Education Minister Calls for Education Reforms: Focus on Funding, Industry Links, and Campus Revitalization

Pradhan highlighted the importance of evolving from a consumer-driven economy to a producer-driven one, leveraging opportunities presented by Industry 4.0.

Union Minister for Education, Dharmendra Pradhan, inaugurated a two-day National Workshop on Higher and Technical Education in New Delhi, where he laid out a comprehensive vision for transforming India's higher education landscape. Addressing Secretaries from States and Union Territories, Pradhan emphasized the crucial role of education in improving the ease of living, increasing per capita income, and achieving national priorities set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Pradhan highlighted the importance of evolving from a consumer-driven economy to a producer-driven one, leveraging opportunities presented by Industry 4.0. He stressed that education infrastructure must extend beyond physical structures to incorporate holistic academic frameworks that align with global standards.

During his address, Pradhan outlined five key areas of focus for academic leaders and administrators. He called for strengthening public universities through innovative funding models to ensure sustainability and quality. Establishing think tanks to align and tailor curricula with industry demands and regional needs was also emphasized, aiming to keep education relevant and responsive.

A multidisciplinary approach to research and innovation was another crucial point, with Pradhan encouraging academic institutions to assume leadership in tackling global challenges. He also proposed the promotion of Academic Leadership Development Programmes in collaboration with central and state institutions, enhancing governance and administration across higher education systems. To invigorate campus life, Pradhan stressed the significance of sports, debates, poetry, drama, and performing arts, elements already credited under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

Pradhan further underscored the importance of teaching in Indian languages, emphasizing collective accountability toward students. He called for united efforts to position India as a global leader in education.

Dr. Sukanta Majumdar, speaking at the event, praised NEP 2020 as a strategic roadmap to transform India into a global knowledge superpower. He outlined the policy’s pillars—access, equity, quality, affordability, and accountability—and urged states to adopt NEP 2020 in full, emphasizing its role in economic growth, workforce development, and innovation.

K. Sanjay Murthy contextualized the workshop by detailing the 14 technical sessions designed to disseminate NEP 2020 implementation strategies. He highlighted the development of 20 guidelines for universities and credited Pradhan for his leadership in the policy’s rollout.

The workshop’s objectives include fostering knowledge exchange, articulating implementation strategies, and promoting NEP 2020 adoption across states to build a globally competitive education system. Effective implementation, participants noted, could drive economic growth and enhance India’s educational and technological prowess on the world stage.