Karnataka forms panel led by former UGC chairperson to frame state education policy

NEW DELHI: The Government of Karnataka has formed a 15-member committee headed by Sukhadeo Thorat, former chairperson of the University Grant Commission (UGC), to frame a new State Education Policy. In August, the government announced it was withdrawing the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 in the state and that it will frame a separate state education policy.

Many opposition-run states, including West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, had rejected the NEP 2020 brought in by the union government led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). West Bengal released its own State Education Policy in September this year and Tamil Nadu has formed a committee to create a new policy. The NEP 2020 was cleared by the union cabinet but never tabled in or voted on in parliament.

The Karnataka committee will submit a report on the State Education Policy on February 28, 2024, after receiving suggestions and recommendations from the Department of School Education and Literacy and the Department of Higher Education.

“I am confident that this committee will provide suitable recommendations for nurturing scientific temperament, intellectual growth, and necessary education for the holistic development of students. I hope Karnataka's State Education Policy will serve as a model education policy for the country,” Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah said through his official X (formerly Twitter) account.

The previous BJP government’s position papers based on the NEP 2020 for the state were widely criticised for its “skewed history”, “false glorification of ancient India” , and creating a “Hindu religious jingoistic mind”.

State Education Policy: Panel members

Apart from Sukhadeo Thorat, the committee includes the following members:

• Sanjay Kaul, former secretary, School Education, Government of India

• Sudhir Krishnaswamy, vice chancellor of National Law School of India University (NLSIU Bangalore)

• S Japhet, former vice chancellor of Bengaluru City University

• Jogan Shankar, former vice chancellor of Kuvempu University

• Rajendra Chenni, retired professor of English at Kuvempu University

• Nataraj Budalu, retired professor and writer

• Sudhanshu Bhushan, professor and head of the Department of Higher and Professional Education, NIEPA

• Furquan Qamar, professor of management at the Centre for Management Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia University

• Pranati Panda, professor and head of the department of School and Non-formal Education in NIEPA

• Sharat Ananthamruthy, professor, School of Physics, University Hyderabad

• A. Narayana, professor with the school of policy and governance, Azim Premji University

• VP Niranjanaradhya, educationist

• MS Talawar, retired professor of Bangalore University

• Santhosh Naik R., professor, Department of Sociology, Karnataka State Open University

• Vinaya Okkunda, associate professor and writer, Government First Grade College, Dandeli.

The state government has also appointed eight members as advisers. They are:

• Yogendra Yadav, senior fellow at the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, New Delhi

• Rahamath Tarikere, retired professor at Hampi Kannada University

• Janaki Nair, historian and retired professor at JNU

• Valerian Rodrigous, professor, Centre for Political Studies, JNU

• Sabiha Bhoomigowda, former vice chancellor of Akkamahadevi Women’s University.

• S Chandrashekara Shetty, former vice chancellor, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Bengaluru.

• Sonam Wangchuk, education reformer and director of the Himalayan Institute of Alternative, Ladakh (HIAL).

• Director, Karnataka State Higher Education Academy, Dharwad.