Institutions must focus on building teachers' capacities, says Dr. Ashwani Bhalla, Deputy Director, Higher Education

Jalandhar, May 25

Education experts participating in the Principals’ Conclave organized by DAV University emphasized the necessity of aligning school curricula with higher education to foster a cohesive educational ecosystem under the New Education Policy (NEP). The panel discussion, “Paradigms and Challenges of New Education Policy,” highlighted critical steps needed to ensure the successful implementation of NEP 2020.

Dr Ashwani Bhalla during the panel discussion

Dr. Ashwani Bhalla, Deputy Director, Higher Education, Punjab pointed out that school and higher education are complementary, necessitating continuous dialogue between all the stakeholders. He said that the Department of Higher Education, Punjab had taken an initiative to standardize curriculum across the state’s three public universities to create a cohesive ecosystem.

Vice Chacellor Dr Manoj Kumar addressing the audience

Dr. Bhalla emphasized that institutions must invest in human resource development and focus on building teachers' capacities. Teachers should adopt a multidisciplinary approach and continuously upgrade their skills. Additionally, institutions should foster an environment encouraging entrepreneurship, transforming students from job seekers into job creators. Dr Ashwani Bhalla stressed the need for a change in mindset, advocating students should choose the teaching profession by choice, not by chance. He called on teachers to contribute constructive and visionary ideas to enhance and implement the education system.

Experts and university authorities at the inauguration of the Principals' Conclave

Welcoming the panelists, Dr. Manoj Kumar, Vice Chancellor, DAV University underscored the importance of collaborative implementation between schools and higher education institutions (HEIs). He stressed that teachers must bridge the gap between school education and post-education requirements, with a focus on skill development. Dr. Manoj Kumar noted that employability, rather than employment had been the primary challenge and stated that early introduction of skills-based learning could be a solution to the problem.

Prof. Saroj Arora from Guru Nanak Dev University highlighted the shift from rote learning to practical education under the new policy. She urged institutions to embrace the NEP and promote the sharing of facilities and resources.

Experts with the university authorities

Dr. Gurjeet Kaur from the University of Jammu praised the introduction of skill and value-based education, citing new courses such as financial literacy that enhance student independence. She emphasized the importance of problem-solving training and recommended students pursue minor and trans-disciplinary courses to expand their knowledge base.

Participants at the conclave1

Dr. Gitika Nagrath, Dean of Commerce, Business Management, and Economics at DAV University, discussed the university’s implementation of NEP through cooperative and collaborative programs with industry. She noted that the significant efforts invested in the NEP's rollout are beginning to yield positive results.

Participants at the conclave12

Various dignitaries including Dr. Sanjeev Kumar Arora, Registrar of DAV University and various school principals from the region also participated in the event. Dr. Sandeep Vij and Dr. Samriti Khosla, both Associate Professors at DAV University moderated the event.