Karnataka has formed a 15-member council to develop the State Education Policy

The Karnataka government has formed a 15-member committee to develop the Karnataka State Education Policy (KSEP), which would be chaired by Sukhdev Thorat, an educationist, economist, and former chairman of the University Grants Commission.

In its election promise, the Congress government stated that it will withdraw the National Education Policy (NEP-2020) and implement a separate education policy for the state. According to the directive released on Wednesday, the panel will develop the KSEP and submit it by February 28, 2024. There are additionally eight subject experts/advisers on the committee.

The members are Sanjy Kaul, former secretary, School Education, Government of India; Sudhir Krishnaswamy, Vice-Chancellor of National Law School of India University; S. Japhet, former Vice-Chancellor of Bengaluru City University; Jogan Shankar, former Vice-Chancellor of Kuvempu University; Rajendra Chenni, retired Professor of English at Kuvempu University; Nataraj Budalu, retired professor and writer; Sudhanshu Bhushan, Professor and Head of the Department of Higher and Professional Education, NIEPA; Furquan Qamar, Professor of Management at the Centre for Management Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia; Pranati Panda, Professor and Head of the Department of School and Non-formal Education in NIEPA; Sharat Ananthamruthy, Professor, School of Physics, University Hyderabad; A. Narayana, Professor with the school of policy and governance, Azim Premji University; V.P. Niranjan Aradhya, educationist; M.S. Talawar, retired professor from Bangalore University; Santhosh Naik R., Professor of Sociology at Karnataka State Open University; and Vinaya Okkunda, Associate Professor and writer at Government First Grade College in Dandeli.

Yogendra Yadav, Senior Fellow at the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies in New Delhi, is one of the advisers, as is Rahamath Tarikere, retired professor at Hampi Kannada University; Janaki Nair, historian and retired professor at JNU; Valerian Rodrigous, professor at JNU's Centre for Political Studies; and Sabiha Bhoomigowda, former Vice-Chancellor of Akkamahadevi Women's University. According to the order, the commission will conduct a review of the state's school and higher education systems and recommend policies to increase enrollment, provide equal access to all individuals, impart scientific knowledge to students in order to instill democratic values, and provide skill and professional education, among other goals.

M.C. Sudhakar, Minister for Higher and Technical Education, told The Hindu, "The government has formed the best possible committee to formulate State Education Policy." Academic champions are all of the members and specialists. The commission will first present an interim report, followed by a complete report by the end of February. KSEP will go into effect in the academic year 2024-25."