Union Minister Pradhan urges NCERT to emerge as reform-oriented, tech-driven change leader

THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

BHUBANESWAR, SEPTEMBER 1, 2025

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday called upon the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) to embrace a new role as a reform-oriented, technology-driven leader in education. He was addressing the 65th Foundation Day celebrations of NCERT, where he also launched DIKSHA 2.0 and released Utkal Jananinkara Sujogya Santana, a book chronicling the lives and contributions of 100 eminent personalities from Odisha.

The event was attended by distinguished dignitaries including Sanjay Kumar, Secretary, DoSEL, Ministry of Education; Chamu Krishna Shastry, Chairman, Bharatiya Bhasha Samiti; Prof. Dinesh Prasad Saklani, Director, NCERT; Prof. M. Jagadesh Kumar, Chairperson, UGC; Dr. Sreedhara Panicker Somanath, former ISRO Chairman; and Prof. J. S. Rajput, former NCERT Director, along with senior officials from the ministry.

Pradhan hailed NCERT as an iconic institution and a true “Gyan-Kumbh”, noting its pivotal role in shaping generations of learners since its inception. He urged the organization to evolve with changing times, adopting global best practices and harnessing technology to drive educational reforms.

Outlining the vision of building a Samridhh Bharat by 2047, the Minister emphasized fostering critical and creative thinking among students, promoting multilingualism, and transforming knowledge into competency.

Highlighting the government’s commitment to digital learning, Pradhan introduced DIKSHA 2.0, an upgraded platform offering structured lessons, adaptive assessments, and AI-powered tools such as Read Aloud and text translation in 12 Indian languages. He shared positive feedback from students, underlining how the platform is enhancing learner-specific education while empowering both teachers and students.