Karaikudi
Stating that education was based on western ideologies during the Colonial period, laying less importance to Indian ethos and culture, N. Rajendran, Vice-Chancellor, Alagappa University, has said the new draft education policy laid emphasis for providing India-Centric or Bharat-Centric education.
“Teachers’ role in implementing the new policy is crucial and they should help to bring in needed changes,” he said addressing a seminar on ‘Draft national education policy’, organised by the Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) of the university, here on Monday to discuss the draft policy and get feedback from the stakeholders.
He said during the Colonial period education was based on the Western ideologies and it did not take into account Indian ethos, culture and tradition. However, the ancient Indian society had been a learned society as quality higher education was available to the students.
History has it that students from neighbouring countries came to India in large numbers for learning mathematics, astronomy and metallurgy, he said. The compendium of literature produced in various languages in ancient India bore testimony to this fact, he said.
Delivering the thematic address, S. Karutha Pandian, Director, IQAC, emphasised the importance of uniform service conditions in the higher education institutions in the country. There should not be any age barrier for funding to researchers, he said adding researchers in the US received research funds even after crossing the age of 90.
G.Gopal Reddy, member, UGC, said the draft policy was aimed at providing inclusive quality education from primary to the University level. “Expansion is the need of the hour but certainly not at the cost of quality,” he said. The draft policy envisaged measures for improving school education, he said.
G.Srinivas, Joint Secretary, UGC – South Eastern Regional Office, Hyderabad, said the draft policy aimed at providing autonomy to Colleges (type – 3 institutions) so as to help them offer innovative and creative programmes of study needed for the country’s progress.
About 200 faculty members including 33 Principals and Co-ordinators of IQACs of affiliated Colleges participated in the seminar sponsored by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) under RUSA 2.0 Scheme.
H. Gurumallesh Prabu, Registrar and KR.Murugan, Dean, Faculty of Arts, were present.
