We'll devise a new education policy, Smriti Irani says

New Delhi, Jun 22: Nearly three decades after the last such exercise was undertaken, the Modi government will formulate a new national education policy "reflecting the aspirations of India now and opportunities in the next decade", HRD minister Smriti Irani said in an exclusive interview, her first to the English media after assuming office.

Irani said the new policy will be put together after extensive consultations with all stakeholders. "It will be my endeavour to help India emerge as a knowledge-based economy," she said. The current education policy was formulated by the Rajiv Gandhi government in 1986.

The minister indicated that the government was proceeding with caution on the question of scrapping Delhi University's controversial four-year undergraduate programme. "I see the role of MHRD if there is a blatant violation of law. I respect autonomy of institutions. Any other comment at this stage from me will be inappropriate," she said.

Irani, however, reiterated the government's intention to restructure the University Grants Commission, the country's nodal agency for higher education, saying that promises made in the party's manifesto "shall be kept".

The minister also sought to allay apprehensions that textbooks will be saffronized under the rightwing regime. "The President's speech and PM's resolve reflect what MHRD seeks to do," she said on the issue.

To question on how she would go about implementing the promise of setting up IITs in all states, the 38-year-old former actor said she intended to find a way through consultations. "I am aware of the challenges of existing IITs and IIMs," the minister said, adding that she had set the ball rolling on consultations with IIT directors. "I will undertake a similar exercise with IIM directors," she added.