Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Sunday described the new National Education Policy (NEP) as a game changer for the country, urging states that have not adopted it to reconsider their stance.

He noted that the policy gives due importance to all languages and called upon everyone to resolve to make at least one person literate.

“When we make someone literate, we liberate him or her, we help that person discover himself or herself, we make him or her feel dignity, we cut down dependence, we generate independence and interdependence. It enables a person to help himself or herself. It is a supreme facet of handholding,” Dhankhar said.

Addressing the International Literacy Day celebrations as Chief Guest at Vigyan Bhawan here, the Vice President underlined, “The joy and happiness you provide by educating a person, whether a man, a woman, a child, or a girl, is beyond measure. You can’t imagine the happiness it will bring you. It will spread in a positive manner. It will be the greatest affirmative action you can take in Human Resource Development.”

In his address, Dhankhar called upon everyone to promote literacy, stating, “It’s time for us to be in mission mode with commitment and passion to ensure 100 per cent literacy at the earliest. I am sure this is achievable sooner than we think. Let each one make one literate; this will be a spinal contribution to Viksit Bharat.”

“Education is something that no thief can take away from you. No government can snatch it from you. Neither relatives nor friends can take it away from you. There can be no reduction in it. It will grow and continue to grow as long as you keep sharing it,” he asserted.

The Vice President also expressed confidence that if literacy is pursued passionately, India can reclaim its ancient status as a centre of learning, like Nalanda and Takshashila.

Appealing to the states that are yet to adopt the new National Education Policy to rethink and revisit their stance, he emphasised that this policy is a game changer for the nation. “The National Education Policy empowers our youth to fully tap their talent and energy, giving due importance to all languages,” he remarked.

Highlighting the special significance of the mother tongue, Dhankhar said it is the language in which we dream. Emphasising India’s unparalleled linguistic diversity, he remarked, “There is no country in the world like India. We are a unique nation in terms of the richness of language, with several languages in existence.”

Reflecting on his experiences as the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, he shared, “I provide members the opportunity to speak in 22 languages. When I hear them speak in their language, I listen to the translation, but their body language itself tells me what they are saying.”

He also highlighted the profound significance of the Rishi Tradition in Indian culture and urged everyone to “resolve to make at least one person literate within six months, so that by the end of the year, we can achieve the goal of educating two individuals”.

Lauding India’s transformative progress over the last decade, Dhankhar emphasised how achievements like electrifying every household, once unimaginable, are now a reality, with future goals focused on self-sufficiency through solar power.

He reflected on rural development, highlighting the significant strides like toilets in every household and the impact of widespread digital connectivity.

The Vice President noted how 4G access in remote villages has revolutionised service delivery, making everyday tasks easier, and eliminating the need for long queues for essential services.

Cautioning against those who taint, tarnish, and demean our institutions, Dhankhar urged to show the path to those misguided souls who fail to acknowledge the impressive growth of Bharat and do not recognise the ground reality.