भारतीय प्रबंध संस्थान राँची
Indian Institute of Management Ranchi

A webinar on National Education Policy 2020: Impact on Higher Education was organized by the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Centre for Leadership, Policy and Governance (ABVCLPG), A Centre of Excellence of IIM Ranchi.

Prof. Aditya Shankar Mishra, Co-Chair of the ABVCLPG welcomed the speakers. He also provided an introduction to the speakers and activities of the ABVCLPG. Prof. Shailendra Singh, Honourable Director of IIM Ranchi highlighted that IIM Ranchi has achieved an NIRF ranking in management of 20th position. He mentioned that IIM Ranchi is further commencing an integrated program in the near future. The centre is working in line with the vision of Late Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji by conducting events in the line of corporate and political governance. He highlighted that the Good Governance Day is observed to mark the birth anniversary of Honourable Late Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The centre aspires to undertake research at national and international level in alignment with the objective of the state.

Mr. Jayant Shah gave a brief introduction about Academy of Indian Marketing (AIM) which is dedicated to furthering the vision and mission of promoting excellence in marketing of eminent management guru Dr. Jagdish Sheth.The main objective of AIM is to promote research in the area of marketing.

Prof. Jagdish N. Sheth who was the key speaker of the event is the Charles H. Kellstadt Professor of Business in the Goizueta Business School at Emory University. He is the Founder and Chairman of the “Academy of Indian Marketing (AIM)” which supports research and scholarship among Indian scholars in marketing and management.

Prof. Sheth stated that NEP 2020 is a transformative and ambitious policy created by the government. He highlighted that

1. The NEP 2020 paves the way towards less regulation and more autonomy for institutions through an effective self-regulatory framework. Over-regulation has always been practiced in Indian educational institutes unlike the western institutes who practise self-regulation. Through NEP 2020 gradual autonomy and accreditations will be granted to all higher education institutions.
2. Foreign Universities will be allowed to set up campuses in India. It will promote research and bring flexible approach. The foreign universities would bring in programme and institution mobility. The idea of internationalisation of higher education is based on the mobility of students, faculty members, programmes, and institutions across countries.
3. The NEP?2020 aims at setting up multidisciplinary institutions offering programmes with high-quality teaching, research, and community engagement. This will benefit students with increased flexibility and choice of subjects across various streams of arts, humanities, sciences, sports, and other vocational subjects. It will not be a purely academic and theoretical knowledge anymore.
4. The new policy focuses on online and e-learning. Education has always been more of brick and mortar approach rather than technology-based. Online education will play an extensive role to bridge the gap between the students and the institutes. In education what is complementary today will become core. The virtual world will become more real than the real world with digital and video centric approaches.
5. New Education Policy is not just about the degree. It is all about focus on life skills and vocational courses. It will be student centric approach where affordability and accessibility will be there and where the students can leverage the most out of education. Increased access, equity, and inclusion through open schooling, online education and Open Distance Learning will be promoted.

Prof. Angshuman Hazarika, IIM Ranchi coordinated the Q and A session. Finally, the webinar ended with a vote of thanks presented by Prof. Aditya Shankar Mishra, IIM Ranchi.

The speakers highlighted that the NEP policy is based on the pillars of “access, equity, quality, affordability, accountability” and will transform India into a “vibrant knowledge hub”.

Prof. Sheth concluded that NEP 2020 offers Choice, Chance, and Change, but we have to wait for things to unfold and see how it gets implemented.