Brief Context
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. 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.
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Syllabus: GS2/ Education
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.
- Ph.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.
| New Education Policy 2020 – Emphasis on early childhood care and education (ECCE), particularly for children up to 6 years. – Encourages multi-disciplinary learning at the school and higher education levels. – Introduction of a 5+3+3+4 school structure (5 years of foundation, 3 years of preparatory, 3 years of middle, and 4 years of secondary education). – Focus on critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving rather than rote learning. |
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.
Source: PIB