Consensus, not conflict, is focus of Javadekar's new education policy

NEW DELHI: The HRD ministry under Prakash Javadekar is evolving a new strategy on New Education Policy. Apart from extending the deadline for public comments, the ministry has also sent out hard copies of the policy to members of Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha.
Ministry officials admitted it was a wrong decision to use only 43-page summary of New Education Policy in the public domain.“In retrospect, we could have released the entire report,” a senior official said, adding that the focus now will be to minimise conflict and evolve consensus. In the coming days, sources said, the minister is likely to meet representatives of student and teacher bodies of different ideological persuasions.
Sources said what could also change is the list of initiatives that the HRD ministry had said will take to implement the New Education Policy. “It was part of the 43-page document that was put out for public opinion. General opinion was why seek views when the ministry has already made up its mind. We want to change that,” one official said.
The ministry says some discrepancies also crept, which have been put out. For instance, the report never talked of making Class X board examination compulsory but said there should be two levels for science and mathematics. However, the ministry had in its comments said board examination will be made compulsory. “We do not know what the general view is about this issue,” one official said.
Another issue raised by the report to which the ministry did not react earlier is politics on university campuses. A product of student politics, Javadekar has a different view and it will reflect when government finalises the policy. “We want healthy student politics on campus,” one official said.