Central University of Odisha, Koraput organized National Webinar on ‘National Education Policy 2020: Perspectives on Excellence in Higher Education’

Koraput: The Central University of Odisha, Koraput organized a national Webinar on ‘National Education Policy 2020: Perspectives on Excellence in Higher Education’ on 10th August 2020. Inaugurating the Webinar, Vice-Chancellor Prof. I Ramabrahmam said, “For the first time the national policymakers looked at national policy on education from a perspective which is suitable to the Indian context and making us future needs”. Citing Tagore’s views on Education, he said, it took us almost 100 yrs to understand our priorities, and thanks to the National Education Policy that came out with such a distinct policy with structural differentiation and reforms with far reaching impacts on development of the Indian education.
Prof. Bhusan Patwardhan, Vice-Chairman, UGC, New Delhi chaired the Webinar and delivered a thought-provoking address and highlighted our glorious history of education and future idea of knowledge for liberating ourselves from mono-cultural dominance. He said “21st Century is dominated by information knowledge driven by the global society and with changing times, for building a new India, we need transdisciplinary and cross-cultural perspectives to widen our intellectual framework for comprehension of nature and society”. He welcomed the proposal of 6% of GDP expenditure on education and other revolutionary measures and said implementation of this policy is a major challenge and it can happen when everybody commits to perform and participates in key interventions. Though CUO is situated in a backward area, he appreciated the mind and spirit behind organizing the webinar and its timing.
Prof. Dhiraj Kumar Bora, Vice-Chancellor, Assam Science and Technology University, Guwahati, Assam as a distinguished speaker in his address said “ This policy is actually included as part of the long awaited revamping of the education sector; inclusion of both the early childhood education and secondary education into the Right to Education Act, which is the need of the hour”. He appreciated the structural changes in higher education with focus on research along with multiple entry and exit system which is an innovative idea to reduce the dropout rates and in the long run and enhance the GER to 50%.
Visiting professor, Prof. P. Durgaprasad and Prof. Akshaya Raut hailed the NEP and said it needs to be implemented both in letter and spirit to make India self-reliant and excel among nations in spite of challenges. Dr. Ramendra Kumar Parhi, Head, Dept. of Education spoke on the progressive steps in the policy that are bound to take higher education in India to new heights.
Prof. Sharat Kumar Palita, Director, Internal Quality Assurance Cell, CUO moderated the webinar. Dr. Kakoli Banerjee, MOOCs Coordinator gave welcome address and Dr. R.K. Parhi, DSW I/c. coordinated the Webinar.