Dr. Rakesh Bharti
“The future belongs to those who learn more skills and combine them in creative ways.”~ Robert Greene
The world is changing at a very fast rate. In the backdrop of such a changing situation the role of education will have to be redesigned and restructured. For keeping pace with the societal expectations and maintenance of desired quality in performance, teacher has to act as a potent agent of change. No doubt, change is in the very nature of being. Everything in the existence is changing. Resisting change is resisting life. Changes take place in every sphere of life. Education is not an exception. A sea change is noticeable in our educational system over the period of time. Need has always been felt to bring reforms in education. Education becomes relevant only when it serves the demands of the changing society. At this juncture, nation is expecting a drastic change in the system of education in the light of NEP 2020.
True essence of education
What type of education approach was in practice for the past few decades? The emphasis was on informing the students. This is called as banking approach in education, depositing a bulk of information in the minds of the learners. Is it the true essence of education?? A big NO! It is to be realized that information is not synonymous with education. Real education must transform the learners. As water gets transformed into water vapours, a seed gets transformed into a plant, a plant gets transformed into a tree, a bud gets transformed into a flower and a flower gets transformed into a fruit. It is high time to rethink, what should be our priority? Is it a well-informed mind or a well-formed mind?
Skill deficit
One of the major problems faced by the Nation today is increasing mismatch between education and employment. A big skill gap is noticeable between the industrial demands and students graduating from colleges. So far as higher education is concerned, youth pursuing technical or professional courses get jobs/employment sooner or later, but those who pass with humanities have to wait for a long time. There is a need to bridge this skill gap to empower our youth for a promising future. Youngsters, despite their highly acclaimed degrees and diplomas are virtually underemployed or unemployed. Corporate campus and College campus are becoming two different worlds drifting apart. World of Work is becoming entirely different from that of World of Worth. Hence, there is a need to encourage out-of-the-box thinking and use of innovative practices in teaching learning process to enhance the skill efficiency of the youth.
Launch of NEP 2020
Ministry of Education, Govt. of India announced the major reforms in the educational structure under the newly laid National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 launched on July 29th, 2020. The policy has been drafted in consistent with the needs of the changing world of work. Education policies are usually revised every few decades. The first came in 1968, the second in 1986, and the third reformation of the Indian education culture was seen in 2020.
The vision to make the youth self-reliant through skill-based education makes the National Education Policy 2020 a revolutionary document. The National Education Policy (NEP 2020) will play a crucial role in making the students industry ready professionals. The higher education curriculum will be redesigned and restructured to empower youth with necessary technical and soft skills at undergraduate and post-graduate levels.
Breaking from the conventional path
Higher education is an island of excellence. It significantly contributes towards sustainable livelihood and economic development of the Nation. The NEP 2020 also states that “Given the 21st century requirements, quality higher education must aim to develop good, thoughtful, well-rounded and creative individuals. It is against this backdrop, the role of NEP 2020 must be assessed in reversing the course. Following are some of the key initiatives that can help in increasing employability of the emerging workforce at higher level of education:
Holistic learning: NEP 2020 lays emphasis on a more holistic view instead of the traditional content-heavy and rote-learning approach. It advocates creative and multidisciplinary curriculum that includes humanities, sports and fitness, languages, culture, arts and crafts, in addition to science and mathematics. It recognizes soft skills such as communication, cooperation, teamwork, leadership, empathy and resilience, as ‘life skills’. This different approach is designed to help students develop academic expertise with vital leadership skills that can help them in their career path.
Multi-disciplinary approach: The ancient Indian literature describes a good education as knowledge of the 64 Kalas or arts. NEP 2020 gives no place for hard separation between arts and sciences, between curricular and co-curricular activities, between vocational and academic streams etc. Pedagogy will have an increased emphasis on communication, discussion, debate, research and opportunities for cross-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary thinking.
Integration of vocational education with Higher Education: HEIs shall develop and conduct their own vocational courses in partnership with industry and NGOs. HEIs would also be allowed to offer short-term vocational skill certificate courses. This ensures that the entire ecosystem of schools, colleges, and universities will now include vocational education as part of their curriculum.
ITIs, Polytechnics and Industries: ITIs and Polytechnics will be provided opportunities to develop tailored programmes with HEIs. Industries will have the opportunity to work with HEIs for creating tailored programmes that serve their needs. Partnerships with the industry will provide hands-on experience and help create a robust talent pipeline.
Opportunities for internships: Students to be provided with opportunities for internships with local industry, businesses, artists, crafts persons, etc., as well as research internships with faculty and researchers at their own or other HEIs/research institutions, so that students may actively engage with the practical side of their learning and, as a by-product, further improve their employability.
Preparing professionals in cutting-edge areas: Preparing professionals in cutting-edge areas that are fast gaining prominence, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), 3-D machining, big data analysis, and machine learning, in addition to genomic studies, biotechnology, nanotechnology, neuroscience, with important applications to health, environment, and sustainable living that will be woven into undergraduate education for enhancing the employability of the youth.
Apprenticeship Training Scheme: Apprenticeship training is one of the most efficient ways to develop skilled manpower for industry. Apprenticeship Training consists of basic training and on-the-job training/practical training at workplace in the industry. Candidates after undergoing apprenticeship training can easily adapt to industrial environment at the time of regular employment. The scope of NATS has been expanded to include students from Humanities, Science and Commerce besides students from engineering stream.
Conclusion
NEP 2020 is a vital step towards restructuring the educational ecosystem with the aim of meeting the rapidly changing needs of the employers. The NEP has its vision to empower the youth through the set of vocational, employable and entrepreneurial skills provided to them at different stages of training and education. The day is not far when the Indian youth will not be a job-seeker but a potential job-provider.
(The author is an Assistant Professor of Education)
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