Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will inaugurate the second Akhil Bharatiya Shiksha Samagam which is coinciding with the 3rd anniversary of National Education Policy 2020, on 29th July 2023 at ITPO, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. The two-day event is being organised by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship. The Prime Minister will be launching various initiatives on the occasion.

 

The event will also be graced by Union Minister for EducationShri Dharmendra Pradhan and, Ministers of State for EducationSmt. Annapurna Devi,Dr. Subhas Sarkar, Dr. Rajkumar Ranjan Singh along with Shree Sanjay Kumar, Secretary, Department of School Education & Literacy, Shri K. Sanjay Murthy, Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Shri Atul Kumar Tiwari, Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, heads of the Autonomous Bodies, and officials of the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.

 

The Samagam will provide a platform for experts of schools, higher educational institutions, and skilling institutions to discuss, deliberate and share insights, strategies, success stories and best practices in implementing the NEP 2020.

 

Taking into consideration the fact that India aims to become a 5 trillion economy in the period of Amrit Kaal, all sectors of the economy have to be bolstered and strengthened by supply of knowledge-oriented leadership and skilled workforce. NEP 2020 paves the way for developing and grooming our youth for such a responsibility, preparing them for emerging job roles of the future. The policy emphasizes developing the foundational and higher cognitive capacities of each individual such as critical thinking and problem solving. Therefore, there is a need for the leadership of academia, policy experts, and industry experts to come together for brainstorming and devising implementation strategy. Accordingly, the event will include sixteen sessions spread over 2 days from 29^th to 30^th July, discussions will be held on Access to Quality Education and Governance, Equitable and Inclusive Education, Issues of Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Group (SEDG), National Institute Ranking Framework (NIRF), Indian knowledge System, Creating Synergy between education and Skilling Future of Work, Internationalisation of Education, among others.

 

The sessions will be attended by around 3000 participants which will include, Principal Secretaries of Education / Skill Department of States / UTs, Directors of IITs, NITs, IIITs, IISERs, IISC, Vice-chancellors of Central, State and Private Universities, Heads of other HEIs, faculties, Principals / Teachers / Students of Schools, ITIs, Heads / representatives of Regulatory Bodies like NCERT, CBSE, UGC, AICTE, NCTE, NCVET, SSCs, NSDC, Heads / representatives of CII, FICCI, NASSCOM, ASSHOCHAM etc.

 

Another very attractive element of the celebrations is a multimedia exhibition showcasing the best initiatives from the world of school and higher education and the skill ecosystem. Two hundred multimedia stalls will be set up by institutions and organisation under education and skill landscape, industry, and key stakeholders. Over 2 lakh attendees would be visiting the exhibition over the two days, including students, youth volunteers and participants of Yuva Sangam.

 

The two-day programme will end with valedictory session.

 

THREE YEARS OF NATIONAL EDUCATION POLICY 2020

Background Notes for Media Briefing

Vision of NEP 2020

 

• Transform India into a vibrant knowledge society and global knowledge superpower through broad-based, flexible, multidisciplinary education suited to 21st-century needs.
• Bringing out the unique capabilities of each student.
• Promote critical thinking rather than rote learning, focus on learning instead of studying, encouragement to scientific temperament.
• Policy for 21st Century India/ Atmanirbhar Bharat
• Integration of Global with Local
• Instilling among learners a deep-rooted pride in being Indian and developing knowledge, skills and values that make them truly global citizens.

 

Major Highlights

 

• NEP 2020 aims for Universalization of Education from pre-school to secondary level with 100 % GER in school education by 2030
• NEP 2020 will bring 20 million out of school children back into the main stream
• New 5+3+3+4 school curriculum with 12 years of schooling and 3 years of pre-schooling will be introduced.
• Emphasis on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy, no rigid separation between academic streams, extracurricular streams in schools
• Setting up of Gender Inclusion Fund to provide equitable quality education to girls and transgender students.
• Special Education Zones for disadvantaged regions and groups.
• Teaching up to at least Grade 5 to be in mother tongue/ regional language
• Assessment Reforms with 360 degree Holistic Progress Card, tracking student progress for achieving Learning Outcomes
• Every Child will come out of School adept in at least one Skill
• GER in higher education to be raised to 50 % by 2035 ; 35 million seats to be added in higher education
• Higher Education curriculum to have flexibility of subjects
• Multiple Entry / Exit to be allowed with appropriate certification
• Academic Bank of Credits to be established to facilitate Transfer of Credits
• National Research Foundation to be established to foster a strong research culture
• Light but Tight Regulation of higher education, single regulator with four separate verticals for different functions
• Increased use of technologywith equity. A National Educational Technology Forum has been created
• Curricular reforms to integrate 21^st Century Skills, Mathematical Thinking and Scientific temper
• Multilingualism to be promoted in both schools and higher education. Even complex subjects like Engineering are being offered in over 13 Indian languages
• Wealth of Indian Knowledge Systems to be incorporated into mainstream

 

MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS OF NEP 2020

A. SCHOOL EDUCATION

1. PM Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) – is a centrally sponsored scheme intended to prepare schools of excellence. All categories of schools i.e. Primary, Elementary, Secondary and Senior Secondary school will be selected under this initiative to be transformed as Exemplar Schools. The Scheme is proposed to be implemented over a period of 5 years w.e.f. 2022-23 to 2026-27. A total of 6448 schools across 30 State/ UTs/ Institutions (i.e., Kendriya Vidyalayas and Navodaya Vidyalayas) will be covered in the first phase.

 

2. NIPUN Bharat: National Mission on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (NIPUN BHARAT) - The objective is to achieve foundational literacy and numeracy among children, that is the ability to read and understand simple text and do simple arithmetic by the end of class three. This competency is considered the foundation that is critical for any future learning or skilling.

 

3. Vidya Pravesh:NCERT has developed a 3 Months Play Based ‘School Preparation Module’ for grade I named ‘Vidya Pravesh’ The module is essentially around 12 weeks of developmentally appropriate instruction for the children entering of Grade I to bolster a child’s pre-literacy, pre-numeracy, cognitive and social skills. As on date, 33 States/UTs except Sikkim, Manipur and Kerala have implemented Vidya Pravesh from the year 2022-23. Under this, 1,80,13,930 students from 8,77,793 schools participated across States/UTs

 

4. National Curriculum Framework for Foundational Stage (NCF FS)launched on 20^th October, 2022, is the first ever integrated Curriculum Framework for children between ages 3-8 in India. It is a direct outcome of the 5+3+3+4 ‘curricular and pedagogical’ structure that NEP 2020 has come out with for School Education. Following which, Jadui Pitara:Learning Teaching Material (Jadui Pitara) based on NCF FS was launched on 20^th Feb, 2023. It is a play-based learning teaching material tailored for children between the age group of 3 to 8 years.

5. PARAKH:(Performance Assessment, Review, and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development) is an independent vertical under NCERT, set up on 8^th February, 2023. It has developed the Holistic 360-degree progress card for the Foundational and Preparatory stage. At present the HPC at the Foundational and Preparatory stage is being finalized for implementing it from the year 2023-24.

6. NDEAR:The vision of NDEAR is to create a unifying national digital infrastructure to energise and catalyse the education ecosystem. NDEAR is a super connector to cross leverage school education ecosystem capabilities and catalyse innovation in skilling and education. NDEAR has witnessed 1500+ Micro courses, 5 billion+ Learning sessions, 12 billion+ QR codes, 20K+ ecosystem participants, 15K+ Micro improvements ongoing across the various linked building blocks.

 

7. PM e-VIDYA:A comprehensive initiative called PM e-VIDYA unifies digital/online/on-air education to enable coherent multi-mode access to education. It includes:DIKSHA (Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing) as One Nation One Digital Platform for Education which is a storehouse of over 3.17 lakh e-contents, 6,600 Energized Textbooks in 36 Languages (29 Indian languages and 7 Foreign Languages) with average daily page hits of 2.2+ crores and is amongst the 4 Digital Public Goods identified by Govt. of India, 12 Swayam Prabha TV Channels under the one class, one TV channel initiative with more than 7000 programs Radio/Community Radio broadcasting/Mobile Podcast with 4000+ pieces of curriculum based radio programs (Classes 1 -12) disseminated/ broadcasted on 398 Radio Stations (11 GyanVani FM Radio Stations, 255 Community Radio Stations and 132 All India Radio stations), Podcasts on iRadio and JioSaavn Mobile apps and 2900+ live programs have been broadcast on iRadio, and For Children with special needs, 4200+ Indian Sign language (ISL) based contents, Talking books (in Daisy format) and 3860+ Audio Books have been developed. All 10,000 ISL dictionary words have been uploaded on DIKSHA. Additionally, one DTH channel is being operated specifically for hearing impaired students in sign language.

 

8. Integrated Teacher Education Programme (ITEP): 41 Central/State University/Institutions which include IITs, NITs, RIEs and Government Colleges will run this Programme from academic session 2023-24. The ITEP is a Dual Major Programme -the first major is in Education with School Stage specialization and the second major is in an opted discipline.

9. National Professional Standards for Teachers (NPST): NPST is a statement of quality and defines competencies of teachers at different stages/levels and performance appraisal based on those competencies. The Guiding Document has been developed through extensive consultation with stakeholders, field level research and due deliberations.

10. National Mission for Mentoring (NMM): NMM focuses on Competency enhancement of school teachers through the professional support provided by mentors. “Bluebook on Mentoring” developed through extensive consultations with stakeholders, field level research and due deliberations. Thereafter, NMM was piloted in 30 central government schools across the country (15 KVs, 10 JNVs, and 5 CBSE). So far, 60 mentors have onboarded and the web portal is being made operational for conducting mentoring sessions.

11. Vidyanjali Portal : Supports a community/volunteer management program, through which the community/volunteers interact and connect directly with schools of their choice to share their knowledge and skills as well as contribute in the form of assets/material/equipment. At present, a total of 4,76,412 schools have onboarded while a total of 4,19,485 volunteers have registered, impacting 5561193 children.

 

12. New India Literacy Programme (नवभारतसाक्षरताकार्यक्रम) ULLAS- Understanding of Lifelong Learning for All in Society “जन - जनसाक्षर”: A centrally sponsored scheme on Education for All (erstwhile known as Adult Education), “New India Literacy Programme or ULLAS” targeting all non-literates age 15 years and above, has been approved by the Government of India with a financial outlay of Rs.1037.90 crore for implementation during FY 2022-23 to 2026-27, in alignment with NEP 2020. The scheme is being implemented through volunteerism.

 

B. SKILL DEVELOPMENT

Following are the aspects focusing on skill development under NEP, 2020

1. Integration of vocational education with general education
2. Convergence and integration of skills across disciplines/sectors
3. Technology-enabled learning
4. Entrepreneurship and life skills
5. Teacher training and professional development
6. Experiential learning through internship and apprenticeship
7. Continuous evaluation
8. Fostering global competence in skill development
1. Inclusive and sustainable skills
10. Skilling in regional languages
11. Furthermore, it lays the foundation for a Credit Framework, facilitating mobility between general and vocational education, creating a seamless educational journey for students.

Achievements include :

1.Integration of Vocational Education in General Education: The NEP emphasizes the integration of vocational education into general education to provide students with both academic and practical skills. Under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY 2022-23), Schools, Higher education Institutions, Colleges, Universities, institutions of national repute etc. are being onboarded as Skill Hubs, leveraging their existing infrastructure and domain experience to provide quality training under PMKVY. Today, there are close to 1000 Skill Hubs with 1 lakh candidates enrolled in them. About 2000+ institutions have been allocated targets, including institutions of national repute such as IITs, IIITs, NITs, and central universities. ISM Dhanbad and IIT Guwahati have already started training in Assistant Mine Surveyor, Green House Operator, Self Employed Tailor, Social Media Associate job roles.

Skill India has also partnered with various universities for embedded programs on skill development for e.g. with IGNOU.

2. Focus on holistic and employability skills:The NEP recognizes the importance of skill development for employability and career advancement. MSDE also launched its Employability Skills (ES) curriculum which has now been revised to make trainees more industry ready, and the duration of same has been revised to 120 hours, 180 hours (120 hours + 60 hours) and 60 hours for trades of duration 1 year, 2 year and 6 months respectively.

3. Skilling in Regional Languages: As part of its commitment to promote linguistic diversity and inclusive education under NEP, MSDE has successfully published 100 books in Bhartiya Bhasha. These books have been translated into 12 regional languages, including Bengali, Marathi, Telugu, Punjabi, Gujarati, Kannada, Hindi, Assamese, Malayalam, Odia, Tamil, and Urdu. This initiative ensures that skill development and entrepreneurship knowledge are accessible to a wider audience, breaking language barriers and fostering holistic growth across the nation.

4. Technology Enabled Learning: Recognizing the evolving demands of the current global market, MSDE has developed over 330 new age courses specifically tailored to meet the needs of Industry 4.0. These courses equip learners with the latest technological skills, preparing them for emerging job opportunities and empowering them to thrive in the digital economy. By bridging the skill gap and aligning training programs with industry requirements, MSDE is ensuring that Indian youth are future-ready and competitive on a global scale.

5. Industry-Academia Collaboration: The NEP emphasizes stronger collaboration between educational institutions and industries. The MSDE facilitates partnerships between academia and industry to ensure that the curriculum is aligned with industry requirements, provide internships and apprenticeships for students, and promote industry exposure. It has the introduced on-the-job component under its newly introduced courses like the Customised Crash Course for COVID 19 Front line workers where there was 21-days of theory-based classroom training is provided followed by approximately 90 days On-the-Job Training (OJT) in healthcare facility such as health centres, hospitals, diagnostic facilities, sample collection centres, etc. This supported the existing healthcare staff and also gave the students a hands on learning on the ground.

The National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme also aims to promote apprenticeship training as a viable and effective mode of skill development. It encourages industries to engage apprentices and provides financial incentives to both employers and apprentices. This collaboration ensures that the training is aligned with industry requirements and helps bridge the gap between theoretical education and practical skills. Industry Clusters approach has been adopted for the first time in India to broaden apprenticeship in small and medium enterprises. 75 Industrial Clusters have been selected so far from participating states.

MSDE has forged significant collaborations with renowned organizations to strengthen skill development initiatives. Noteworthy MoUs have been signed with Pearson, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, LinkedIn, CISCO, Microsoft, IBM, Amazon, deAsra, IITs, and many others. These partnerships enable the ministry to leverage the expertise and resources of these entities, leading to the creation of innovative and industry-relevant skill development programs.

7. Reskilling & Upskilling: The NEP recognizes the critical need for reskilling and upskilling in the rapidly changing landscape of the 21st century. With technology driving transformation across industries and job markets becoming increasingly competitive, the policy emphasizes the importance of equipping individuals with relevant and future-ready skills. Reskilling and upskilling initiatives play a pivotal role in addressing skill gaps, ensuring employability, and fostering a culture of lifelong learning. Through collaborative efforts between academia, industry, and the government, the policy endeavours to create a workforce that is well-prepared for the challenges of the modern world and can thrive in diverse sectors, driving innovation, entrepreneurship, and inclusive development.

We have launched PMKVY 4.0, a program designed to skill a large number of youth in the next three years. The scheme is built on the pillars of on-the-job training, increased industry partnerships, and the introduction of new-age courses. We are introducing courses and skilling programs in various fields, ranging from AI, blockchain, mobile repairing, to vehicle maintenance and management, catering to the diverse interests of the youth.

8. Inclusive and Sustainable skills: The NEP envisions skill development as a means to promote inclusive, sustainable development and environmental consciousness, nurturing skills related to environmental conservation, renewable energy, and ecological sustainability. To increase women participation in vocational skilling, fee relaxation for tuition and exams for women candidates under CITS/ CTS has been approved for session 2023-24 onwards.

• Skilling for jail inmates by NIESBUD
• Upskilling and skilling in digital literacy by NSDC for women in Jharkhand - Gramin Udyami Yojana
• Upskilling of transgenders under Jan Sikshan Sansthan and PMKVY
• Upskilling of segments like golden grass craftsmen, filigree art, bamboo artisans under SANKALP initiatives and PMKVY
• International Mobility: Livelihood program catering to global manpower requirement through FLDG

 

9. Entrepreneurship Education: MSDE under the Skill India Mission drives the entrepreneurship development agenda to ensure we have more job provide than job seekers.

• 21 NSTIs have been registered as NIESBUD centres for entrepreneurship courses and 33 NSTIs (and 2 extension centres) as NIOS and IGNOU centres for certifications higher education and degree certification courses.
• Summer Camps on Entrepreneurial Stimulation for School Students by NIESBUD
• Life Enrichment Programme on Entrepreneurship, Leadership & Happiness for School Students by NIESBUD
• Textbook on Entrepreneurship for Class IX – XII by NIESBUD: The Institute has developed the textbook on Entrepreneurship for students of Class IX, X, XII and XII with the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT).

 

10. Continuous Teacher Training and professional development: MSDE offers training programs for teachers to upgrade their skills and align their teaching methodologies with the changing demands of the job market.

• 59 new Government Institute of Training of Trainers (IToTs) were affiliated for admissions from session 2022-23, which enhanced the seating capacity by 2320 under CITS
• NIMI has also been onboarded for conducting training of trainers under STRIVE on Employability Skills and Drone Technology.
• Model Career Progression guidelines for ITI trainers have been developed in consultation with stakeholders including ITI trainers, ITI Employee Associations, Industry bodies, State Directorates, the World Bank, and others.
• More than 25000 officials including Principals, Instructors have been trained in NSQF compliance across 36 states/UTs till date.

11. The Agnipath Scheme: In alignment with the norms set by the University Grants Commission (UGC) and adhering to the guidelines of the National Credit Framework / National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF) as per the mandate under the National Education Policy 2020, the union cabinet introduced The Agnipath scheme which is intended to bring about a transformation in the armed forces, signifying a crucial and much-needed reform in the Indian military. This program provides a commendable opportunity for young individuals with aspirations to serve in the uniformed services, while also attracting highly talented youth who possess a strong grasp of contemporary technological advancements. Consequently, it facilitates the infusion of skilled, disciplined, and motivated manpower back into society. Moreover, the scheme is designed with multiple exit points, granting participants the ability to attain an Undergraduate Certificate upon successful completion of the first-year courses, an Undergraduate Diploma upon finishing the first and second-year courses, and a Degree upon fulfilling all the required courses within a three-year timeframe.

C. HIGHER EDUCATION

 

I. Initiatives for Learner-Centric Education

1. National Credit Framework (NCrF) jointly developed by the Regulators of School, Skill and Higher Education released on 10.04.2023 provides framework for accumulation of credit from academics, skill programmes and relevant experience. Along with the provision of Multiple Entry and Exit and Academic Bank of Credit, this will allow seamless mobility of learners between various streams, making education truly multidisciplinary.

 2. National Higher Education Qualification Framework (NHEQF) released on 11.05.2023 is an instrument for development, classification and recognition of qualification from Level 4.5 to 8 (1st yr. UG to Doctoral programme). It defines learning outcomes at different levels.. It will facilitate national and international equivalence and comparability, inter/intra streams / institutional mobility, multiple learning pathways, lifelong learning, ensures confidence of Public in HE System

3. Curriculum and Credit Framework for Undergraduate Programs - It incorporates a flexible choice-based credit system, multidisciplinary approach, and multiple entry and exit options. This will facilitate flexibility to move from one discipline of study to another, one institution to another, switch to alternative modes of learning (offline, ODL, & Online learning, and hybrid modes of learning), multiple entry and exit options with UG (certificate/diploma/degree) and to choose the courses of their interest in all disciplines. 105 Universities have adopted it as per the data reported to UGC.

4. Regulation on Academic Bank of Credit - ABC is a digital or virtual or online store-house of academic credit data base of Higher Education Institution . It will provide authenticated records of credits earned by students from Registered Higher Education Institutions. ABC will ensure the opening, closure and validation of Academic Bank Accounts, credit verification, accumulation, and transfer or redemption. As of now 1413 Universities/INIs/HEIs are onboarded with 1.10 crore ABC ID.

5. Guidelines for pursuing two Academic Programmes simultaneously -It will facilitate multiple pathways of learning involving both formal and non-formal education modes.

 

6. Minimum standards and procedures for award of Ph.D. degree regulations- These regulations are framed to encourage research scholars to become well-trained researchers and inquisitive explorers. Women candidates and persons with disability will be given extra time (additional 2 years) to finish their research. Candidates, who have scored above a CGPA of 7.5, can now apply for a PhD after completing a four-year Bachelor's degree. HEIs may decide their own selection procedure for Ph.D. admission of international students. It also provides for discontinuance of M. Phil programme.

7. Promotion of Indian Languages in education

AICTE has permitted 49 Engineering Courses across 12 States in 7 regional languages; MBBS Course has been started in Hindi ; Common University Entrance Test conducted in 13 Languages and participated by 242 Universities; JEE (Mains) and NEET (UG) conducted in 13 languages involving about more than 30 lakhs students ; text books are being translated into multiple Indian languages through an AI based App Anuvadini, developed by AICTE

II. Digital Learning and Leveraging Technology

1. Open & Distance Learning Programmes and Online Programmes) Regulation, 2020 : These regulations lay down the criteria for allowing institutions to run ODL programmes. 95 HEIs (71 recognized and 24 Category-I HEIs) are recognized entitled to offer 1149 ODL programmes. 66 HEIs are recognized / entitled to offer 371 online programmes.

2. UGC (Credit Framework for Online Learning Courses through SWAYAM) Regulation Under this regulation percentage of courses of MOOCs from the SWAYAM platform towards credit transfer is enhanced from 20 % to 40%. It provides flexibility and opportunity for lifelong learning. It also enables Institutions HEIs to offer multi-disciplinary in their course. 288 Universities have adopted SWAYAM Courses for Credit Transfer. Around 86 lakhs learners are registered in the Jan 2022, July 2022 and Jan 2023 semester. More than 5 lakh students are taking exams and getting certified on SWAYAM in every year.

 

3. Technology enabled Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) based Solutions for Governance of HEIs starting from Admission to Grant of Degree – Smarter Automation Engine for Universities (SAMARTH) is an ICT initiative sponsored by the Ministry of Education to revolutionize the current education management system by implementing an automation engine for various universities and other Higher Education Institutes. It will facilitate HEIs in administration of HEIs and management of students from admission to grant of degree. At present 1249 Univ. & HEIs are onboarded and covering in 27 States and 4 UTs. 7 State Higher Education departments are also onboarded.

 

III. Industry-Institute Collaboration

 

1. Guidelines for Higher Education Institutions to offer Apprenticeship / Internship embedded Degree Programme – It aims to focus on outcome-based learning in degree programme and will enable students to demonstrate workforce professional abilities for potential employment. Regulation provides that at least 20% of the total credits for the degree programme should be assigned to apprenticeship/ internship. HEIs will have to ensure that in the apprenticeship/ internship embedded degree programme, at least 24 credits are being offered as core course which otherwise form a part of a regular undergraduate programme within the CBCS. 94 Institutions are offering Apprenticeship/Internship-embedded degree programmes.

 

2. Guidelines for engaging Professors of Practice in Universities and Colleges – It aims bringing industry and other professional expertise into the academic institutions through a new category of positions called “Professor of Practice”. It will enable developing courses and curriculum to meet the industry and societal needs and enable the HEIs to work with industry experts on joint research projects. A dedicated portal for Professor of Practice has been launched by UGC, having 6711 registered experts and 152 registered HEIs.

 

3. Guidelines for the establishment of RDC in universities and colleges have been issued on 04.03.2022 - The establishment of Research and Development Cell (RDC) in HEIs will enable attainment of targets of Atmanirbhar Bharat and is expected to play a pivotal role in catalysing multidisciplinary/ trans-disciplinary and translational research culture. Around 2500 HEIs and 300 Universities have established R&D Cells at their campuses.

 

4. Single Unified internship portal launched - All AICTE approved institutions have been asked to sign MoU with 5 Industries. More than 71883 Industries are registered and around 28.93 lakh internships have been offered.

 

5. Regular Industry-Institute engagement is being done to prepare and update curriculum for courses in Emerging Areas such as Artificial Intelligence (AI); Internet of Things (IoT); Block chain; Robotics; Quantum Computing; Data Sciences; Cyber Security; 3D Printing & Design; Augmented Reality (AR)/Virtual Reality (VR) etc.

 

6.AICTE has launched two new courses - Diploma in Integrated Circuit (IC) Manufacturing and BTech or BE (electronics) in VLSI design and technology. These two courses in semiconductor are to make India self-reliant in chip manufacturing.

 

7. Also four-year online Bachelor of Science (BS) in Electronic Systems of IIT Madras (https://study.iitm.ac.in/es/) with the key objective to meet the significant and growing demand for skilled graduates in the electronics and embedded manufacturing sector in India. The program aligns with the India Semiconductor Mission to make India a global hub for electronics manufacturing and design.. All the recommendations of NEP, whether it is flexibility, job oriented, entrepreneurship oriented, credit framework is attached to this architecture, multiple entry and exits, and above all, affordability in Indian higher education system with quality and accessibility are present in this BS in Electronic Systems. In addition, Bachelor of Science (BS) Degree in Data Science, with options to exit earlier in foundation, diploma or BSc degree level, is being offered by IIT, Madras. For the first time, one can work towards an undergraduate degree / diploma from an IIT regardless of your age, location, or academic backgrounds. The course has unlimited seat. Students graduating from this programme can find job opportunities in industries such as Automotive, Semiconductor, and Defence, among others, for positions like Electronic System Designer, Embedded System Developer, Electronic Hardware Specialist, System Testing Engineer, and Electronics Research Engineer. There is no upper age limit to study BS Electronic Systems at IIT Madras. Candidates who have passed Class 12 or equivalent with Maths and Physics can take admission.

 

IV. Academic Research and Internationalisation

 

1. Academic Collaboration between Indian and Foreign Higher Educational Institutions to offer Twinning, Joint Degree and Dual Degree Programmes Regulations on 02.05.2022 - It inter-alia promotes enhanced academic collaboration with foreign higher educational institutions leading towards academic and research excellence in the Indian higher educational institutions. It aims to provide global exposure to students, internationalisation at home, multi-disciplinary education with an internationally relevant curriculum and enhance employability. It will also attract foreign students and improve the standing of Indian universities as internationalisation is an important parameter in rankings.

 

3. UGC (Institutions deemed to be Universities) Regulations, 2023 has been issued on 07.06.2023- This regulation is based on the principle of a “light but tight” regulatory framework and facilitates creation of many more quality-focused deemed to be universities in an objective and transparent manner. These regulations govern the process of declaration, establishment of off-campus centres, eligibility criteria, and governance for deemed universities. Institutions are encouraged to provide fee concessions, scholarships, and reserved seats for socially and economically deprived students.

 

4. Accreditation - Revised Accreditation Framework (RAF) with 70% quantitative & 30% qualitative assessment. 436 University and 9306 HEIs are accredited.

5. Institution’s Innovation Councils – In line with the recommendations of NEP, 2020 one of the recommendations is establishment of Institution’s Innovation Councils (IICs) to systematically foster the culture of innovation and start-up ecosystem. At present 7229 IICs have been set up in 28 States and 8 UTs.

 

6. IDEA (Idea Development, Evaluation & Application) Labs - AICTE-IDEA (Idea Development, Evaluation & Application) Labs has been set up in the technical institutions promoting multidisciplinary education & research, strong societal and industry linkage, support the new age learning and encouraging STEM experiential learning among faculty members and students.

 

7. Ranking of all HEIs in the top 400 has improved in QS 2023

 

• Number of Indian Univ./HEI increased from 13 (2015) to 45 (2024) in QS Ranking
• Indian HEIs in top 500 increased to 11 in 2024 as compared to 7 in 2015 QS Ranking
• India has improved its position in the QS World University Rankings by Subject, 2023, with 44 courses, in their respective subject categories, ranked among the Global top 100.
• 11 declared Institutes of Eminence (IoEs) account for 44 % of the 355 Programmes / courses ranked in QS World University Ranking by Subject.
• Indian universities in QS 2023-24 subject rankings saw an 18.7% rise making India the 2nd most represented Asian country with 66 ranked universities.
• India showed improvement in both publications and number of citations (a measure of impact) –

• India is ranked 3^rd globally in 2022, with 2,75,367 publications, as compared to 5th rank in 2016, with 157539 publications. (Source: Scimago Journal and Country Rank)
• In number of citations India ranked 4^th out of 113 countries as compared to 11^th rank out of 94 countries in 2016.

11. Smart India Hackathon/ International Hackathons/ KAVACH 2023 – SIH It is a nationwide innovation initiative that engages technology students to conceptualize innovative solutions for the challenges faced by government and non-governmental organizations. This annual initiative started in 2017 and till date 5 editions have been successfully completed. SIH has now evolved into world’s biggest Hackathon and largest ‘Open Innovation’ model and includes hardware and software editions. So far, around 365 organizations, 8127 institutions with more than 15 lakh students’ participation in SIH. SIH has selected 6535 ideas solutions for 2145 problem statements. Problem statements (PSs) are submitted by Central & State Ministries, PSUs, Industries and NGOs on the SIH Portal. Hon’ble Prime Minister has graced all editions of the SIH by his presence. Several international Hackathons have also been held like India- Singapore, India-ASEAN and UNESCO India-Africa in which more than 600 innovators from around 22 countries had participated in the 2022 edition held in November, 2022. . ‘KAVACH-2023’ a unique national Hackathon to identify innovative concepts and technology solutions for addressing the security challenges of the 21st century faced by our intelligence agencies

 

 

V. INDIAN KNOWLEDGE SYSTEM

1. Guidelines for Incorporating Indian Knowledge in Higher Education Curricula– It emphasizes on the promotion of Indian Languages, Arts and Culture, by integrating IKS into curriculums at all levels of education. It prescribes that every student enrolled in a UG or PG programme should be encouraged to take credit courses in IKS amounting in all to at least 5% of the total mandated credits At least 50% of the credits apportioned to the IKS should be related to the major discipline and should be accounted for the credits assigned to the major discipline. The medium of instruction for the IKS courses could be any of the Indian languages.

 

2. Guidelines for Training/Orientation of Faculty on Indian Knowledge System (IKS) has been issued on 13.04.2023 – It enables the faculties to generate a positive attitude towards IKS and promote interest in knowing and exploring more through induction programs and refresher courses.

 

3. Guidelines for Empanelment of Artists/Artisans–in–Residence in Higher Educational Institutions has been issued on 08.05.2023 - To create collaboration between Artists and HEIs, to develop an effective structure of art education, involving skilled Kala Gurus(कलागुरु)in teaching, research and other academic activities on a regular basis, which will synergize the artistic experience with the conventional education to be more productive and beneficial for the students.

 

4. Guidelines for the introduction of courses based on Indian heritage and culture has been issued on 08.05.2023 –short term multi-tier credit based modular programme with multiple entry and exit based on Indian heritage and culture to promote the interest of people from abroad to visit India. It includes dissemination and imparting of knowledge of various dimensions of learning in the spheres of Universal human values, Vedic Maths, Yoga, Ayurveda, Sanskrit, Indian Languages, , Archaeological sites and monuments, Heritage of India, Indian Literature, Indian Sculpture, Indian Music and dance forms, Drama, Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Crafts and Craftsmanship etc.

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