'Centre ensuring education remains relevant in ever changing global landscape'

Countries worldwide are integrating ODL and OL into their national education policies, to bridge skill gaps and to meet the demands of evolving economies, Atul Kumar Tiwari said.

Mysuru: Secretary of the Union Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Atul Kumar Tiwari said that enrollment for distance education, including in open universities, constitute about 10.62% of the total enrollment in higher education.

Delivering the Convocation address at the 20th Convocation of Karnataka State Open University (KSOU), in Mysuru, on Thursday, he said, globally Open Distance Learning (ODL) and Online Learning (OL) are seeing unprecedented growth. "Countries worldwide are integrating ODL and OL into their national education policies, to bridge skill gaps and to meet the demands of evolving economies," he said.

Recalling his experience of pursuing Masters in Economics, during his tenure in Karnataka, Tiwari said that open Universities contribute notably to the overall GER (Gross Enrollment Ratio) and foster inclusive education, lifelong learning, enabling the individuals to upskill and re-skill in a dynamic job market. He shared his department's plans for offering skill development programmes, along with even KSOU and University of Mysore.

Tiwari said that, the Union Government has taken up several initiatives to strengthen ODL and OL through SWAYAM platform and is offering high-quality courses from premier institutions.

"The government has taken up several such initiatives, to bridge the education-employment gaps, to empower learners with flexible learning options and to drive the digital transformation in India's education sector. These initiatives will equip learners with employability skills and ensure that education remains relevant in an ever changing global landscape," he said.

Tiwari informed, "The National Digital University envisoned under the NEP-2020 aims to integrate online and open learning resources to create seamless educational ecosystem. National Skill Development Corporation and the Skill India Mission focuses on vocational training through programmes like Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) to improve employability. The National Digital Library of India provides millions of digital resources for students and researchers. DIKSHA (Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing) supports school education with e-learning content for teachers and students. Also regulatory bodies such as the National Council for vocational education and training (NCVET) are working towards bridging the gap between academic knowledge and industry skills, he said.

Highlighting importance of ODL and OL, he said, "Education is the foundation of progress and ODL by institutions like KSOU along with OL has emerged as privotal force in democratizing knowledge, by making education inclusive, accessible to a diverse spectrum of learners-working professionals, home makers, individuals in remote areas and those unable to pursue traditional academic pathways, those with socio economic challenges, differently abled. They are ensuring that no deserving is denied the right to education. They are helping them to balance education with work and personal commitments," he said.

He added, "With rapid advancements in technology, digital platforms, virtual classrooms, online resources have revolutionised disseminattion of knowledge, ensuring quality education reaches every corner of the Country and beyond. The rise of massive open online courses, artificial intelligence-driven adaptive learning and blended learning models have education more interactive and engaging. By removing the constraints of location and time, these learning modes are empowering students with self-paced learning methodologies. With increasing internet penetration and development of e-learning platforms, India is poised to become a global leader in distance education," Tiwari said.

Governor of Karnataka Tawar Chand Gehlot called on students to continue learning lifelong, by upgrading and adapting themselves to technologically advancing competitive era. They should never give up dreams. They must cross the barriers of difficulties to achieve their dreams and contribute towards the Progress of nation and towards achieving the mission of 'Athma Nirbhar Bharath'. He even called on for environment conservation and compassion for animals.

KSOU VC Prof Sharanappa V Halase, Registrar (Evaluation) H Vishwanath and Registrar Prof K B Praveena were present.

Honorary doctorates were conferred on Dakshayini S Appa, Chairperson of Sharana Basaveshwara Vidya Vardhaka Sangha, Kalburgi; C M Irfanulla Shariff, Chairman, Ideal Education Society, Chithradurga. PWD minister Sathish L Jarkiholi was also conferred with honorary doctorate in-absentia.