Assam Governor Prof Jagdish Mukhi said that he constituted a committee of selected Vice Chancellors to study ways and means and suggest timelines and startegies for the implementation of National Education Policy 2020, in Higher education sector in Assam.
Presenting his views at a virtual meeting of Governor’ Conference named National Conference on the Role of NEP 2020 in Transforming Higher Education in India which was graced by President of India Ramnath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Minister for Education, Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’, Minister of State for Education Sanjay Shamrao Dhotre, Chairman, Committee for draft NEP Dr.Kasturirangan, Prof Mukhi said that the committee already constituted by him had its first meeting and provided a series of recommendations.
The Governor said that considering the NEP 2020 the first of its kind to Indianize the education system in 34 years, a Rajyik Shiksha Aayog would be constituted in Assam for total implementation of the recommendations of NEP 2020. Moreover the Governor said that since multidisciplinary approach is the cornerstone of NEP, steps will be taken to convert the existing colleges in the state along with giving them autonomy in a graded manner. The Governor also apprised that 2 new Bills brought out in the first week of September 2020, for the establishment of two new Universities, were suitably redrafted, in consonance with NEP 2020 and passed in the State Assembly soon after.
The Governor also shared that in the institutions of higher education, research on important and socially relevant cutting edge areas will be promoted along with encouraging bilingual and multilingual teachings in schools. He also said that curriculum under NEP 2020 will be made flexible to encourage multiple entry and exit. The Governor also requested the President and Prime Minister to set up two central government institutions namely Multidisciplinary Education and Research University (MERU) and an Indian Institute of Translation and Interpretation (IITI) in Assam.
Advisor to The Education Department, Government of Assam Prof. Mihir Kanti Choudhury, Commissioner and Secretary, Govt of Assam, Higher Education Dept. Preetam Saikia, Commissioner and Secretary to the Governor S.S.Meenakshi Sundaram, Vice Chancellor, Gauhati University Prof.P.J.Handique, Addl. Secretary to the Governor Swapna Dutta Deka were also present in the meeting.