Vice-chancellors (VCs) of all central universities should adopt a student-first approach and work towards establishing a new educational model that is inclusive, holistic, futuristic and rooted in Indianness, Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan said on Thursday.
Speaking at the two-day VCs conference of central universities that commenced at Kevadia in Gujarat’s Narmada district on Thursday, Pradhan urged the vice-chancellors to formulate a unique model to implement the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 in their respective institutions. He suggested they prepare a strategy paper for the full implementation of NEP provisions in higher education.
“The paper should include multidisciplinary integration of subjects, mainstreaming Indian Knowledge System (IKS), devising strategies for tech-driven education to promote skilling and up-skilling, campus initiatives focusing on innovation and integration of technology with traditional values,” the minister said.
He added: “I call upon all our VCs and academic leaders to chart out their own unique NEP implementation model for their respective universities, adopt student-first approaches and work towards establishing a new educational culture and educational model that is inclusive, holistic, futuristic and rooted in Indianness.”
NEP was introduced by the Centre on July 29, 2020 with an aim to transform the country’s education system — aligning it with needs of the future while keeping it “rooted in Indianness”. NEP-2020, which replaced the education policy that was in place since 1986, recommended a major overhaul in the country’s education system at all levels from school to higher education.
{{/usCountry}}NEP was introduced by the Centre on July 29, 2020 with an aim to transform the country’s education system — aligning it with needs of the future while keeping it “rooted in Indianness”. NEP-2020, which replaced the education policy that was in place since 1986, recommended a major overhaul in the country’s education system at all levels from school to higher education.
{{/usCountry}}Highlighting the growth in India’s higher education over the last decade, Pradhan said the total student enrolment has touched 44.6 million, recording a 30% increase since 2014-15. India now has over 1,200 universities — including central, state, private and deemed universities— and over 46,000 colleges.
Pradhan called upon VCs to raise Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education to 50% by 2035 by taking definitive actions in critical areas such as redesigning curricula, building digital systems, training faculty and promoting multidisciplinary approaches.
“To attain this objective, it is imperative for the VCs to act as catalysts in shaping the mindset and aspirations of students. Universities must follow the ‘Students-First’ approach wherein students should be the centre of all our reforms as they constitute the core of our national strength for the future,” Pradhan said.
“VCs should ensure that institutions are being built for the future. Institutions should be developing skilled, future-ready graduates who are empowered to become job creators, social entrepreneurs, and ethical innovators,” he added.
GER, the ratio of the number of students currently enrolled in a particular level of education to the number of persons in the corresponding official age-group, currently in higher education stands at 28.4% in 2021-22 (latest available data), increased from 23.7% in 2014-15.
More than 50 VCs of leading higher education institutions are participating in the conference to review, assess, and strategise the implementation of NEP 2020. Organised by the Union education ministry in collaboration with the Central University of Gujarat, the conference aims to consolidate and map the institutional progress of central universities in mapping up the vision of developed India 2047.
The first-day discussions focused on the foundational reforms to accelerate NEP 2020 implementation while the second day talks will focus on research, ranking and internationalisation of the education system, according to the agenda of the conference shared by education ministry.