AISF brings non-BJP ruled states together to oppose NEP

CHENNAI: Coming together to oppose National Education Policy (NEP), the All India Students’ Federation (AISF) held a national convention with various stakeholders, including policy makers from different states in Chennai on Sunday.

One of the resolutions adopted by AISF states that proposals in the NEP are not only vague but, practically not suitable for educational and social development of Indian society.

“There is no in-depth study into various issues faced in school and higher education in India. Additionally, NEP throws open the education sector to market and facilitates the foreign financial capital to enter the education sphere. NEP is in fact National Exclusion Policy,” added the AISF resolution.

School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi addressing the gathering said that Chief Minister MK Stalin in 2019 demanded for changes in NEP, but in 2020 it was released without paying any heed to the responses on the policy.

“The Union government claims that NEP was released in 2020 post taking 2 lakh suggestions, but what is the need to release it during the peak of COVID-19 pandemic,” questioned the Minister.

“NEP also speaks about digital India, but it failed to consider the lack of internet access in rural villages. Even ATMs do not function in cities properly,” he added.

Meanwhile, Kerala Higher Education Minister R Bindu called NEP as anti-Dalit, anti-minority and anti-women and she further went on to say that the policy is only for elites. “NEP has serious gaps and contradictions, and the Union government trying to implement this is criminal,” she added.

The conference was also attended by state Higher Education Minister K Ponmudy, Maharashtra Housing Minister Jitendra Awhad, Bihar MP Manoj Kumar Jha, National Secretary, CPI Binoy Viswam, Telangana State Planning Commission member B Vinod Kumar, V Vasanthi Devi former vice-chancellor of MS University and president, All India Convention Reception Committee and General Secretary of State Platform for Common School System TN (SPCSS-TN) PB Prince Gajendra Babu.