The policy is focused on human values of Bharatiya civilisation

Akhil Bharatiya Shiksha Samagam, which will be held in Varanasi July 7-9, will be a ‘Maha Kumbh of Higher Education’. The core objective is to extract Amrut (nectar) from a number of quality imperatives enshrined in the National Education Policy 2020. The event will also mark the second anniversary of NEP 2020, which is aimed at making the youth future ready, while focusing on human values, life skills and traits of Bharatiya civilisation.

The event would take stock of gains made from the learning system of India and transform it to empower youth with ‘glocal’ competencies. Deliberations will be focused on mapping interests, abilities and demands of the younger generation for framing enabling rules for NEP 2020 on the basis of the objectives of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’. Also, the event will re-visit and re-strategise already drawn pathways for the implementation of NEP 2020. A key thrust area will be to prepare for a holistic perspective for flawless implementation of NEP 2020. Educational luminaries will look at the ways to ensure speedy and effective implementation of NEP 2020.

In knowledge driven society, the quality of education system provides for economic vitality, health and overall well-being. NEP 2020 was launched on 29th July, 2020 with a view to transform the existing learning system and to actualise the needs of the 21st century learners. The seriousness of this mammoth assembly of Directors and Vice-Chancellors of the higher educational institutions can be appreciated from the fact that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself will inaugurate and address the gathering. Education Minister Dharmendra Kumar will remain present during the course of the event.

India can become Atmanirbhar only when we make our youth competent enough to contribute meaningfully and purposefully and become instrumental in the Industrial Revolution (IR) 4.0 by making use of disruptive digital technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, Intelligent Robotics, Big Data Analytics, Cloud Computing and so on. In IR 4.0, Cyber-Physical Production System (CPPS) is utilized for industrial production. Education 4.0 envisages co-learning, co-creation and innovation; anytime, anywhere, and any type of learning. Also, it calls for the use of flipped classrooms for transforming passive to active learning at home or outside, while institutions are used for skill-development. Besides, the thrust is also on personalized and collaborative learning, as lesson plans become creative, and continuous training ensures updation of domain knowledge and skills.

In nutshell, it can be said that Education 4.0 is outcome-based.

Senior academicians and officials at the event will focus on the need to formulate policies to make youth future-ready to face a highly uncertain and volatile future. The speed of changes witnessed by the education sector is outpacing the ability of the existing system to respond adequately and appropriately. Indeed, the educational system faces the risk of becoming outdated if changes are not adopted.

Threadbare deliberations will take place on the student-centric and Bharat-centric reforms, with thrust on skill-development and employability, research, innovation and entrepreneurship, capacity building of teachers. Also, ways to ensure ranking and accreditation along with digital empowerment and online education will be discussed. Indeed, equitable and inclusive education within the Indian knowledge system will also be addressed.

The Ministry of Education and the UGC are burning midnight oil in making provisions/regulations on outcome-based learning with multidisciplinary curriculum, while offering students multiple exit-entry options. Also, academic bank of credits and education in mother tongue/regional language at least up to primary level are among top concerns of NEP 2020. Emphasis will also be on shift in pedagogy, while learners will have to evolve to think like employees and employees will need to think like learners.

(The author is Vice-Chancellor, Central University of Punjab.)