose it.
Dr.Balagurusamy said strengthening education is vital for a nation’s economic growth, and for India to attain a developed nation status, the population needs to be a well-educated society. He shared that although India’s literacy rate is now at 74% it is not a great achievement if we are looking to compete with the 21st century competitors around us.
To keep ourselves ahead of our counterparts across the globe as a competent nation, we need to strengthen our educational practices, focus on research and come out with great innovations. “Innovation is directly connected with economic developement”,he stressed. To give our nation’s young minds such a system of change in educational practices,the New Education Policy 2020 is framed. Those who oppose it have not learned it in its entirety and if they have read it, they have not understood it, Dr.Balagurusamy underlined.
He said that there is not a place in the policy that states that students should learn only Hindi as the third language. Students can take any language they like. Dr.Balagurusamy said that his personal choice would be Hindi because it is the most spoken language in India. It is also the Union Government’s Business language and when students move out of Tamil Nadu and work in other places like Bengaluru for example, Hindi will help them. Dr.Balagurusamy who was also a member of the UPSC said that maintaining conversation in local areas in North would be much easier if knowledge of Hindi is present. He pointed that ultimately all the graduates of the State cannot be employed within Tamil Nadu. When they move to other cities, Hindi will be a bridge.
Talking about other highlights of NEP 2020, he said the Early Childhood Care and Education concept focusing on basics of cognitive, literacy and numeracy is tailored to suit the mental and physical growth of children at school and it is a welcomed decision. It focuses on making the students be creative thinkers than be memorizing machines whose aim is to get only marks. NEP 2020’s objective is to make students creators, critical thinkers and good natured individuals than just be graduates, he said.
School students, after their 12th standard enter college but not all of them make it to the college. 40 to 50% of students could not afford to enter there. Vocational Education that is pitched in NEP will certainly help those students to have skills to face the future boldly rather than be puzzled about it. This move should be encouraged but certain parties are misrepresenting it for their interests, he added.
The announcement of allocating 6% GDP for education in the next decade is a welcome move from all sides, he pointed. Another announcement of Multiple Entry and Exit Points and the Academic Bank Credit System will enable a student to take a break, complete a project or a task and return and then continue the course. Depending on the exit point, he/she will get her degree that could be diploma/graduate/research degree. This provides flexibility, said Dr.Balagurusamy. He conveyed that everyone is welcome to bring their suggestions about NEP 2020 but if they want to oppose it, they should read it first.