The University Grants Commission (UGC) organized a South Zone Conference for Autonomous Colleges on ‘Implementation of NEP 2020’ at IIT Madras today. The conference witnessed the participation of academics from numerous institutions who discussed the various aspects of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

NEP 2020 was launched on 28 July 2020. Extensive efforts are being made to disseminate the details of the policy among various stakeholders and ensure its implementation by higher education institutions.

This conference included sessions for academics on topics such as “Participant Thematic Brainstorming on Implementation Strategies for NEP 2020 Participants” on the implementation of the National Credit Framework, Academic Credit Bank, Digital Empowerment and Research and Innovation Ecosystem, among other topics.

Sessions on Enhancing Graduate Employability, Bhartiya Bhasha, Indian Knowledge System and Internationalization and NEP: Effective Implementation and Monitoring were also organized.

Addressing the inaugural session, Professor M Jagadesh Kumar, Chairman, UGC said, “Access, equity and inclusion in higher education are critical determinants of how far our students will progress, occupy positions in society and excel in the professions their respective Educational institutions must ensure that higher education is accessible, equitable and supportive for our students to succeed.”

UGC OFFERS SKILL COURSES ON SWAYAM PLUS TO BOOST EMPLOYMENT

Further, Professor M Jagadesh Kumar said, “Equipping students with appropriate skills and competencies is essential to help them become self-employed or get a job. UGC is working on making skill courses available to students in various fields through Swayam Plus portal. While students may take 50% of the credits toward majoring in a particular discipline, they may complete qualifying courses for up to 50% of the total remaining credits required in a degree. program like BA, BSc and BCom This will help students achieve their academic and career goals.”

Professor M Jagadesh Kumar added, “We need to promote our Indian languages ​​as a medium of instruction in higher education to improve learning outcomes. For students from rural backgrounds, teaching in Indian languages ​​will make education more inclusive. English can always be learned as a tool of communication All technologically and economically advanced countries teach in their higher education institutes in their own language”.

The UGC has issued guidelines regarding various types of internships such as research internships and industry internships for students. Educational institutions should actively collaborate with various organizations and strive to provide internship opportunities to students. Experiential learning is crucial because it allows students to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world situations and prepares them for the practical challenges of their careers. Internships make education more meaningful and impactful for students.

Speaking on the occasion, Professor V Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras said, “Our gross enrollment ratio in the higher education system is around 30%. According to the world population census, we are the youngest population in the age group of 15 years. at 35. If we don’t do education right now, 10 years from now, there is a possibility that we will become the most uneducated nation in There is a great academic need that we all need to be aware of and live up to.”

NEP AIMES TO SHAPE TOMORROW’S LEADERS

Professor V Kamakoti added: “Today there is a need to create leaders for tomorrow and this leadership could come from three sectors – the teaching profession as we need very good teachers, the second. It can come from those who are in administrative services and have a good understanding of technology because by 2047, when we reach the 100th year of Independence, technology will probably be the most important building block for governance au created large companies that could solve societal problems, creating a very large socio-economic impact. These three points appear in several places in the NEP.

The UGC has also allowed universities to conduct end-of-semester examinations along with regular semester examinations. Students should avoid taking end-of-semester exams administered by the National Testing Agency, saving time and money. Institutions should encourage as many students as possible to take up SWAYAM courses.

While students can take 50% of the credits towards majoring in a particular discipline, they can complete qualifying courses up to 50% of the total remaining credits required in a degree programme, such as BA, BSc and BCom. This will help students achieve their academic and career goals.