UP leading in NEP implementation, target 25% rise in enrolment ratio: CM Yogi Adityanath to officials

LUCKNOW: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday directed officials to target a rise in the gross enrolment ratio (GER) from currently 25 per cent to over 50 per cent in 10 years. He said Uttar Pradesh has been the country's leading state in implementing the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which helped the state improve its GER in the past three years. Adityanath' statement came during a review meeting on the policy's implementation in the state, at his official residence here, according to a statement.

Giving directions to the officials in the meeting, Adityanath said, "The vision of the NEP is to provide quality, "saarvabhaumik" (universal) and employment-oriented education using modern technology in higher education institutions." "Uttar Pradesh has been the leading state to implement the NEP.

In the last three years, the gross enrolment ratio has increased through this. The efforts made to improve the quality of education in universities and colleges have shown good results," he added. The chief minister also said, "Uttar Pradesh has achieved the goal of one divisional university and now we are moving towards one district-one university."

"The establishment of these new universities is helping improve the gross enrolment ratio. At present, the GER in higher education institutions is around 25 per cent. Our target should be to increase it to more than 50 per cent in the next 10 years," he added. The youth should be encouraged for entrepreneurship, he said, and added that these subjects should be considered while preparing the curriculum.

Adityanath directed that a research centre should be established in the name of the great litterateur and thinker Rahul Sankrityayan at Maharaja Suheldev State University in Azamgarh at the earliest possible. This centre will provide a suitable platform for the youngsters to research and study the personality and works of Rahul Sankrityayan, he added.

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Apprenticeship, syllabus, Indian languages

The chief minister said graduate and diploma holders are being provided the facility of apprenticeship in industrial organisations under the 'Mukhyamantri Shikshuta Protsaahan Yojana'. More than 53,000 youngsters joined this scheme In the last financial year and this year, 11,000 candidates have registered so far, of which about 2,800 youngsters are doing apprenticeship, he noted.

He asked officials to connect maximum youngsters with the programme and ensure that all apprentices are paid stipend on time. The chief minister also instructed officials to ensure that the syllabus is timely updated. "Books for small children and teaching methods should be made interesting. NCERT curriculum has now been implemented in Classes 1 and 2. These books should be available in all schools," he said.

He expressed satisfaction on the admission of 20.5 lakh new students in the current academic session and said efforts should be made to connect every dropout child back to schools. Adityanath said educational institutions should ensure that unless there is an unavoidable situation, the annual exams for the 2024-25 session should be over by May 15. While updating the curriculum, focus should be on value-based and skill-based education, Adityanath said, and added that the examination model should be changed to reduce the tendency of rote learning.

"The syllabus should be in the local language. Along with this, we should also impart to our youngsters the knowledge of other languages," he said. Being multilingual not only makes a person employable, but also enhances one's personality, he said, asking officials to take necessary action in this regard.