Maha Governor bats for creating globally benchmarked higher education ecosystem in India

Nagpur, Oct 23
Maharashtra Governor C. P. Radhakrishnan on Wednesday emphasised the need for creating a flexible, multidisciplinary, and globally benchmarked higher education ecosystem in India.

He said initiatives like the Academic Bank of Credits, National Credit Framework, and Professor of Practice were transforming the landscape by fostering student mobility, credit transfer, and industry-academia collaboration, shaping graduates as per today's global job market.

He asserted that the National Credit Framework is especially noteworthy, as it integrates skill education with academic learning from preschool to the doctoral level.

He made the remarks during the UGC Conference on the theme 'Implementation of the National Education Policy 2020' in IIM Nagpur.

The Governor said the National Education Policy 2020 is a transformative step in this direction. It has the potential to create immense, long-lasting change in the coming years and decades.

"The policy sets forth four clear and ambitious goals: To bring about transformational reforms in education and position India as a global knowledge superpower. To ensure that our education system provides high-quality learning to all, regardless of economic or social background. To increase the gross enrolment ratio from the current 28 per cent to 50 per cent by 2035. To nurture graduates from the Indian higher education system who are equipped to become global citizens. If we achieve these goals, we will be well on the path to realising the vision of a developed India, or Viksit Bharat, by 2047," he noted.

"Our collective efforts must be directed toward realising the objectives of NEP 2020, which are built on five guiding pillars: Access, Equity, Quality, Affordability, and Accountability," said the Governor.

He said India stands ahead of many nations with a special focus on education and it is well-prepared to offer high-quality education at every stage.

"We are equipped with world-class infrastructure, top-tier academic resources, and numerous avenues for groundbreaking research, distinguishing us globally," he added.

"For this ambitious policy to succeed, it requires the collaborative efforts of all stakeholders - the Centre, States, Union Territories, Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), regulatory agencies, and, most importantly, you as educators," said the Governor.

He added: "However, success will only be realised through the collective and timely efforts of all of us here. I urge you, as leaders of higher education institutions, to lead by example in the effective implementation of NEP 2020."

According to the Governor, the new 'Apprenticeship Embedded Degree Programme' is a game-changer, providing students an opportunity to apply the knowledge they gained during their courses in real-world settings.