July 26th, Srinagar: Prof. A. Ravinder Nath, Vice Chancellor of Central University of Kashmir, spoke at an event marking the third anniversary of India’s National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, describing it as “a major transformative policy” that is “redefining access, enhancing quality, and fostering applicability” of education in India to align with the country’s growth trajectory and the demands of the global market.
In an interview with Greater Kashmir, Prof. Nath praised the collaborative aspect and adaptability of NEP 2020, which is designed to give students more agency in shaping their own professional futures. He emphasised the fact that today’s students are aware of and prepared for the realities of the labour market. NEP 2020 helps them along the way by providing courses and other resources that are designed with the student in mind.
Prof. Nath also highlighted the importance of the Centre for Knowledge Resources and the Centre for IT, both of which have the potential to dramatically improve students’ future-readiness. The policy’s flexibility and vision are shown by the prediction that “with ongoing reforms, IT integration will become pervasive across all fields of education, and perhaps even encompass Artificial Intelligence in the near future.”
He went on to say that the programme was visionary because it will overhaul the whole educational system to make it more accessible, progressive, and competitive on a global scale. Prof. Nath said that the foundation that NEP 2020 has established for empowering students and providing them with the tools they need to flourish in an ever-changing world is due in large part to its focus on accessibility, emphasis on academic achievement, and embrace of new learning paradigms.
On July 29, 2020, the Government of India gave the green light to the NEP 2020. It proposes a dramatic change in India’s educational policy, with the end goal of revolutionising the educational system to meet the difficulties of the twenty-first century and the varying requirements of the people. Professor Nath, who was joined at the press conference by the deans of many different departments, said that the institution had implemented a Learning Outcome-based Curriculum Framework (LOCF) and that internship and project-based learning had been included into several degree programmes. CUK adjusted its curriculum to encourage mobility and adaptability by introducing four-year ITEP programmes and Ph.D. pedagogy courses. The institution is planning to expand internship opportunities to all degree programmes and has already begun accepting credits from MOOCs programmes.
CUK has formed a high-power group for implementing NEP 2020, headed by Prof. Zahoor Gilani, and is now holding webinars, seminars, and workshops to raise faculty members’ understanding of the policy’s impending implementation. The institution is dedicated to helping students reach their full potential financially, socially, academically, and professionally by delivering a high-quality education at an affordable price. Efforts are being made to encourage student participation in the development of new knowledge via a credit-based pricing system, tuition exemptions based on need and merit, and other measures. He advocated for coordinated efforts by the government, schools, educators, parents, and businesses to ensure the programme was carried out effectively. “It aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals – 2030, emphasizing inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all,” he said.
CUK established the ‘School of Honours Programmes and Finishing/ Skill Studies’ so that students from outside the university might participate in immersion models offered as part of dual degree programmes. The bill also created the “Instructional Media Centre” to design and create online and digital courses to increase access to education throughout one’s life. It was reported that the development of the Centre for Kashmiri Language and Culture Studies was evidence of the university’s support for Indian language, culture, and knowledge systems.
