Viewsmorrow | NEP2020
Prof. Asheesh Srivastava (Dean, School of Education, MGCUB)
In the report of University Education Commission (1948-49) Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan wrote, ‘Universities as the makers of the future cannot persist in the old patterns, however valid they may have been in their own day. With the increasing complexity of society and its shifting pattern, universities have to change their objectives & methods, if they are to function effectively in our national life’, these lines stand relevant irrespective of time & space. National Education Policy 2020 has introduced a kind of paradigm shift so far as transformation of entire education system in India is concerned squarely. Among several ideas of potential, which have potential to bring transformation, the idea of ‘Internalization at home’ has its own importance. In order to understand the increased importance, let me take you back to the year 2016-17, where, the then finance minister, while submitting country’s budget proposal, made an important announcement which says, ‘the central government’ is set to establish twenty world class universities, ten in public sector & ten in private sector respectively. This particular announcement created a lot discussion and discourse not only in the academia but also in the general public. When you look at the reason, why all of a sudden, the then finance minister, had to made such an important announcement, one of the major reasons for the initiative taken by the then finance minister, was the fact that, evaluated by global benchmarks of quality, none of Indian HEIs figured in the list of top 100 in the world.
In the QS world rankings 2015, out of the best 200 HEIs in the world, only two Indian institutions could feature in the list.
Secondly, counterparts of our universities from BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) & Asian Countries had earned better position in the international list. Just to remind here, in the QS world rankings in 2015, out of the best 200 HEIs in the world, only two Indian institutions (IISc Banglore-147, IIT-D: 179) could feature in the list. While, if you can recall, the corresponding figures were 8 from Japan; 7 from each China & South Korea; 5 from Hong Kong; 3 from Taiwan and 2 from Singapore; 1 from Malaysia appeared in the same list. In Time Higher Education Survey (2016) of BRICS countries indicated that out of top 10 universities, the share of China was 5; Russia 1; South Africa 2 and our IISc stood at 16.
NEP 2020 focus on ‘Internationalization at home’
This was the time, when we can recall several expressions of anguish by several notable persons of our nation and in the mean time NITI Aayog came into the picture with a suggestion to grant total autonomy to our institutions of proven quality & credibility. This entire scenario not only led to announce of creating ‘world class universities’ but also significantly impacted the National Education Policy 2020 document, if you look at the sixty-six pages English version of this policy document, it has used fifteen times the word ‘International’ in different context for example International Best Practices; International Olympiads; International Workshops; International Pedagogical approaches; International Curricula; International Students; International research efforts etc. among all it has focussed upon ‘Internationalization at home’ other than this word ‘International’, the same NEP-2020 document has used the word ‘Global’ twenty six times in different context like Global stage; global education; global ecosystem; global needs; global knowledge; global well-being; global citizen; global literature; global best practices; global challenges; global issues; global standards; global study; global institutions; global leaders etc.
NEP 2020 is now in the process of implementation
National Education Policy 2020 is now in the process of implementation and all our higher education institutions are expected to incorporate the intents of policy as mentioned aforesaid, while incorporating, there are many issues, which needs thorough awareness, understanding, reflection, vision and assertive actions as an essential prerequisite among its prime stakeholders, in order to get the entire idea to a true success. Let’s hope for the best.
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