NEP-2020 Drafting Committee Chairman and ISRO former chairman K Kasturirangan on Wednesday said that the Academic Bank of Credits (ABC) proposed by National Education Policy (NEP)-2020 promises to be a game-changer.
"It works on the principle of multiple entries, multiple exits as well as anytime learning, anywhere learning and any level learning. It will facilitate the integration of the campuses and distributed learning systems by creating student mobility within the inter and intra university system," he said at the sixth convocation of Central University of Karnataka (CUK) at the varsity campus at Kadaganchi
He stated the process does not rule out sharing of credits between public and private institutions and the ABC lends itself to lifelong learning opportunities thereby enabling everyone to be relevant to the needs of the hour-most importantly to the needs of jobs.
"India now needs an educational system aligned with the aspirational goals of 21st Century education while remaining rooted in India’s value systems and ethos. The vision of India’s new educational system has been crafted to ensure that it touches the life of each and every citizen consistent with their needs and necessities. Besides, creating a just and equitable society," the chairman told.
Explaining more about NEP, Kasturirangan said, "Major emphasis has been given to the aspect of holistic, multi-disciplinary education as a foundational component at the undergraduate level in NEP. At the Post-Graduate level, one of the key recommendations relates to strengthening research in the University system. A comprehensive liberal education develops all capacities of human beings, intellectual, aesthetic, social, physical, emotional, and moral in an integrated manner."
"The policy highlights the need to better manage research at all levels, pure research, applied research, translational research, and research to address specific needs of industry, social problems, strategic demands and many such requirements. The policy makes an explicit commitment to ensuring the effective use of technology like artificial intelligence and others in all spheres of education. The policy calls for a complete overhaul of our teacher education system," Kasturirangan said.
"The NEP also heralds the potentially explosive growth of vocational education and skill development in the country since it requires all educational institutions to integrate vocational education into their offerings. The policy takes the firm view that vocational education must be integrated within undergraduate education. The policy has also paid special attention to the promotion of Indian arts and culture as it is important both at the national and individual level. Language is the key to preserving and promoting culture. The policy recommends teaching and learning of Indian languages by integrating them within the school and higher education," he pointed out.
"On the whole, the policy aims at the development of all the requisite skills that are pertinent in the contemporary world for the learners while giving enough flexibility in making choices consistent with the interest of the learner and with the dynamics of a knowledge society," he added.
CUK Vice-chancellor Battu Satyanarayana, Registrar Basavaraj Donnur, Controller of Examinations B R Kerur and deans were present on the dais.
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