Digital education key to increasing enrollment in higher education: AICTE chairman

COVID-19 pandemic forced people to accept new technologies for continuing with education amidst the difficulties that came with the pandemic, says Prof Anil D Sahasrabudhe, at the convocation of JSS Science and Technology University in Mysuru

All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) Chairman Anil D Sahasrabudhe said achieving 50% gross enrollment ratio (GER) in higher education by 2035, as envisioned in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 in the next 10 years, is possible through digital education and with the help of National Digital University.

“The Covid-19 pandemic showed that classes could also be run online. Though the technologies were available much before the COVID-19 outbreak, only a few of them made use of online education. However, the pandemic forced people to ponder and accept the technologies for continuing with education amidst the first and second waves of COVID-19 in the country.”

Delivering his address at the 4 th annual convocation of JSS Science and Technology University (STU) on the campus of Sri Jayachamarajendra College of Engineering (SJCE) in Mysuru, the AICTE chairman, however, said practical education is very important, as engineering, medicine and other courses require robust hands-on training for which classes in physical mode are necessary. However, some portion of the curriculum can be covered using digital mediums and remaining can be done face-to-face.

The internet is needed for popularising digital education. Over 2.5 lakh villages in India are internet-enabled, and efforts are on to get the remaining 6 lakh villages access to internet for participating in digital education, Prof Sahasrabudhe informed.

Saying that NEP has laid emphasis on interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary education, he called upon students to be constant and lifelong learners as a lot of changes are happening in the world. The faculty too have to be lifelong learners to keep their students updated.

Calling upon the youth to respect India’s ancient knowledge systems and not to undermine the country’s heritage, he said science has come from Bharat, and Indians have to be proud of our ancestors’ and scholars’ rich knowledge. “Don’t belittle our knowledge systems. At the same time, do not bask in past glory. Also, do not belittle Western science. We have seen how our ayurvedic medicine systems worked during the time of Covid-19 pandemic. Revalidate science that existed in the past, and take it forward,” he advised.

Prof. Sahasrabudhe said research and innovation are key for development, and added that the National Research Foundation is being set up for collaborating research.