Central University of Punjab, Bathinda (CUPB) in collaboration with Niti Ayog & Bharatiya Shikshan Mandal (BSM) jointly organized a Webinar on Teacher’s Role in NEP-2020 Implementation. The programme was
presided over by Vice Chancellor Prof. Raghavendra P. Tiwari. The Keynote Speaker & Chief Guest of this Webinar was Mukul Kanitkar, National Organizing Secretary, BSM and Prof. Kapil Kapoor, Chairperson, IIAS, Shimla respectively. Faculty members of various institutions virtually attended this programme.
In his keynote address Mukul Kanitkar, National Organizing Secretary, BSM, mentioned that even after independence we were dependent on the education policy provided by British East India Company in 1835 but the dream to re-create our own Indigenous Education System has led the Indian government to formulate on National Policy on Education in the year 1968, 1986 & 2020. He stated that NEP-2020 is the first Education Policy of Independent India which has introduced comprehensive reforms aiming towards Indianisation of Education to actualize the vision of Atma Nirbhar Bharat. He asserted that NEP-2020 considers the need to provide value-based holistic education in the mother tongue language, offer vocational training for skill development, enable experiential & experiment-based learning to develop scientific temperament and encourage multidisciplinary & interdisciplinary studies to promote innovative research for the overall development of students. He emphasized that teachers are the base of NEP implementation and they will play important role in making India ‘Vishav Guru’. He informed that BSM & Niti Ayog is organizing 1000 webinar series under the four-point strategy of Orientation, Awareness, Challenge, and Response to motivate teachers of school and HEIs of India for effective implementation of NEP-2020.
While addressing the participants Prof. Kapil Kapoor, Chairperson, IIAS, mentioned that Indian Civilization is one of the oldest knowledge-centered civilization of the world which has produced the world’s first literature on Arithmetic, Sociology, Astronomy, Etymology, Grammar and many other subjects. He added, the compulsion of English Language Curriculum with English Education Act, 1835 has not only decreased the value of our knowledge we held in Indian Languages but also increase illiteracy & poverty in our country.
He expressed his believe that NEP-2020 will make equitable quality education accessible to all. For its effective implementation, he encouraged teachers to develop course content in Indian Languages, provide examples from our own cultural context and adopt innovative teaching pedagogies.
CUPB Vice Chancellor Prof. Raghavendra P. Tiwari in his presidential remarks mentioned that NEP-2020 has provided us a roadmap to build a ‘student-centric education system’. He emphasized on the importance of close contact between teachers & students for effective teaching-learning process. He encouraged teachers to develop Learning Outcome-based Curriculum Framework, choose relevant course content, pedagogy and formulate appropriate measurable tools for evaluation with the aim to develop global citizens that have their roots in our culture and traditional values system and knowledge base.
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The programme also included group discussions and a session on ‘Challenges in the Implementation of NEP-2020’ where teachers shared their concerns and discussed innovative strategies. Programme Coordinators Dr. Vinod Pathania & Prof. Davinder Singh delivered the Welcome Address & Valedictory Address respectively.