No dilution of quota policy in education by NEP: Pokhriyal

New Delhi: Clearing the doubts about the New Education Policy (NEP) 2020 upholding the reservation policy, Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' clarified on Tuesday that "the New Education Policy affirms by the constitutional mandate of reservation enshrined in Article 15 and Article 16 of the Indian Constitution."
"Various entrance examinations like JEE main, NEET, UGC-NET, IGNOU were organised after the declaration of NEP 2020 and many appointment processes were also held in educational institutions, but we have not received a single complaint of dilution of reservation provision so far," Pokhriyal affirmed.
"I reiterate that successful ongoing programmes and policies will continue with new efforts to bring educational inclusion of SCs, STs, OBCs, Divyang and other socio-economic disadvantageous groups. I would like to make it absolutely clear that my ministry will take every appropriate action if we receive any complaint in this regard," he added.
The minister further said that the NEP 2020 was formulated after consultations with all the stakeholders, students, teachers, parents, educational administrators, educationist, non-teaching staff and society as a whole.
The NEP framed a cluster of SCs, STs, OBCs, Divyang, girls, women, transgender, minorities, geographical marginalised and other socio-economically and culturally deprived groups under a cluster- 'socio-economic deprived group's (SEDGs) while making the draft, the minister stated in his letter.
Pokhriyal further added, "To address the issues SEDGs communities, NEP 2020 made a provision to form various special educational zones based on educational marginality where coordination of various ongoing and new support and inclusive schemes will be evolved to develop educational inclusion of SC's, STs, OBCs, Divyang, and other deprived communities."
"The scholarships schemes, cycle distribution schemes, direct cash transfer for educational inclusion of the deprived and many other supportive government schemes will help us to bring educational inclusion of SEDGs groups," he said.