City experts welcome policies for education

PUNE: To boost education and support research in the country, Finance Minister (FM) Nirmala Sitharaman announced two big proposals in higher education sector: National Education Policy (NEP) and National Research Foundation (NRF).

Bhushan Patwardhan, Vice-Chairman of University Grants Commission (UGC) said, “NEP has proposed NRF concept. Currently multiple agencies are funding for projects on common theme. Under NRF, we can avoid duplication of funding in a particular area. This will optimise and focus on mission-based research. It will help improve research productivity, quality and bring synergy between research councils. It will not compromise on research council identity,” said Bhushan Patwardhan, Vice-Chairman of University Grants Commission (UGC). Vice-Chancellor of Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU), Nitin Karmalkar said the announcements were satisfactory. “The NEP emphasises on liberal studies, which SPPU has already incorporated. Earlier, institutions had to approach several entities like Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) and  All India Council Technical Education (AICTE) for research funding. Now it is all under one umbrella.”

With not a single Indian institution in the top 200, the FM proposed to start a programme, ‘Study in India’, that will focus on bringing foreign students to India to study in our higher educational institutions.

“We had a larger footprint of foreign students, which is slowly reducing. SPPU is one of the identified universities to cater to foreign students. Intake of foreign students is likely to increase and funds to support this will be allocated. There is budgetary allocation for ‘Study in India’ programme,” said Karmalkar.

“There are hardly a couple of universities that cater to foreign students. Till now, the country wasn’t leveraging upon the infrastructure available to offer higher education to international students. The MHRD has identified the top 100 universities in India. It has started scholarship programmes for international students. Similarly, several initiatives have been taken to encourage intake of international students,” said Vidya Yeravdekar, Principal Director of Symbiosis Society. 

“This scenario wasn’t there before. We had proposed several ideas to boost this factor in higher educational institutions. It is good to see that the government is mulling upon these initiatives,” added Yeravdekar.

Patwardhan appreciated the initiative. “Previously, international students would come to study only Indology, History of India or Indian Culture, Arts etc. Students from the US and UK would come for short-term courses or exchange programmes for a few weeks or a semester. But now many foreign students are interested in studying yoga, science and technology, medical education due to large public health sector available in India,” he said.

“The government should formulate a mechanism under Study in India, where students can easily find out which institution provides the subject they want to study and how can we offer the best quality education in India,” said Patwardhan.

HIGHLIGHTS OF BUDGETARY PROVISIONS FOR EDUCATION SECTOR
- New National Education Policy proposed
- National Research Foundation (NRF) proposed
- Rs 400 crore provided for ‘World Class Institutions’, for FY 2019-20, more than three times the revised estimates for the previous year.
- Study in India proposed to bring foreign students to study in Indian higher educational institutions.
- Regulatory systems of higher education to be reformed comprehensively to promote greater autonomy and focus on better academic outcomes. 
- Draft legislation to set up Higher Education Commission of India (HECI), to be presented.
- Khelo India Scheme to be expanded with all necessary financial support.
- National Sports Education Board for development of sportspersons to be set up under Khelo India, to popularise sports at all levels