New Delhi, Sep 1 (IANS): Under the New Education Policy, the Union Education Ministry on Wednesday said it has set a new target of ensuring 100 per cent enrolment of children in schools across the country during the next nine years.

Giving information on this subject on the 61st foundation day of the NCERT, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said that by 2030, there is a target to achieve 100 per cent gross enrolment of children in schools across India. The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) will also play an important role in achieving this goal, he added.

Pradhan said the NCERT has given significant direction to the national school syllabus.

India's new education policy is based on Indian values, Pradhan added.

The Minister said a new education system of 5+3+3+4 has been implemented in schools across the country. Under this system the students have been divided into four different sections.

The first stage (5) will have students in the age group of 3 to 6 years who will be imparted education from the pre-primary or play school level till class 2. After this stage the syllabus for classes 2 to 5 will be prepared following which the academic programme has been designed keeping in mind the students of classes 5 to 8 and then finally the education of students for the next four years from classes 9 to 12.

This school education system of 5+3+3+4 will reduce the school dropout rate and ensure universal access to education. This is targeted to achieve 100 gross enrolment ratio for complete school education by 2030 through various measures.

According to the Education Ministry, no child should be denied any opportunity to learn and excel due to circumstances based on his/her birth or background. Special emphasis will be laid on socially and economically disadvantaged groups. A special education sector and a separate gender inclusion fund are being set up for the backward areas.

Pradhan said since independence, there have been significant positive changes in school education and the role of NCERT has been significant in it.

"The NCERT provided an alternative calendar for schools during difficult times of Covid-19, I hope that the NCERT will expand its old work as well as new efforts will be made for imparting school education," he added.