Shri Dharmendra Pradhan delivers valedictory address as Akhil Bhartiya Shiksha Samagam 2023 concludes

Akhil Bhartiya Shiksha Samagam 2023, coinciding with the 3rd anniversary of National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, concluded with a resolute commitment from education leaders to transform India into an equitable and vibrant knowledge society. The valedictory address was delivered by Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, the Union Minister of Education and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Government of India, who was the chief guest of the event on 29th July 2023.

The event was graced by Ministers of State for Education, Smt. Annapurna Devi, Dr. Subhas Sarkar, Dr. Rajkumar Ranjan Singh, and other esteemed dignitaries. The Akhil Bhartiya Shiksha Samagam was inaugurated by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi at Bharat Mandapam in Delhi, coinciding with the 3rd anniversary of the National Education Policy 2020. During the inauguration, the Prime Minister released the 1st installment of funds under the PM SHRI Scheme, benefiting 6207 schools with 630 crore Rupees. He also released education and skill curriculum books translated into 12 Indian languages.

During the valedictory address, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan emphasized the commitment of the Shiksha Parivar to implement the National Education Policy and make India a knowledge-based superpower. He urged the education fraternity to collaborate and turn this Mahakumbh of education into an All-India Institution. The Minister stressed the significance of PM-Shri School as the primary laboratory for NEP’s implementation and encouraged educational institutions’ heads to strengthen the school ecosystem.

Shri Dharmendra Pradhan highlighted the importance of skilling in Indian languages and converting NCF guidelines into textbooks. He also emphasized continuous efforts towards capacity building for the youth and effective college governance. The Minister announced the priority of teacher capacity building, with 300 institutions to be developed as centres of excellence, including 100 each from school education, higher education, and skill development.

During the event, various thematic sessions on School Education, Higher Education, and Skill Education took place, bringing together academicians, researchers, policymakers, regulators, industry experts, and representatives from the government. These sessions aimed to brainstorm and identify approaches to implement NEP 2020 effectively, exchange knowledge, discuss challenges, and share best practices.

Over two days, 106 significant Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were signed in various sectors, including higher education, school education, and skilling.

Shri Dharmendra Pradhan released books on ten significant projects of the Central Institute for Classical Tamil (CICT).

The following books released by Shri Dharmendra Pradhan on the ten major projects of the Central Institute for Classical Tamil (CICT):

• Definitive Editions of Ancient Tamil Works
• Translation of Ancient Tamil Works
• Historical Grammar of Tamil
• Antiquity of Tamil: An Inter-Disciplinary Research
• Synchronic And Diachronic Study of Tamil Dialects
• India As a Linguistic Area
• Digital Library for Ancient Tamil Studies
• Online Teaching of Classical Tamil
• Corpus Development for Classical Tamil Works
• Visual Episodes on Classical Tamil

The Minister also released a mobile app, logo, and the slogan of ULLAS. The event also featured a captivating multimedia exhibition showcasing the best initiatives from the school and higher education world and the skill ecosystem. The exhibition attracted nearly 2 lakh attendees, including students, youth volunteers, and participants of Yuva Sangam.

The Akhil Bhartiya Shiksha Samagam 2023 was a significant milestone in advancing India’s education landscape, fostering collaboration, and creating a platform for knowledge exchange and growth.