UGC to frame new education policy

KOLHAPUR: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has asked vice-chancellors across state universities to provide inputs on 20 themes for framing the new education policy. The themes include new knowledge, bridging gender and social gaps, and developing good teachers among others.
In a letter dated June 24, UGC secretary Jaspal S Sandhu said, "The government of India has embarked on the exercise of framing a new education policy to meet the changing dynamics of the population's requirement and with the purpose of providing quality education, innovation and research in the field of higher education."
He added that the aim is to provide necessary skills and knowledge to students and to find ways to eliminate shortage of manpower in science, technology, academics and industry.
According to Sandhu, the ministry of human resource development has identified 20 themes of immense importance for development of higher education.
He added that as the themes affect academicians and students, they have to be circulated among all departments of respective universities and affiliated colleges.
The UGC has set a deadline of July 24 for sending a consolidated report on the same from all the vice-chancellors of universities across the country.
It has advised authorities to consult stakeholders of the respective university for inputs on framing the new education policy, which will directly affect the young generation.
20 THEMES FOR FRAMING NEW EDUCATION POLICY
*Governance reforms for quality
*Ranking of institutions and accreditations
*Improving the quality of regulation
*Pace setting roles of central institutions
*Integrating skill development in higher education
*Promoting open and distance learning and online courses
*Opportunities for technology enabled learning
*Addressing regional disparity
*Bridging gender and social gaps
*Linking higher education to society
*Developing the best teachers
*Sustaining student support systems
*Promote cultural integration through language
*Meaningful partnership with the private sector
*Financing higher education
*Internationalization of higher education
*Engagement with industry to education to employability
*Promoting research and innovation
*New knowledge