Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC), Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar, addressed a national seminar on Saturday, highlighting the need for a focus on the broader objectives outlined in the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020). The seminar, titled ‘Insights into Education System in Andhra Pradesh during Pre and Post-Colonial Era: The Road Ahead for Holistic Education System,’ was jointly organized by the Center for Andhra Pradesh Studies (CAPS) and Potti Sriramulu Chadalawada Mallikarjun Rao (PSCMR) College of Engineering and Technology.
During his keynote address, Jagadesh Kumar expressed concerns that educationists and stakeholders sometimes become preoccupied with day-to-day challenges, losing sight of the overarching goals of NEP 2020. He commended workshops like the one organized, stating that they serve as reminders to keep the bigger picture in mind while addressing the intricacies of the educational system.
India boasts one of the world’s largest educational systems, with approximately 30 crore students, of which 26 crore are in the school education sector, and about 4.1 crore are in higher education. Mr. Jagadesh Kumar emphasized the need for preparation to meet the upcoming challenge as these numbers are expected to double in the coming years. Despite past shortcomings, he highlighted India’s history of producing outstanding achievers, citing examples of leaders in international companies such as Microsoft, Google, and the World Bank.
The UGC Chairman acknowledged the aspirational nature of today’s youth, stating that they are not risk-averse, as evidenced by the robust start-up culture in the country. In contrast to global disturbances, Mr. Jagadesh Kumar pointed out that India is experiencing positive developments, with the global financial community recognizing the robustness of the Indian economic system.
Commenting on the government’s vision, he mentioned that the Centre has set a goal to make India a developed country by 2047 and stressed the importance of providing holistic education to the younger generation to achieve this objective.
Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education (APSCHE) Chairman K. Hemachandra Reddy also spoke at length during the seminar, discussing the Gurukul system of education and the historical emphasis on character-building and ethical values.
The event saw the participation of notable figures such as President of CAPS, K. Rama Reddy, Secretary and Correspondent of PSCMR College P. Lakshmana Swamy, former Vice-Chancellor of Andhra University G. Nageswara Rao, Organising Secretary of the seminar G. Ranganatham, and others.
