Manoj Sinha, lieutenant governor, Jammu and Kashmir, emphasised the need for universities and colleges to adapt to the evolving educational landscape in alignment with the National Education Policy (NEP) to maintain their relevance. Speaking at the inaugural session of the ‘Round Table Conference’ with newly appointed vice chancellors from various universities across the country, he stated, “Higher education institutions worldwide are undergoing significant transformations. To remain pertinent in an ever-changing world, universities and colleges must develop a strategic plan and organisational readiness in line with NEP 2020,” according to an official statement.
Sinha underscored the significance of enhancing the global rankings of Indian colleges and urged institutions with ambitious and shared visions to prioritise this goal. He emphasised, “We must increase our presence in the multi-trillion dollar global education sector and make improving our ranking a top priority. Bold actions are necessary to attain this objective.”
Additionally, Sinha noted the considerable growth in the demand for higher education, with India contributing 74% of all new higher education institutions globally in the past 10-15 years. He highlighted that over 1.3 million Indian students are pursuing education in 79 different countries, contributing an estimated $30 billion annually to the global economy, the statement mentioned.
Despite India having the largest number of higher education institutions and excellent facilities, none of its institutions ranks in the top 10 educational hubs globally due to insufficient promotion, according to Sinha. He expressed concern that while many countries in the global south are actively recruiting international students, India is lagging behind and sending a significant number of its students abroad. He called for a transformational approach to reverse this trend, as per the statement.
Sinha also mentioned that the Jammu and Kashmir administration has taken substantial steps to revamp the education system in the union territory since September 2020. These reforms aim to refocus universities and colleges on educational outcomes, industry demands, innovation, contemporary skills, and adaptability to meet future needs, it added.
With inputs from PTI.