CHENNAI: The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) on Monday announced state-wide protests on January 20 against what it called an attempt by the Centre to thrust education “inclined towards religion” and making “Sanskrit compulsory” through the proposed National Education Policy.
The agitation, to be led by DMK district secretaries in front of state and central government offices in all districts, will also oppose the proposed National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET).
DMK working president M K Stalin, in a party release, alleged that “in the name of National Education policy, the Centre is being proactive to thrust an education system inclined towards religion and make Sanskrit a compulsory language”.
He claimed NEET would adversely affect poor and rural students’ prospects of pursuing higher education.
In Tamil Nadu, students in professional courses, including medicine and engineering, are selected on the basis of marks secured in the Class 12 examination.
Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar had last month said that the government will announce a committee which would draft the national education policy.
The ministry had already held comprehensive discussions with all stakeholders, including states, educational institutes, parliamentarians and experts, he had said.
The draft New Education Policy was released last June. The proposed policy focuses on areas including preventing gender discrimination, a common curriculum for science, mathematics and English and setting up educational tribunals.
[Source:-The New Indian Express]
