Panch Sankalpa of NEP 2020 to Guide Universities in Building Viksit Bharat

General Studies Paper-2

Context

• The Union Education Minister inaugurated the two-day Vice-Chancellors’ Conference of Central Universities at Kevadia, Gujarat, to assess the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

Key Highlights of the Conference

• Panch Sankalpa: It is the Five Guiding Resolutions of NEP 2020.
  • Next-Gen Emerging Education,
  • Multidisciplinary Education,
  • Innovative Education,
  • Holistic Education, and
  • Bharatiya Education.
  • Academic Triveni Sangamam was proposed to shape academic philosophy.
  • Celebrate the Past: Honouring India’s civilisational richness.
  • Calibrate the Present: Correcting narratives and institutional reform.
  • Create the Future: Repositioning India in global higher education.

Progress in Higher Education in India

• Total Enrollment Growth: Total student enrollment has reached 4.46 crore, reflecting a 30% increase since 2014–15.
• Female Empowerment: Female enrollment has surged by 38%, and the Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) for women now exceeds that of men.
• D. enrollment has nearly doubled, with the number of female Ph.D. scholars increasing by a remarkable 136%.
• The GER for Scheduled Tribes (STs) has risen by 10 percentage points, while for Scheduled Castes (SCs), it has increased by over 8 points.
• Institutional growth and expansion:
  • Growing Network: India now boasts over 1,200 universities and 46,000 colleges, making it one of the world’s largest higher education systems.
  • Increased Faculty: The total number of faculty/teachers in 2021-22 reached 15.98 lakh, with 43.4% being female.

Government Initiatives for Higher education

• PM-Vidyalaxmi scheme: The scheme is a Central Sector Scheme and facilitates the extension of education loans to students who get admission in the top quality higher educational institutions (QHEIs) of the nation.
• SWAYAM and SWAYAM Prabha: These platforms offer Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) and educational channels, respectively, to expand access to quality education.
• Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA): Provides financial support to state higher education institutions for infrastructure development, research, and innovation.
• Impacting Research Innovation & Technology (IMPRINT): Encourages research and innovation in various engineering and technology domains.
• Impacting Research Innovation & Technology (IMPRINT): Encourages research and innovation in various engineering and technology domains.

Way Ahead

• Each institution should develop a comprehensive NEP implementation roadmap with time-bound targets for GER enhancement, curriculum revision, digital expansion, and faculty development.
• Promote hybrid learning models to enhance access, especially in remote and underserved areas.
• Enhancing Research and Innovation: Operationalise the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) with transparent funding mechanisms.
• Promote innovation hubs, incubation centres, and industry-academia collaboration within universities.