Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar today said that the government will give more funding for research and innovation as per the commitment contained in the New Education Policy (NEP) . Speaking at the Centenary Celebration of Parle Tilak Vidyalaya in Mumbai to express gratitude to the teachers on the occasion of Teacher’s Day via video conference, he said, research funding will grow in leaps and bounds as the Modi Government is committed to improving and increasing the research fund. He, however, lamented that India spends less than one per cent of the Gross Domestic Product on research, whereas other countries spend around three per cent of GDP on research and innovation. Javadekar said, the NEP lays emphasis on foundational and technical literacy. The NEP will reduce curriculum, but will improve the ability to comprehend and analyze, he said, adding that scientific temperament is the base of this policy. Stating that education is empowerment, Javadekar said, with NEP’s emphasis on research and innovation it will pave the way for emergence of new scientists. He added that NEP will give a boost to the Atmanirbhar Bharat campaign. The Minister said, teachers will have to be more abreast with the subject they teach, as students have become more ingenious with the help of more and more mobile apps bolstering them to ask tough questions.
