President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday (September 20, 2020) while addressing a conference on implementation of National Education Policy (NEP) in Jammu and Kashmir expressed that we should strive to make J&K a ‘firdaus’ (paradise) on Earth.
President Kovind said that determined efforts should be made to make this paradise a hub of knowledge, innovation and learning by implementing NEP in letter and spirit.
He appreciated the scholarly pursuits of the region and said, “My dream is to see Jammu and Kashmir emerge as a centre of knowledge, enterprise, innovation and skill development. These steps would make Jammu and Kashmir once again a “Firdaus on the earth, a bright jewel on the crown of Mother India” as it was referred to in the medieval age.”
Talking about the rich heritage in the field of education inherited by Jammu and Kashmir, President Kovind said that it has been a centre of literature and learning since time immemorial.
Citing the examples of Kalhana’s Rajtarangini and the Mahayana Buddhism, the tenets of which were popular in Kashmir, he opined that history of India’s cultural traditions would remain incomplete without taking them into consideration.
Reiterating the importance of NEP, the President said that India has an unprecedented demographic dividend but it could be positively realized only if the young people constituting a substantial segment of the population become skilled, professionally competent, and above all educated in the real sense.
Showing faith in the children of Jammu and Kashmir, he said that Jammu and Kashmir is a reservoir of extremely intelligent, talented and innovative children. He further added that the implementation of the education policy will produce students with “ignited minds”.
Emphasizing on value-based education, President Kovind said that it is important to understand our tradition and rich cultural heritage which can be achieved only in our mother tongue.
