**Summary:**
On September 1, 2025, Union Education Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan addressed the 65th Foundation Day of the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) in Delhi. During the event, he launched several initiatives, including DIKSHA 2.0, and released a book on the life and contributions of 100 great personalities of Odisha, titled "Utkal Jananinkara Sujogya Santana."
Shri Pradhan urged NCERT to evolve into a reform-oriented and tech-driven leader in education, emphasizing the importance of developing critical and creative thinking skills in students to build a "Samridhh Bharat" (Prosperous India) by 2047. He also advocated for the promotion of multilingualism to foster critical thinking.
DIKSHA 2.0, an upgraded digital platform, was highlighted as a key technology-driven learning tool. It is designed to be responsive and compatible with various devices, offering structured lessons, adaptive assessments, and AI-powered tools, including Read Aloud and text translation in 12 Indian languages. The Minister shared positive feedback from students who have used DIKSHA.
The event was attended by dignitaries including Shri Sanjay Kumar, Secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL), Ministry of Education; Shri Chamu Krishna Shastry, Chairman, Bharatiya Bhasha Samiti; Prof. Dinesh Prasad Saklani, Director, NCERT; Prof. M. Jagadesh Kumar, Chairperson, University Grants Commission (UGC); Dr. Sreedhara Panicker Somanath, Former Chairman, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO); and Prof. J. S. Rajput, Former Director, NCERT.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Education: The government ministry responsible for education.
Dharmendra Pradhan: Union Education Minister who addressed NCERT's Foundation Day.
NCERT: National Council of Educational Research and Training, an organization under the Ministry of Education.
Diksha 2.0: An upgraded digital platform offering structured lessons and AI-powered tools.
Odisha: An eastern Indian state, formerly known as Utkal, mentioned in the context of a book release.
Sanjay Kumar: Secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL), Ministry of Education.
Bharatiya Bhasha Samiti: Organization; Chairman, Chamu Krishna Shastry.
UGC: University Grants Commission; Chairperson, M. Jagadesh Kumar.
Ministry of Education
Union Education Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan
addresses NCERT’s 65th Foundation Day
Shri Dharmendra Pradhan urges NCERT to emerge
as Reform-Oriented, Tech-Driven change leader
Posted On: 01 SEP 2025 5:32PM by PIB Delhi
Union Education Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan today addressed the 65th Foundation Day of NCERT
and launched a host of initiatives including Diksha 2.0. He also released a book on the life and contribution of
100 great personalities of Odisha—‘Utkal Jananinkara Sujogya Santana’.
The 65th Foundation Day celebration of NCERT was graced by the presence of several eminent dignitaries,
Shri Sanjay Kumar, Secretary DoSEL Ministry of Education; Shri Chamu Krishna Shastry, Chairman,
Bharatiya Bhasha Samiti; Prof. Dinesh Prasad Saklani, Director, NCERT; Prof. M. Jagadesh Kumar,
Chairperson, UGC; Dr. Sreedhara Panicker Somanath, Former Chairman, ISRO; and Prof. J. S. Rajput,
Former Director, NCERT, along with senior officials from the Ministry of Education and NCERT.
Shri Dharmendra Pradhan expressed happiness at being with the NCERT family and inaugurating a host of
new educational initiatives. Extending his best wishes to NCERT, Shri Pradhan described it as an iconic
institution at the heart of India’s educational system. He said that NCERT has been a pillar of the nation’s
educational landscape, shaping the destinies of generations of students with unparalleled commitment and
dedication.Calling NCERT not just an institution but a ‘Gyan-Kumbh’, he highlighted its immense contribution to
nation-building through education since its inception. He urged NCERT to embrace its role as a change leader
by adopting a new avatar—reform-oriented, tech-driven, and focused on global best practices.
The Minister underlined that building a Samridhh Bharat by 2047 would be possible only if students were
encouraged to develop critical and creative thinking skills. He urged NCERT to promote multilingualism to
foster critical thinking in the Amrit Peedhi and to work towards transforming knowledge into competency.
Shri Pradhan expressed confidence that NCERT would drive educational reforms, bring a paradigm shift in
teaching and learning, and play a pivotal role in realizing the vision of a Samridhh Bharat.
Highlighting the government’s focus on technology-driven learning, Shri Pradhan spoke about DIKSHA 2.0,
the upgraded digital platform that is fully responsive and compatible with multiple devices. It offers structured
lessons, adaptive assessments, and AI-powered tools like Read Aloud and translation of text files in 12 Indian
languages. He also shared first-hand feedback from students who have benefitted from DIKSHA, noting how
the platform is facilitating learner-specific education and empowering teachers and students alike.
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MV/AKMOE/DoSEL/ 1 September, 2025
(Release ID: 2162749)