NEW DELHI: Revolutionary changes are being made in the field of higher education from the new academic year as students of the central universities will now be able to pursue two courses together.
Efforts are being made to connect sports with education. Apart from this, students will be able to write exams in local or regional language as well. BJP-ruled Centre has also increased the budget for the development of Indian languages. Arrangements like having board exams twice a year and a semester system for Class 12 are also being worked out. NCERT is making changes in the books on the basis of National Education Policy (NEP).
The new National Education Policy was announced on July 29, 2020 by the central government. The NEP, 2020 is based on the report of the committee headed by K. Kasturirangan, a space scientist. The last education policy was released in 1986. Under the new Education Policy, the students of the university will be able to pursue two courses together. After the central universities accepted this proposal, students studying in their facilities will be able to study for other course simultaneously.
Students will have an option that they can opt for a regular course and another via distance learning. Under the new Education Policy, an important effort is being made to link sports with education. To connect sports with education, Indian Institute of Management (IIM) has taken a major initiative to add Sports Management to the curriculum of IIMs. Various courses are designed in IIMs which will prepare sports event manageer, sports agent, sports talent manager, support analyst, media & communication manager.
According to experts, the benefits of this training will be seen in international competition. At the same time, with the implementation of the new Education Policy, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has asked all universities across the country to allow students to write exams in local or regional languages. The UGC has directed even if the course is offered in English medium, students should be given the option to write answers in local languages during exams.
UGC chairman Professor M. Jagadesh Kumar has said that translation of original writing in local languages and use of local language in the teaching-learning process at universities should be promoted in universities.
"Promotion and regular use of Indian languages in education is an important area of focus in the National Education Policy 2020. The policy emphasises the importance of teaching and communication in local languages. It stresses the need to promote communication in all Indian languages for better cognitive achievement and overall personality development of the learners," he said.
Special provisions have been introduced in the Union Budget 2023-24 to promote indigenous languages and Indian Knowledge System (IKS) among the youth. An allocation of Rs 300.7 crore has been made in the budget for teaching, promoting and encouraging the youth in regional languages. The allocation is 20 per cent higher than the previous year's budget. On the other hand, for the IKS, the allocation has been increased by 100 per cent.
The panel of experts constituted by the Union Ministry of Education is in favour of twice a year board exams and a semester system for Class 12. At the same time, changes in the pattern of board exams are also possible. The students will also be asked questions that will be based on real life instances. CBSE will also add 20 per cent multiple-choice questions (MCQ) in papers for Classes 9, 10, 11 and 12 from the academic session 2023-24.
At the same time, NCERT is going to bring new books based on new Education Policy. The NCERT said that the changes were made on the basis of expert advice. "NCERT is now going to bring new books for all Classes based on the National Education Policy. At the foundation level, the work for printing new books has also been completed."
On the basis of new Education policy, many new courses of Indian knowledge tradition have been suggested at UG and PG level. The new courses are – foundation and optional which include Indian Language Science, Indian Vastu Shastra, Indian logic science, metallurgy science, sculpture science, algebra, Indian musical instruments, pre-British era period water management. In the foundation course, six vedangas, Indian civilisation and culture, Indian mathematics, Astrology, Indian Health Sciences and Indian Agriculture are included. IANS