Bengaluru, Aug 21 (IANS): Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced on Monday that a committee will be formed to formulate a new education policy for Karnataka.

As education is a state subject, it was decided to set up a committee to formulate the education policy, while continuing the old education system for now. The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Siddaramaiah.

Since it is a state subject, the central government cannot formulate the education policy. The National Education Policy has been formulated by the Centre without taking the state governments into confidence, Siddaramaiah stated.

The chief minister opined that what is being imposed is a conspiracy. A uniform education system cannot be established in a country like India with a multicultural and pluralistic society.

The BJP-ruled states are also hesitant to implement the National Education Policy (NEP). The states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu have made it clear to the Central government that they will not implement the NEP. The CM was confident that the state cannot be treated unfairly since the centrally funded schemes are applicable to all the states.

He expressed concern that the NEP will affect the poor, scheduled castes, tribals, backwards and the rural people.

The chief minister said that the educational institutions do not have the necessary infrastructure to implement this education policy. This has created unnecessary confusion.

The state's Congress government had earlier announced that it would scrap the National Education Policy implemented by the previous BJP government. Karnataka was the first state to implement the NEP.

Dubbing the NEP as Nagpur Education Policy, Dy CM D.K. Shivakumar had announced that the NEP would be scrapped in the state and a new education policy will be implemented. A meeting of experts from the education field will be conveyed in one week and the new policy would be formulated for the good of future generations, he added.

“We are committed to scrap the NEP as per our manifesto. Two cabinet ministers will give proposals to form the committee. The new policy would be formulated very soon. We are ahead in all sectors, the defective NEP won’t be implemented here. States such as Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh have not implemented the NEP, why is it needed for Karnataka?” Shivakumar questioned.

Answering a question on deemed universities deciding to continue with NEP, the steps in this regard would be taken as per the advice of the experts. “Education is a state subject, we don’t want interference,” he said.