Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, June 26: The University Grants Commissions (UGC) has sought suggestions on the New Education Policy (NEP) from officials of the state and asked for these to be submitted to the UGC office by July 24.
The Union government has embarked on the exercise of framing a NEP to keep pace with the changing dynamics of the nation’s requirement, the UGC said in its circular to the state governments.
The focus would be on providing quality education, as well as opportunities for innovation and research in higher education, according to the circular.
“The aim is to provide necessary skills and knowledge to the students, as well as to find out ways to eliminate the shortage of manpower in science, technology, academics and industry,” the circular said.
Towards this end, the ministry has identified 20 themes that are necessary for the development of the higher education sector, it said.
The 20-theme agenda of UGC includes governance reforms for quality, ranking of institutions and accreditation, improving the quality of regulation, pace setting roles of central institutions, integration of skill development in higher education, promoting open and distant learning and online courses and opportunities for technology enabled learning.
Other important themes include bridging the gender and social gaps, addressing regional disparity, promoting research and innovation, linking education and industry, internationalisation of higher education, promoting cultural integration through language and sustaining student support system.
The state government has on its part invited 100 participants from 10 different districts of the state to give inputs on the NEP.
The policy includes 13 themes of school education. The deliberation on the new education policy will be held at both the state and district levels in the state capital, Sambalpur and Koraput. Respective district education officers have been responsibility of choosing the participants for the deliberation.
