Experts, academicians hail new education policy

Dharwad: Academicians and experts have welcomed the National Education Policy-2020 announced by the Modi-led Central government.
Director of UGC Human Resource Development Centre Harish Ramaswamy said the new policy is a leap forward in India’s long-standing ambition of becoming a global education hub. It promotes multi-dimensional development of education and highlights cherished Indian values. Early childhood care education is an excellent step. Aided by the flexible 5+3+3+4 structure of schooling, it benefits students and helps in lateral entry in their careers. The removal of bureaucratic affiliations is another positive step. Inviting foreign universities will introduce competitiveness while renewed focus on India’s myriad languages will help extract our own knowledge and culture, Harish added.
Former vice-president of Karnatak University Srinivas Saidapur said overhauling education system was long due and hence the NEP is welcome. Changes suggested for school education are in general welcome he said, and added that the proposal to convert colleges and universities as multi-faculty institutions is most welcome and timely. At the same time, the universities should have been given total autonomy and control by authorities like the UGC should have been reduced, he said. They are often stumbling blocks and discourage varsities from making new inroads, experiments and innovations in the education system as a whole, he felt.
Director of Karnataka State Higher Education Academy SM Shivaprasad said the architects of NEP, after due reflection and extensive consultation, have chiselled a vision and a roadmap that is in tune with contemporary societal requirements. The thrust to prioritize higher education in the budget, forming appropriate central regulatory, policy making and research funding agencies, and credit carry-overs across institutions and disciplines is laudable, he said. Though this brilliant document throughout highlights the critical role of teachers in higher education, the actual teacher empowerment programmes necessary to make it happen could have been elaborated.