9-member panel to prepare final draft of National Education Policy

After virtually dumping the report of an earlier committee, the Human Resource Development Ministry on Monday constituted a nine-member panel headed by eminent space scientist K. Kasturirangan to prepare the final draft of the National Education Policy.

Besides Kasturirangan, who headed the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the panel includes Vasudha Kamat, academician from the field of education technology; Manjul Bhargava, Professor of Mathematics in Princeton University, USA; and K.J. Alphonse, who played a crucial role in achieving 100 per cent literacy rate in Kottayam and Ernakulam districts of Kerala, according to an official statement.

The committee also comprises Ram Shankar Kureel, Vice Chancellor of Baba Saheb Ambedkar University of Social Sciences, Mhow; T.V. Kattimani, Vice Chancellor of Tribal University, Amarkantak; and Krishna Mohan Tripathy, who was instrumental in implementation of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.

Mazhar Asif, Professor of Persian at Gauhati University; and M.K. Shridhar, former Member Secretary of Karnataka Innovation Council and Karnataka Knowledge Commission, are also part of the panel.

The Ministry has chosen the experts keeping in mind the diverse areas of education, different sections of society and different regions of the country, said an official.

HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar had constituted a similar committee two years ago under former cabinet secretary T.S.R. Subramanian who researched on the New Education Policy. However, the government played down its report, calling it a compilation of old reports.

The new committee will consider suggestions and inputs given in the Subramanian panel report, said Ghanshyam Goel, Information Officer of the HRD Ministry.