Arjun slams ‘monopoly’ Modi

‘‘No single individual or group can claim to have monopoly over how the education process in a country like India should be carried out’’, he said.

This, he said, is well addressed and reconciled in the preamble to the Constitution. “It has to be the defining element in our scheme of things as far as education is concerned which was not adhered to by the previous government,” he added.

Citing the way in which the 100-year-old Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) was rendered dysfunctional during the previous government at the Centre, he said, ‘‘Unfortunately, for some reason, this premier body of inter-State consultation went into dis-use, which I personally feel, deprived the educational initiatives both the necessary legitimacy as also proper perspectives of both the Centre and the States.’’ He underlined that the draft National Policy on Education will be put for approval before the CABE in August following which drawing up of syllabus will begin.

In an emotive defence of Nehru, who the RSS recently blamed for the ills plaguing the country, Singh said Nehru set up IITs/IIMs, which are now paying ‘‘rich dividend’’.

Pawar urges states to spend more

NEW DELHI: Agriculture minister Sharad Pawar on Monday told chief ministers at the NDC meeting that agriculture production would increase only if they spent more in the sector.

Bringing the paltry amount the states spend on agriculture to the notice of the CMs, Pawar said, ‘‘The share of agriculture and allied expenditure by all states in the 10th plan is 6.46 per cent and this is when 65 per cent population depends on agriculture. In 2003, it was 5.62 per cent,’’ said Pawar. He said the Centre had a limited role and added that some states like West Bengal, Punjab and Bihar were right at the bottom when it came to spending on agriculture. —ENS