Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 21: Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha inaugurated a Second Conference on the Implementation of National Education Policy (NEP-2020) at Zorawar Singh Auditorium of Jammu University here today. The conference was jointly organised by the Jammu University and the Department of Higher Education.
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At the occasion, Union Education Minister, Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, through a video message, congratulated the Lt Governor for taking the lead and setting up task force in J&K for formulating an effective plan of action for implementation of National Education Policy. He also ensured full fledged support of the Government of India in making J&K a knowledge hub.
Speaking on the occasion, the Lt Governor said that Jammu & Kashmir is gifted with, not only scenic beauty, but with brilliant minds. ‘I have strong conviction that the New Education Policy will have far reaching effects in the Union Territory. Only education can help bring about a brighter future for J&K. It is my dream to make Jammu & Kashmir an oasis of talent having abundant wealth of knowledge, enterprise and skilled youth’, he said.
Assuring of the Government’s commitment towards education sector, the Lt Governor remarked that Rs 300 crore have been released for creation of new as well as completion of under-construction colleges in J&K. Similarly, Rs 2392 crores have been released for school and higher education sector of the UT. Centre has released additional fund of Rs 500 crore for Health & Medical Education which will give boost to existing resources of the UT, informed the Lt Governor.
In context of the ongoing COVID pandemic, the Lt Governor identified the immediate need to intensify research on Epidemiology, Virology and Infectious Diseases across universities to equip the nation to face similar unfortunate events in future.
Highlighting the key benefits of the New Education Policy, the Lt Governor said that the New Education Policy, aims to overhaul the entire pedagogy, in schools as well as institutions of higher education. He observed that the New Education Policy would ensure local empowerment while creating global talent.
Addressing the teachers’ fraternity, the Lt Governor called for orienting themselves to the changing dynamics of education ecosystem which, according to him, is imperative to give shape to NEP-2020 on ground.
‘The New Education Policy will not only enable us to harvest true potential of technology, but help us achieve equitable and inclusive education. It also focusses on faculty and institutional autonomy’, said the Lt Governor.
Addressing education institutions, the Lt Governor said that emphasis be laid on community development and tie up with corporates, philanthropists and top education experts from diverse fields, to ensure that students from disadvantaged and underprivileged backgrounds get equal opportunity through scholarships.
‘There is need to bring all education institutions in line with the New Education Policy. There is need to incorporate new skill sets, innovative activities, new research programmes, scholarships, e-learning modules and vocational training into updated syllabus’, said the Lt Governor.
The work on setting up incubation centres and technology centres in Jammu should be expedited while ensuring a greater industry-academic relationship. Innovation be promoted through competitions and similar activities, remarked the Lt Governor.
Advisor to Lt Governor, KK Sharma, in his keynote address, said that motto of NEP 2020 is to run an integrated education system where students from one subject can learn the other subject so that the job security can be maintained. It is basically multi-disciplinary approach where the students coming from the rural area i.e. Socio-economically Disadvantaged Students will be benefitted.
Chairman, Draft Committee, NEP, Dr. K Kasturirangan, in his keynote address deliberated upon the elaborate process adopted for the formulation of the NEP 2020. The policy formation has adopted a rigorous process and has taken into consideration more than 2 lakh suggestions received from 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats, more than 12,500 local bodies and about 675 districts, he informed.
Former Chairman, UGC, Prof. Ved Prakash, also delivered an expert lecture on NEP 2020. He urged upon all the higher education institutions to work together in order to transform the formulated NEP into reality. He appreciated the establishment of Task force for implementation of NEP 2020 by Universities of Jammu and Kashmir.
Earlier, Vice Chancellor, University of Jammu, Prof. Manoj Kumar Dhar, underlined that University of Jammu will work in close collaboration with all the institutions of UT and provide mentorship holding to the affiliated colleges to ensure that the benefits of the policy reach grass root level.
Those present at the occasion also included Advisor to Lt Governor, KK Sharma; Vice Chancellor SMVDU, Prof (Dr) Ravindra Kumar Sinha; VC BGSBU, Prof Javed Musarrat; VC Central University of Jammu, Prof Ashok Aima; Principal Secretary School Education Department, Dr. Asgar Hasan Samoon and Director IIIM, Jammu, Dr D Reddy.
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