Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Higher Education C.N. Ashwath Narayan on Saturday said the National Education Policy Implementation Task Force has proposed a roadmap for the implementation of the policy in a phased manner. Careful planning, joint monitoring and collaborative implementation of NEP in a prioritized and holistic manner is in the offing, he added.
Speaking after inaugurating the national seminar on ‘Implementation of NEP – 2020 in Karnataka: Opportunities and Road Ahead’ organised by the Karnataka Rajya Mahavidyalaya Shikshak Sangh (KRMSS) virtually at University of Mysore (UoM) here, he said the State government was proactive on the NEP and Karnataka was the first State to initiate policy implementation. “We have the clarity that the implementation of the spirit and intent of the policy are most critical to accomplish the stated vision.”
The Dy.CM said the policy envisions an education system rooted in Indian ethos that contributes directly to transforming India sustainably into an equitable and vibrant knowledge society by providing high quality education to all and thereby making India a global knowledge superpower. Education further envisions to instill a deep-rooted pride in being Indian, not only in thought but also in spirit, intellect and deeds, as well as to develop knowledge skills, values, and dispositions that support responsible commitment to human rights, he explained.
He argued that higher education would undergo a deep structural change, thanks to NEP. The existing watertight compartment will give way to multi and inter-disciplinary learning. A student will get complete liberty to choose what they like to learn. There will be no walls between physics, philosophy, and political science. Students will choose subjects according to their interest, passion and ability, he said.
The Dy.CM opined that emphasis was not on acquiring subject knowledge but empowering each student to excel in the chosen field. The underlining aim of the higher education is to develop good, thoughtful, well-rounded and creative individuals. There will be exposure to 21st century capabilities across a range of disciplines, including sciences, social sciences, arts, humanities, languages as well as professional, technical and vocational subjects, he stated.
Seminars and discussions are key to create awareness among stakeholders to make the faculty understand their role in the implementation of the policy and to encourage universities and colleges to take responsibility, he suggested. The universities have taken the meaningful initiative to motivate the faculty and institutions to be involved in the process of effective implementation of NEP 2020 in Karnataka.
Sri Shivarathri Deshikendra Swami of Suttur Mutt and M.K. Sridhar, member, UGC, and Draft Committee, NEP-2020, participated virtually.
G. Hemantha Kumar, VC, UoM, presided over the function. S. Vidyashankar, VC, KSOU, R. Shivappa, Registrar, UoM, and KSOU Registrar Lingaraj Gandhi, MLC Arun Shahpur, Raghu Akamanchi, president, KRMSS, and Shivananda Sindankera, General Secretary, ABRSM, New Delhi, were present.