NEP Controversy: Indianization vs. Political Control

Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi accused the Centre of using the National Education Policy (NEP) to centralize power, commercialize education, and communalize curriculum. In an opinion piece, she claimed the government excluded states from key policy decisions, weakening the federal structure.

Her remarks come amid Tamil Nadu’s opposition to the alleged imposition of Hindi through NEP. She criticized the Centre for not consulting state governments and not convening the Central Advisory Board of Education since 2019.

Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis countered her claims, calling NEP an “Indianisation” of education. He argued that replacing the colonial-era Macaulay system with an indigenous approach is necessary and patriotic. He urged Gandhi to understand NEP better and support it.

The debate highlights growing tensions between the Opposition and the BJP over education reforms, with concerns about language policies and the role of private sector involvement in education.