Higher education summit in Varanasi to culminate with the adoption of ‘Varanasi Declaration’ – Times of India

NEW DELHI: In one of the biggest congregation on higher education post notification of the National Education Policy 2020, over 300 vice-chancellors, Higher Educational Institutions’ (HEIs) directors, educationists are to deliberate on how to take the policy further at the Akhil Bharatiya Shiksha Samagam in Varanasi from Thursday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate summit which will also adopt “Varanasi Declaration on India’s extended vision and renewed commitment for higher education.”

Modi will inaugurate the three-day summit, organized by the ministry of education in association with University Grants Commission (UGC) and Banaras Hindu University (BHU), which will bring together heads of public and private universities, IITs, IIMs, educationists, policy makers, as well as industry leaders to deliberate on how the implementation of NEP 2020 can be taken further across the country after successful implementation of several initiatives in the last two years.

“Uttar Pranesh governor Anandiben Patel, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, will also attend the summit,” said a senior MoE official.
The summit will provide a platform for leading Indian HEIs to discuss, deliberate and share insights on strategies, success stories and best practices in implementing the policy.

Spread over several sessions from July 7-9, discussions will be held on themes such as multidisciplinary and holistic education, skill development and employability, Indian Knowledge Systems, internationalization of education, digital empowerment and online education, research, innovation and entrepreneurship, quality, ranking and accreditation, equitable and inclusive education, capacity building of teachers for quality education.

“The summit is expected to provide a platform for thought-provoking discussions that will articulate the roadmap and implementation strategies, foster knowledge exchange and build networks through interdisciplinary deliberations and discuss challenges being faced by educational institutions and articulate solutions,” the official said.

The key highlight of the Akhil Bharatiya Shiksha Samagam will be the adoption of the Varanasi Declaration on Higher Education which will showcase India’s extended vision and a renewed commitment to help achieve the goals of higher education system.

“The MoE, along with UGC and AICTE, has brought in several policy initiatives like academic bank of credit, multiple entry exit, multi disciplinarity and flexibility in higher education, regulations aimed at boosting online and open distance learning, revising the National Curriculum Framework to make it more in sync with global standards, promoting multi linguality and Indian Knowledge Systems and making both a part of educational curriculum, mainstreaming skill education and promoting lifelong learning,” added the official.

Stating that while many universities have already onboarded the reforms, many are yet to adopt and adapt to the changes.

“As the higher educational ecosystem in the country spans centre, states and private entities, extensive consultations are required to take the policy implementation further. This process of consultation has been going on at the regional and national levels. The Varanasi Shiksha Samagam is next in the series of consultations in this regard,” said the official.

This process of consultation has been going on at the regional and national levels. Modi in June addressed a seminar of chief secretaries in Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh where the states/UTs shared their insights on the issue. The Varanasi Shiksha Samagam is next in the series of consultations in this regard.