President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday said the National Education Policy (NEP) would help Jammu and Kashmir youth “to realise their true potential and make their dreams come true.”
“My dream is to see Jammu and Kashmir emerge as a centre of knowledge, enterprise, innovation and skill development. In the field of education and scholarly pursuits, the region has set unmatchable milestones. Many of the core ideas and concepts that have shaped the Indian mind over the centuries have emanated from this region,” President Kovind said in his address during a conference on the implementation of the NEP in the region.
3-language formula
He said the most encouraging feature of the policy was that it adhered to the cultural ethos of each region. “The three-language formula which is envisioned in this policy is of immense significance and can promote multilingualism as well as national unity. However, there will be greater flexibility in the three-language formula, and no language will be imposed on any State or union territory,” he said.
The President said Jammu and Kashmir was a reservoir of extremely intelligent, talented and innovative children. “The implementation of the education policy will produce students with ‘ignited minds’, if I borrow the phrase of my illustrious predecessor Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. The unfolding of India’s growth story rests on the talent and energy of its youth. In this regard, the NEP will prove to be a milestone,” Mr. Kovind said.
Referring to the Kashmiri historian, scholar and poet Kalhana, Mr. Kovind said, “From Hinduism to Buddhism to Sufi Islam, all faiths and beliefs have found home in the cultural ethos of this land. This peaceful and shared coexistence manifests in the lives of its people. We should always remember that education brings people together; it is ignorance that divides,” he added.
“Today, when we are seeing a new dawn in Jammu and Kashmir, we want the youth of this land to be the harbinger of change by excelling in their respective fields,” the President said.
Published - September 21, 2020 05:09 am IST
