A two-day workshop on the implementation of National Education Policy – 2020 held at NIT Rourkela

Rourkela: NIT Rourkela is all set to implement the recommendations and guidelines laid down in National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Onboarding directors and professors from IITs and NITs, a 2-day workshop on National Education Policy – 2020 was conducted at NIT Rourkela during May 5-6, 2023.
The workshop started with the inaugural session presided over by Prof. K. Umamaheshwar Rao (Director, NIT Rourkela). Giving inaugural address, Prof. S Chakraverty, Co-Chairman of NITR NEP 2020 team thrust light on the main features of NEP 2020. Addressing the gathering, Dean(Academic) Prof. Susmita Mishra appraised the audience on the evolution of National Credit Framework (NCrF) in line with NEP-2020 through various stages since last two years for its implementation in NIT Rourkela. Welcoming everybody to the workshop, Prof. K. Umamaheshwar Rao (Director, NIT Rourkela) gave his presidential remark and raised the concern on the quality of engineers produced today and their employability in the industry. He also highlighted on the need of the outcome based and student centric education in India. Prof. Bidyadhar Subudhi, Director, NIT Warangal gracing the occasion as Guest of Honour focused on the integration of teaching with research from UG level onwards so that UG students will realize the real life problems on which industries are standing on. He also highlighted on reaching out to people in the remotest area of the country with technology and its benefits through Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (UBA). Prof. Gautam Sutradhar, Director, NIT Manipur also graced the occasion as Guest of Honour and highlighted on the need of increasing Gross Enrollment Ration (GER) upto 50% in Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) in place on 27-28% in comparision to other developed counties. Prof. S K Patel, NIT Rourkela and Chairman of NITR NEP 2020 team proposed the vote of thanks for the inaugural session.

Following the inaugural session the 2-day workshop started with the Lecture series by the Directors and Professors from different IITs and NITs. Chairing the two-day long sessions, Prof. K. Umamaheshwar Rao (Director, NIT Rourkela) highlighted on the Curriculum Development in NIT Rourkela in light of National Education Policy-2020 within the National Credit Framework. He stressed upon “NEP 2020 has the potential to boost re-skilling and up-skilling in Indian Education System. Though the exercise has started since last 2 years, NIT Rourkela NEP Team has put a lot of effort in the past 6-8 months into drafting the proposal for implementing this policy in line with a student-centric approach vis-à-vis provisions on the NEP-2020 policy. The team has relooked and redesigned the curriculum’s key aspects in such a way that it is enabling provisions for lifelong learning. The draft has flexible multiple entry and exit options under the National Credit Framework. It is focusing more on research and innovation; multi-inter-trans disciplinary modules and it is systematizing the Academic Bank of Credit simpler and uniform.”

Prof. Bidyadhar Subudhi (Director, NIT Warangal) applauded the NIT Rourkela team for initiating the work on the implementation of NEP 2020 and gave a keynote address on ‘New Initiative in Quality Education in India’. Invited keynote speakers, Prof. U. Shripathi Acharya & Prof. L. Nandagiri from NIT Surathkal presented an outlook on ‘Observations on Modern Education’ and ‘Refining the Goal of Engineering Education’.
The workshop was also graced by Prof. B. S. Murthy (Director, IIT Hyderabad). Virtually addressing the topic ‘Implications of NEP-2020 on UG curriculum’ and broadening views on avenues and opportunities under NEP, he said “I strongly believe that freedom and flexibility to students to choose the subject of choice will broaden the area of exploring their interest. Through NEP, institutes can inculcate credit points with personality development sessions like dancing, painting or pursuing liberal arts along with core engineering subjects. Faculty exchange programmes between higher education institutes should be promoted to optimize the high-tech facilities and intellect available in various institutes of the country.”
Day-1 of the workshop ended with a concept note by Prof. Saroj Kumar Patel, NIT Rourkela and Chairman of NEP-2020 Team, explaining the proposed draft prepared by the NIT Rourkela NEP team on ‘Multiple Entry-Multiple Exit under National Credit Framework’.
On the Day-2 of the workshop, Prof. Gautam Sutradhar (Director, NIT Manipur) started the session by appreciating the outcomes of the workshop and giving an expert talk suggesting some aspects of implementing the policy. He also raised the concern on the fate of the highly brilliant students who will take exit from the program due to some compulsion. Further in the session, keynote speaker Prof. G. P. Rajasekhar (IIT Kharagpur) presented his expert talk on “Higher Education Institute’s Pathway & Challenges” vis-à-vis Goal of NEP-2020. Another expert lecture was held by Prof. K. V. Jayakumar (NIT Warangal) who conceptualized the ‘Outcome-based Education’ theory for implementing the NEP.
Day-2 of the workshop on NEP 2020 implementation by NIT Rourkela included in-depth deliberations on various topics. Prof. Susmita Das (NIT Rourkela) explained the ‘Flexible Course curricula’. Prof. Mukesh Gupta (NIT Rourkela) briefed on the ‘Role of CSAB in National Credit Framework’. Prof. Arun K. Tangirala (IIT Madras) virtually joined the workshop and delivered his expert lecture on ‘Achieving Academic Excellence In The Modern Era’.
A Panel Discussion Chaired by Prof. K. Umamaheshwar Rao (Director, NIT Rourkela) along with all guest speakers, NEP Team, Dean(AC) Prof. Susmita Mishra and Asso. Deans Prof. J P Kar (AC-PGR) and Prof. Samit Ari (AC-UG) followed by a Q&A session was organized, concluding the two-day workshop on National Education Policy 2020 implementation. Prof. S Chakraverty proposed a hearty Vote of Thanks.
The workshop was coordinated by Shri Bamadev Acharya, Registrar I/c and anchored by Prof. Manish Okade of EC department.