A one-day webinar was organised by the IQAC of Dimapur Government College on the topic ” Perspectives of NEP 2020 with Special Reference to Higher Education” on 17th September 2020 with Prof.Lungsang Zeliang, Professor, Dept of Education, Nagaland University, Kohima as the resource person.

The programme started with the welcome address delivered by Ms Alemla Imsong, Vice Principal, DGC.

The focus of the resource person was to create awareness and highlight some important features of the NEP 2020. She mentioned that the NEP 2020 is significant as it is the first education policy of the 21^st century which is going to replace the education policy of 1986 after 34 years. The policy aims to create a new system that is aligned to the 21^stcentury considering the goals of sustainable development adopted by India which seeks to include inclusive and equitable quality education and to promote lifelong education opportunities to all by the year 2030. It also envisions to provide high quality education to all thereby making India a knowledge superpower and a knowledge economy through a system which is deeply rooted in India’s ethos and traditions along with the global cultural values. The NEP also resonates with the important message that quality, innovation and research must be the cornerstones on which India would become a superpower. She stated that the first significant change in the NEP 2020 is the renaming of MHRD to Ministry of Education. She then went on to enumerate the following:

Some Key Changes in School Education:

1.The most significant change will be the change in the structure of school education ie introduction of 5+3+3+4 design replacing the 10+2 system.

2. Right to education will be extended to cover a larger group from 3 to 18 years instead of 6 to 14 years.
3. Inclusion of coding in school syllabus from grade 6 onwards.
4. Introduction of multidisciplinary teachings.
5. Introduction of vocationalisation from grade 6 onwards.
6. Preparation of holistic report card based on several aspects rather focusing only on academics.
7. Fewer examinations and board exams to become less cumbersome.
8. To create research mindset in children by encouraging asking questions.
9. Children to be taught in mother tongue upto grade 5

Some Key Changes in Higher Education:

1. To deliver high quality higher education with equity and inclusion, with nurturing of qualities like goodness, creativity, being humane.
2. Both traditional and modern world views and values to be taken into consideration.
3. Stress on multidisciplinary education and introduction of large multidisciplinary colleges and universities.
4. Common entrance exams for both colleges and universities.
5. Re-introduction of 4-year multidisciplinary integrated bachelor’s program. Students can exit before completion of 4 years with certificate at different exit points.
6. Discontinuation of M Phil programmes.
7. Indian higher education will be opened to foreign universities.
8. Establishment of Higher Education Commission of India with affiliate state commissions.
9. Establishment of a National Research Foundation which will fund and seed research.
10. Faculty appointed to an institute to be non-transferable so as to inculcate a sense of ownership.
11. Teaching duties to be lessened with more emphasis on creativity and research. Excellence to be incentivised.
12. High stakes exams to be replaced by continuous and comprehensive evaluation.
13. Partnerships with public to be nurtured for philanthropic ventures.

The presentation was followed by discussion.

Ms Imkongmenla Longkumer, Asstt.Professor, Dept. of Commerce proposed the vote of thanks while the programme was moderated by Dr Yelhi Vero, Asstt.Professor, Dept of Economics DGC.

Faculty, staff and students of DGC attended the programme.