Committee to formulate SEP will include minority community members: Higher Education Minister

On : 2023-08-19

Minister of Higher Education Dr M C Sudhakar has assured that the committee to formulate the proposed new State Education Policy (SEP) would include members from different academic fraternities, including minorities.

He was interacting with Jesuits in Higher Education of Karnataka Jesuit Province at St Joseph’s University, Bangalore on August 18.

Dr Sudhakar said: “The national education policy was implemented only in Karnataka in a hurry, only to impress the higher ups in Delhi. It has been introduced only at the degree level without fundamental preparations. Further, it has done away with the local, contextual ethos of the state. It is nothing but the infringement of the federal structure. And hence, we are going to scrap it and bring in SEP.”

Answering a question whether implementing SEP would have a fallout in the state losing on central funds, the Minister said that the central government cannot take the federal structures of the Indian administration for granted. “As it is, the funds allocated for NEP are too meagre. Presently, no other state has implemented NEP. I don’t see why the central government would stop funds for us,” he opined.

Dr Sudhakar also assured that in a few months committees would be formed to look into matters related to NEP and SEP. “The students under NEP are in their third year now. So, it is important that we bring in a certain order to avoid confusion regarding the forth year and Honours programme. Hence, we will very shortly make sure that students are not put into academic hardships in deciding their next academic programme,” he added.

Earlier, Dr Arul Mani from SJU and Dr Paul Newman, Principal, St Joseph’s Evening College, made presentations about issues concerning NEP. They said that NEP lacked sensitivity to local context and had taken away the autonomy enjoyed by the autonomous colleges. Dr (Fr) Charles Lasrado SJ, Principal, St Joseph's College of Commerce, introduced and welcomed Dr Sudhakar. Dr (Fr) Richard Rego SJ moderated the session.