Terming the National Education Policy – 2020 (NEP-2020), the first educational policy of the 21 century after the long gap of 34 years, as a historic step, D.P. Singh, chairman of University Grants Commission (UGC), said that the policy had the potential to bring large-scale transformational reforms in school and higher education sector.
Remotely delivering the convocation address for the 5th Convocation of Central University of Karnataka, Kalaburagi, on Wednesday, held in a virtual mode owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, Mr. Singh said that the policy was built on the principle that education must develop not only cognitive capacities – both the foundational capacities of literacy and numeracy and the higher order cognitive capacities such as critical thinking and problem solving – but also social, ethical and emotional capacities and dispositions.
“The policy proposes the establishment of multidisciplinary universities and colleges, promotion of institutional autonomy – both academic and administrative, integration of academic, professional and vocational education, revamping curriculum, pedagogy, assessment and student support for enhanced student experiences, establishment of National Research Foundation to fund outstanding peer-reviewed research and actively seed research in the university and colleges, focusing on issues related to access, equality and inclusion and promotion of online education and open distance learning,” he said adding that the policy attempts to bring into focus the notion of a knowledge of many arts or liberal arts from the country’s ancient education system to 21st Century education system.
“For the successful implementation and execution of NEP-2020, we have a huge expectation from our higher educational institutions and we are looking forward to their constant support. Under this policy, we are requesting our higher educational institutions to overhaul and re-energise the quality of higher education with equity-inclusion and for that we need to restructure and consolidate our educational institutions,” he said.
Congratulating the students who received various degrees at the convocation, Mr. Singh called upon them to protect the democratic system and the institutions.
“The nation needs you and relies on you. You are its pillars, the pillars of the world’s largest democracy. Democracy has given you so much. So, it becomes your duty to protect the democratic system and its institution,” he said.
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