By Our Correspondent
NEW DELHI/BHUBANESWAR: Union Education and Skill Development Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday held a meeting with Vice Chancellors of Central Universities through video conferencing. Minister of State for Education Shri Subhash Sarkar, Secretary, Higher Education, ShriAmitKhare, Chairman UGC, Prof D P Singh and senior officials of the Ministry and UGC attended the meeting.
Addressing the participants, Shri Pradhan said that our universities are cradles of creativity, innovation and opportunities. The New Education Policy- 2020 will play a crucial role in placing India at the top of the emerging new world order and, as custodians of India’s destiny, our universities should fulfil their responsibilities outlined in the NEP.He stressed on making education a lot more vibrant & holistic and establishing India as a knowledge superpower through NEP.
The Minister said that our higher education institutions are key catalysts for promoting socio-economic development and for realising aspirations and national goals. The Minister appealed that universities should popularise and promote learning in Indian languages & cultural heritage of India.
Shri Pradhan encouraged Central Universities to work on mission-mode to fill-up the 6,000 vacant posts by October, 2021. He urged them to create a framework for alumni endowment.
Shri Pradhan expressed his happiness to learn about the best practices of Central Universities and on several matters of importance, including filling up of general and reserved vacancies, education during Covid19, online learning and status of NEP implementation.
The Minister exhorted the Universities to come with the strategies for making India fully literate, as well as to contribute helping the country to meet its Nutrition Challenge during ‘Poshan Month’ as a mark of AzadiKaAmrutMahotsav.
The VCs were also requested to encourage Sports in their Universities, thereby promoting a sporting culture in the country. The VCs were encouraged to make their students Job Creators by promoting innovation and research in their campuses.
The Minister thanked the VCs for their insights and valuable suggestions. He urged that as thought leaders, our central universities should assume pioneering roles in building capacities, initiating frameworks for implementation of Academic Bank of Credit, Multiple Entry & Exit, virtual universities and several other facets of the NEP from this academic year itself.
Meanwhile, Pradhan also chaired a virtual meeting with the Steering Committee constituted for organizing of the R&D fair of all Indian Institute of Technology (IIT).Minister of State for Education Shri Subhas Sarkar and Minister of State for Education, Shri Ranjan Kumar Singh; Shri Amit Khare, Secretary, Higher Education along with senior officials of the Ministry attended the meeting.
While addressing the participants, the Minister said that R&D Fair of all 23 IITs is scheduled to be held in second half of November, 2021 in commemoration of the 75th year of Indian independence under the aegis of the Azaadi ka Amirt Mahotsav initiative. He further said the the fair will lead to better understanding and create awareness among Indian industry on the capabilities and the high technology readiness levels in the IITs.
Shri Pradhan stated that this R&D fair will create an enabling environment for cutting-edge research across the areas envisaged in NEP. The collaborative initiative by 23 IITs with Indian industries on developing innovations for the Indian and global markets would facilitate ease of living and augment the investment by alumni and industries in futuristic research in emerging technologies.
The Minister suggested prioritizing the focus areas for thematic sessions on energy systems, communication tools, waste management, integration of traditional knowledge in structural and architecture, spatial research etc.
Ten themes have been identified in focused areas and 72 projects brought out by 23 IITs on these themes will be shortlisted by the Committee. After due scrutiny, these projects will be presented before the audience in the 2-day mega event. The audience for the event shall include partners from Indian Industry and global institutions, Faculties of various CFTIs, Scientists from DRDO, ISRO, CSIR and ICAR, Students and Youths and Research Scholars.
Dr Pawan Goenka, Chairman, BoG IIT Madras; Dr BVR Mohan Reddy, Chairman, IIT Hyderabad; Dr. K. Radhakrishan, Chairman, Standing Committee for IIT Council; Prof Virendra Kumar, Director, IIT KGP; Prof Bhaskar Ramamurthy, Director, IIT Madras; Prof Abhay Karandikar, Director, IIT, Kanpur; Prof Ramgopal Rao, Director, IIT Delhi; Prof T V Sitharam, Director, IIT Guwahati; Prof B.S.Murty, Director, IIT Hyderabad and Prof Subhasis Chowdhary, Director, IIT Bombay were present in the meeting.
