I have been stressing the myriad ways in which we can take advantage of the various provisions of the National Education Policy (NEP) to bring about far-reaching and dramatic improvements in our educational systems and processes. Of course, the best way to illustrate the meaning and purpose of what I have in mind is through examples and experiments that are being undertaken across our land. One of the most exciting and promising of those is currently underway in Jammu and Kashmir.
I am a happy participant in this experiment, which is being conducted under the newly constituted Higher Education Council of Jammu and Kashmir. The purpose is to create—under the freedoms prescribed by the NEP—a highly effective degree at the undergraduate level that shall truly empower our students. Before
I get to the features of this proposed degree, let me mention some other striking features of the enterprise.
It is pathbreaking and unique in many ways. For one, it is being undertaken through multi-institutional cooperation. The institutions involved include some from Jammu and Kashmir where it is being spearheaded by the University of Jammu. Another major player is the Cluster Innovation Centre of the University of Delhi. There are also a few individuals outside the ambit of these institutions who are making important contributions in terms of ideas and pathways and are part of the team. Our effort is also characterised by the joy of creating something unique and empowering.
Just what is this degree programme that is on the anvil? Let me emphasise that there is nothing in this effort that could not also have been undertaken without the NEP. Unfortunately, I suppose, so many of our university administrators needed to be nudged through the energy that flows from the NEP. The degree programme orients students to first empower herself somewhat with the inculcation of skills and knowledge in the art of communication along with basic data and IT. It must be noted that the programme does not call for any prior expertise or knowledge in any particular area or discipline.
It gives each student freedom to, in a sense, design her degree. This allows the student to find her true calling in life to a significant extent. The pedagogy is driven largely through a problem-solving approach where students work in groups and learn much through this peer-driven effort where the teacher becomes a mentor. The thrust is transdisciplinary and the curriculum is built around the needs and challenges of society. If I were to describe it in a few words, I would say it deals with the world through digital applications. It shall allow the student to be a creative manager of businesses or organisations, a creative designer, an entrepreneur who can build a startup while still a student, a media professional or even an IT expert. It is a degree in digital applications with the freedom to design a specialisation.
Dinesh Singh
Former Vice-Chancellor, Delhi University; Adjunct Professor of Mathematics, University of Houston, US
Twitter: @DineshSinghEDU