Vice-president Jagdeep Dhankar on Sunday called the new National Education Policy (NEP) a "gamechanger" and urged states that have yet to adopt it to reconsider their position.
Speaking at the International Literacy Day celebrations, Dhankar emphasised the importance of literacy and cautioned against those who "taint, tarnish and demean" India’s institutions. He called on people to guide those "misguided souls" who fail to recognise India’s growth.'
“It’s time for us to be in mission mode with commitment and passion to ensure 100 per cent literacy at the earliest,” Dhankar said.
He highlighted the lasting value of education, stating: "Education is something that no thief can take away from you. No government can snatch it from you. Neither relatives nor friends can take it away. There can be no reduction in it. It will grow and continue to grow as long as you keep sharing it."
Dhankar urged the remaining states to adopt the new NEP, calling it a transformative policy that empowers youth. "This National Education Policy empowers our youth to fully exploit their talent and energy, giving due importance to all languages," he said.
The vice-president also praised India’s linguistic diversity, noting the special significance of the mother tongue. "There is no country in the world like India. We are a unique nation when it comes to the richness of language, with several languages," he said.
Reflecting on his role as chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Dhankar noted, "I afford members the opportunity to speak in 22 languages. When I hear them speak in their language, I listen to the translation, but their body language itself tells me what they are saying."
He concluded by urging everyone to take up the responsibility of making at least one person literate, calling it a “spinal contribution” towards a developed India.
"When we make someone literate, we liberate them, we help them discover themselves, we make them feel dignity, we cut down dependence and generate independence and interdependence," Dhankar said. "Let each one make one literate. This will be a crucial step for Viksit Bharat."
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