Guwahati: The universities should curve a niche in cutting-edge research and high-quality teaching to enable Assam to secure one of the top five performing States in the delivery of quality higher education and research in the country, said Assam Governor professor Jagdish Mukhi.
Addressing a conference of the vice-chancellors at Raj Bhavan on Thursday, Governor Mukhi also added that though the State has gained achievements on the expansion of higher education, the universities should take a proactive role in improving the quality of research and teaching.
He urged the vice-chancellors of Assam's 17 universities to take the lead in bringing about the required changes in their institutions and to help prepare a strategy for transforming the universities into reputable institutions.
Emphasizing the need of recruiting good faculty at every level, the Governor urged upon vice-chancellors to fill up the vacant faculty positions at the earliest. Since orders have been issued to fill vacant posts in all colleges and universities as soon as possible, he noted, immediate steps should be done to bring in quality talent.
For quality research and teaching in the universities under NEP 2020, the XI and XII classes should be delinked from the universities and autonomous colleges, stated Governor Mukhi adding, that he has already issued directions to three autonomous colleges (North Lakhimpur College, Jagannath Barooah College, and Nowgong College) and the four universities that were upgraded from the colleges.
He revealed that as per the new NEP, by the year 2035, no affiliating universities or colleges will exist and only three types of universities namely research universities, teaching universities and autonomous colleges converted into universities with cluster colleges will be there. So, he urged them to re-orient degrees to duly accommodate skilling and vocationalization into their folds for creating skilled manpower.
In the presence of State chief minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, education Minister Dr. Ranuj Pegu, education advisor professor Mihir Kanti Choudhury, Guv commissioner, and secretary SS Meenakshi Sundaram, top education officials with others, Governor Mukhi emphasized implementing dual degree programs for the benefit of future generations.
Dr. K Kasturirangan, the architect behind the establishment of NEP 2020, took part in the conference online and stated that the education strategy places a strong emphasis on the development of each individual's creative potential. It is based on the principle that education should not only develop cognitive abilities but also social, ethical, and emotional dimensions and dispositions, which he asserted.
