New Delhi, 29 July 2021: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched the Academic Bank of Credit that will provide multiple entry and exit options for students in Higher education. ABC provides options like multiple entry and exit will free students from the restrictions of staying in one class and one course.
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi addressed policy makers in the domain of education and skill development, students and teachers, across the country via video conferencing, to mark the completion of one year of reforms under the National Education Policy 2020. He also launched multiple initiatives in the education sector.
The Prime Minister highlighted the openness and absence of pressure in the New Education Policy. He said that there is an openness at policy level and openness is also visible in the options available to the students. Options like multiple entry and exit will free students from the restrictions of staying in one class and one course. Similarly, modern technology based Academic Bank of Credit system will bring revolutionary change. This will give confidence to the student in choosing stream and subjects. ‘Structured Assessment for Analyzing Learning levels’, SAFAL will take away the fear of examination.
Prime Minister launched the Academic Bank of Credit that will provide multiple entry and exit options for students in Higher education; 1st Year Engineering Programmes in Regional Languages and Guidelines for Internationalization of Higher Education. The initiatives to be launched also included Vidya Pravesh, a three month play based school preparation module for Grade 1 students; Indian Sign Language as a Subject at secondary level; NISHTHA 2.0, an integrated programme of teacher training designed by NCERT; SAFAL (Structured Assessment For Analyzing Learning Levels), a competency based assessment framework for Grades 3, 5 and 8 in CBSE schools; and a website dedicated to Artificial Intelligence. The event also witnessed the launch of National Digital Education Architecture (NDEAR) and National Education Technology Forum (NETF).
Quoting Mahatma Gandhi, the Prime Minister emphasized the importance of local languages as medium of instructions. The Prime Minister informed that14 engineering colleges of 8 states are starting to impart education in 5 Indian languages Hindi, Tamil, Telugu. Marathi and Bangla. A tool has been developed for translating engineering course in 11 languages. This emphasis on mother tongue as the medium of instruction will instil confidence in the students from poor, rural and tribal background. Even in the elementary education mother tongue is being promoted and Vidya Praveshprogamme, launched today, will play a big role in that.
He also informed that Indian sign language, for the first time, has been accorded the status of language subject. Students will be able to study it as language also. There are more than 3 lakh student who need sign language for their education. This will give a boost to Indian sign language and will help the divyang people, said the Prime Minister.
