The document presents a new agenda for higher education in India, emphasizing the need for an education system that fosters creativity, moral education, and social responsibility among students. It highlights the importance of equal opportunities for all, especially for socially and economically disadvantaged groups, and the role of technology in enhancing educational quality. The agenda also calls for reforms in teacher training, a focus on practical skills, and minimizing political distractions in academic settings.

1. Building The Nation With Justice, Peace And Harmony
- A New Agenda For Higher Education
Presented by : Sanam
Devi
MCMAT,Perumbavoor

2. Introduction
The purpose of education goes beyond the propagation of knowledge.
The issue in India is not what the children are being taught, but how they are
being taught.
Indian Education system is set out in such a way that children are constantly
memorizing dates, lessons, and various other pieces of text or information
that they must regurgitate. The involvement of creative or innovative
thinking is limited.
The importance given to value education is not sufficient in the present
system.
This shows that the current system is inadequate. So it’s time for thinking a
new agenda for higher education.

3.  Many studies have shown that if a child is provided
good quality education and health care in the early
years of schooling, it enhances his/her ability to lead
a more meaningful and productive life. Children in
India have the necessary intelligence and potential;
what they need are opportunities to access quality
education.

4. New agenda for higher
education

5. Mould The Students As Socially
Responsible Citizens
 React to current issues.
 Discussing all the current economic and social
trends.
 Stress on moral education and inculcation of a
sense of social responsibility.
 Concern for fellow beings.
 Willingness to share resources.
 Gratitude and sympathy.

6. Exposure to students by Technology
supported learning
 Fortunately, India is at the cusp of major transformation. Compared to the last few decades,
the disparities between urban and rural areas in terms of availability of technology
infrastructure and usage have reduced.
 Even more significantly, Digital India is being rolled out, and could be soon a reality – every
Village Panchayat will be digitally connected and the phenomenon of ‘remote’ schools will
diminish rapidly. This is an unparalleled opportunity which needs to be fully harnessed.
 The education sector, both school and higher education, can greatly benefit by judicious use
of Information Communication Technology (ICT).
(i) IT as aid to the teacher in the classroom;
(ii) IT to aid in remedial education.
(iii) IT for use in training of teachers.
(iv) IT for adult literacy.
(v) IT modules as learning tools in higher education.
(vi) IT as a governance tool.

7. Development of quality Institutions at all
stages and in all levels
 More Technical institutions like IIMs, IITs.
 Reforms in medical education.
 Introduction of new Universities and colleges
 Skill training institutes (job oriented skills, soft skills,
etc.)

8.  The process of education should inculcate a spirit of
hard work and entrepreneurship, a respect for
human rights and compassion for the disadvantaged
sections of society. Every student should be made
aware not only of his/her fundamental rights, but
also of fundamental duties, laid down by the
Constitution. The National Policy on Education
should enable students to become responsible
citizens of India in a globalized world.

9. Incentives for teachers for improving
qualification
 It is critical to recognise the teacher as the key
driver of change in the education system. The
teacher will have to play a major role in the
transformation of the education system. There is an
urgent need to focus on improving the quality of
teacher education and training, and attract better
talent to the teaching profession.

10. Equal opportunity for all sections
 There is now recognition that there are several
imbalances due to social, gender, economical, cultural
and regional disparities, which can be remedied through
appropriate interventions and a focused strategy.
 Sustainable development of a nation can be realized
only if all sections of the society have equal
opportunities and hence the need for a clarion call for
multi-pronged, inclusive measures such as provision of
educational amenities, student incentives and financing,
remedial coaching, special facilities for different
disabilities, etc.

11. Need for Special Academic and Other Support to Children from
Socially and Economically Weaker Sections
 In recent decades, access to education has improved sharply, particularly to those
from rural areas. However, there is a significant handicap suffered by students
coming from socially or economically weaker segments relating to inequality in
learning opportunity, often related to sociological and circumstantial factors not
sufficiently understood or commented upon or accounted for in the normal course.
There are critical stages in the ‘learning’ periods of such disadvantaged children,
when they need a helping hand to guide them, with extra coaching or advisory
facility, to enable them to get full benefit of their educational opportunities, in many
cases to tide over difficult periods of their education. In general, such children need
assistance particularly at three stages during their education –
 (a) in the period of primary schooling where it is important to learn the basics of
‘language’ and ‘arithmetic’;
 (b) in early class 11 phase, where the courses become tougher, and classroom
environment competitive; and
 (c) in the early periods in technical courses, particularly for those who did their
schooling in their mother tongue or regional language, to acclimatize them to the
circumstances and conditions of urbanized learning centres.

12. Need to Restrict Political and Other
Distractions on University and College
Campuses
 Agitations, disturbances, gheraos and other disruptive
movements are being increasingly witnessed on campuses
with potential to interfere with normal academic activities. As
a result of this, examinations often get delayed or postponed.
These disturbances are generally caused by a small section
of politically active students and work to the detriment of the
majority of serious students. The Constitution provides every
citizen the right to form groups or associations. Every right
has a corresponding duty to ensure that it shall not adversely
affect the interests of others.

13. Projects and field work related to societal
needs
 Curriculum itself should contain projects insisting
social activities
 Entrepreneurship development projects / activities
 Field works may be conducted as part of the study
to know the pulse of the society.

14. Agriculture and rural India in the mainstream
of our educational system
 Familiarize the system with rural/agricultural issues,
even though this may not be a compulsory subject
in the school curriculum.
 At high school level, students could be exposed to
subjects like soil health, balanced use of fertilizers,
water conservation, and importance of seeds in
agriculture and pest control, as an optional subject.
NCERT need also to look into this aspect of
curriculum reform.

15. National / International linkages
 Tie- ups with foreign universities
 Faculty and student exchange with foreign
universities
 Inter-state student and faculty exchange
 Incorporation of international / national projects as
part of the curriculum.
 In higher education, access to lectures and course
material, and interaction with top education
institutions in the world through virtual classrooms,
online tutorials and tests present immense
possibilities for participatory learning and global

16. Healthy life style development
 Minimize the creation of waste
 Food habits that should not harm our body and
health
 Meditation and yoga practices
 Exercises as a practice

17. THANK YOU