NEP has ended slave mindset, says Modi

The push for using mother tongue in education under the National Education Policy (2020) has initiated a "new form of justice" in the country, which will help create a new generation that is free from "mentality of slavery", Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday.

- Fareeha Iftikhar

Inaugurating the Akhil Bhartiya Shiksha Samagam at the newly-inaugurated Bharat Mandapam in Delhi, the PM said the world is looking at India as a "nursery of new possibilities".

"Education in the mother tongue is initiating a new form of justice for the students in India. It is a very significant step towards social justice," he said as he emphasised that judging students on the basis of language instead of capabilities was the "biggest injustice".

Developed nations of the world have an edge because of their local languages, the PM said, citing the example of most European nations that use their native languages.

"Although India has an array of established languages, they were presented as a sign of backwardness, and those who could not speak English were neglected and their talents were not recognised. As a result, the children of the rural areas remained most affected," Modi said.

But the country has now begun to shun this belief, he said.

"The country has now begun to shun this belief with the advent of the National Educational Policy...Even at the UN, I speak in Indian language," he said.

Under the new policy, even subjects like social science and engineering will be taught in Indian languages, he said.