PM Modi hails NEP; Tamil Nadu CM Vijay seeks 5,110 cr in education dues

CHENNAI: The quality of education is improving under the National Education Policy (NEP), while the global standing of Indian educational institutions is also strengthening, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday during his roadshow in Chennai. He also laid the foundation stones for, inaugurated and dedicated development projects worth over Rs 13,000 crore.

"The global standing of Indian educational institutions is strengthening," he said at the golden jubilee celebrations of Jaigopal Garodia Hindu Vidyalaya in Chennai. "In the 2015 QS rankings, only 14 Indian universities featured on the list. In the latest rankings, that number has increased to 52. This clearly demonstrates that more institutions mean more choices and greater opportunities for you." Tamil Nadu has traditionally opposed the NE, with the previous DMK government being a vocal critic of the policy. "The country's education landscape is changing," Modi said. "In 2014, there were about 750 universities in India; today, their number has increased to more than 1,300. The number of colleges, too, has risen from about 38,000 to more than 52,000."

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Modi inaugurated projects and laid foundation stones for development initiatives worth over Rs 13,000 crore across sectors, including metro rail, highways, railways, ports, petroleum and scientific research. Modi and Vijay jointly inaugurated the Poonamallee-Vadapalani stretch, the first section of Chennai Metro Rail's Phase II project. The PM then offered prayers at the Jalakandeswarar Temple on the IIT Madras campus before visiting the Sudha Gopalakrishnan Brain Centre at the premier institute.

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Tamil Nadu CM Vijay urged the Centre to release funds due to the state. "Under Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan scheme, Rs 5,110 crore of the central share is due to Tamil Nadu. I request the Government of India to release the amount without any conditionalities," he said.