At a recent roundtable organised by the Education Promotion Society for India (EPSI) at the SRM Institute of Science and Technology, T G Sitharam, chairman of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), highlighted the transformative potential of the National Education Policy (NEP). According to Sitharam, the NEP’s innovative four-year degree model and interdisciplinary approach are designed to elevate Indian students to global competitiveness, equipping them to stand on par with their international counterparts.
During his address, Sitharam emphasised the NEP’s focus on transparency in higher education. “We have mandated universities to disclose critical information, including financials, infrastructure, courses, and faculty details, to the public,” he explained. This move will enhance accountability and foster trust among students and parents.
Adding to the discourse, S P Thyagarajan, advisor to the chancellor of Vellore Institute of Technology, likened the implementation phase of NEP to a “logarithmic phase” commonly observed in microbiology. “Just as bacteria adapt and multiply rapidly before reaching a stationary phase, educational institutions are currently experiencing rapid changes as they adapt to NEP,” Thyagarajan noted.
The EPSI conference also served as a platform for broader discussions on the role of various stakeholders in the education sector. MR Jayaram, president of EPSI, remarked, “This is a pivotal moment as it marks the first new education policy in 75 years. Institutions, industries, and government bodies at both state and union levels must collaborate and reflect on these changes.”
Highlighting Tamil Nadu’s pioneering role in higher education, EPSI alternative president H Chaturvedi pointed out that the state introduced the concept of autonomous colleges three decades ago, a practice that has yet to be widely adopted across India. “Tamil Nadu has always been a leader in educational innovation, and with NEP, there are new opportunities for other regions to follow suit,” Chaturvedi said.
As Indian educational institutions navigate these changes, the NEP is set to redefine the landscape of higher education in India, promising a future where Indian students are competitive and well-prepared to thrive globally.
