After the initiation of the PM SHRI (Prime Minister Schools for Rising India) program in the Indian city of Chhattisgarh, which aims to enhance 211 schools in the state, Minister Pradhan remarked on Monday (Feb 19) that the newly introduced National Education Policy (NEP) is designed to alleviate academic pressure on students. The NEP was rolled out by the government in 2020. The event unfolded in Raipur at the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Auditorium.
During the gathering, the minister emphasized the concept of implementing ten bag-free days annually in schools and encouraging children to engage in art, culture, sports, and other activities. According to the NEP 2020 blueprint, students will have the opportunity to sit for the 10th and 12th-grade board exams twice, starting from the academic session of 2025-26.
In accordance with the New Curriculum Framework (NCF) released by the Ministry of Education in August the previous year, board exams are slated twice annually to ensure students have ample time and opportunities to excel. Additionally, students will have the flexibility to retain their highest score regardless of their performance in other exams.
The NEP endeavors to furnish stress-free education, foster cultural connection among children, and equip them for the future. Minister Pradhan engaged with students present at the program, inquiring about their satisfaction with the changes implemented in board exams and urging them to retain their best grades obtained after both attempts.
"The vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji for the NEP is to alleviate the stress on children, furnish them with high-quality education, nurture their cultural roots, and equip them for the future. This, he stated, is the formula for propelling India towards becoming a developed nation by 2047," the minister declared.
Pradhan criticized the previous Congress government in the state, alleging that education was not accorded priority. However, after the BJP assumed control in the state and Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai assumed office in December of the preceding year, the education sector was accorded top priority.
