Credit: DH Photo
Bengaluru-based Nrupathunga University Vice-Chancellor Shrinivas S Balli has come out in support of the National Education Policy (NEP).
This makes him the first head of a state-run university to contradict the Congress government’s policy decision to scrap the NEP, which has polarised academia.
Prof Balli has argued in favour of NEP in his letters to Higher Education Minister Dr M C Sudhakar, additional chief secretary (higher education) S R Umashankar and the Karnataka State Higher Education Council.
In his opinion, Prof Balli said, Karnataka runs the risk of its students migrating to other states. This is one among nine issues that he has highlighted.
“If all the other states have NEP and Karnataka has its own policy, there will be an academic gap. There are high chances of our students migrating elsewhere,” Prof Balli said.
He even warned of the risk of students from other states not showing interest to study in Karnataka.
Prof Balli hailed the NEP for allowing students to learn in their mother tongue.
“Despite giving importance to education in mother tongue, the NEP has continued the three-language policy. The freedom to choose another language along with Kannada has been given to students, which was much needed,” he said.
The V-C also lamented politicisation, while referring to space scientist K Kasturirangan who drafted the NEP.
Prof Balli pointed out that Kasturirangan had worked with all governments without himself having any connection with any political party.
In August 2021, Karnataka became India’s first state to adopt NEP in higher education.
But the Congress government has announced its intention of scrapping the NEP as promised by the party in its poll manifesto.
The Congress argues that NEP is the “hidden agenda” of the RSS, the BJP’s ideological parent.
Earlier this week, the government decided to constitute a committee of experts to frame a State Education Policy (SEP), that will replace the NEP.
Academics are divided on the Congress government’s move to scrap NEP. The likes of former University Grants Commission chairperson Sukhdeo Thorat have advised the government to retain the good aspects of NEP.
Several former vice-chancellors such as B Thimme Gowda (Bangalore University) and Mallepuram G Venkatesh (Karnataka Sanskrit University) have come out in support of the NEP.