National Conference on “Indian Higher Education – Challenges of Autonomy & Accountability”
Education Promotion Society for India (EPSI), a National body representing wide spectrum of education sector and education service providers has organised a National Conference on “Indian Higher Education – Challenges of Autonomy & Accountability” on 19th August, 2018 at Hyatt Regency, Weikfield IT Park, Pune. 300+ delegates of leading Government functionaries, Vice Chancellors, Academicians and Entrepreneurs are attended the National Conference.
Prof. Anil D Sahasrabudhe, Chairman, AICTE inaugurated the Conference.
Leading educationists deliberated upon the challenges and opportunities in the context of ‘Indian Higher Education – Challenges of Autonomy & Accountability’ in India at the National Conference of EPSI on 19.08.2018.
Prof. Anil D Sahasrabudhe, Chairman, AICTE inaugurated the conference and delivered his inaugural address. He said that how the Government and private can work together. He has informed that Quality assurance is a vital one for the institutions and has to come on their own and need not to wait for the Government to regulate. All institutions should go for Accreditation and NIRF and this will lead to healthy competition. He insisted that self introspection is necessary. Simultaneously he informed that we cannot expect all from every institutions, however, each and every one are having their own strength, the same has to be strengthened well. Every institution is having their best practices, so each other should follow and understand their strength and weaknesses. Accordingly they have to correct themselves. If all follows the same, the quality will improve automatically. Also he has informed that NAAC & NBA are totally different and both are different entity, working independently. NIRF will help to the institutions to compete with the other premier institutions at globally. He has also informed about the technology development.
Further, he has delivered a Special address and interacts with the stakeholders, wherein he has informed about the roles of AICTE and the adapted mechanism. He has also elaborated the difficulties being faced by the institutions. Hence he has asked the institutions to maintain quality and insisted to go for accreditation, as they are going to announce it mandatory.
Dr. G Viswanathan, President, EPSI, Founder & Chancellor, VIT University, Vellore in his Presidential address informed the present scenario about education system in India. Also he has stressed that the Government should give autonomy to the stakeholders of private educational institution so the GER could be increased. The affiliation system is to be abolished and the autonomous status of the institutions be given on priority. Also he has requested that the regulators should act as facilitators. While addressing he has emphasised the liberalisation of industry. Similarly, the education system also should come out of clutches and should have more autonomy. He also quoted the recent interview of the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India. The PM has mentioned about graded autonomy and he is very keen to free from the licence raj and in the process of granting autonomy to the educational institutions. Dr Viswanathan ji appreciated the Chairman, AICTE for his open mindedness and requested to be a bridge between the stakeholders and the Government. He stressed that all the educational institutions should maintain the quality and should ensure that the regulators should appreciate the institutions.
Dr. H Chaturvedi, Alternate President, EPSI & Director, BIMTECH, Greater Noida, addressed about the theme of the conference. He has also informed the Challenges being faced by the institutions, technologies and the job opportunities. He has elaborated the theme of the conference and explained what all the discussions are, this conference going to discuss on the pressing issues, i.e. 1. the Autonomy in Higher Education, for the same what are all the preconditions of Excellence, Employability & Expansion. 2. For sustainability, quality is a key aspect, hence the second session will deliberate upon “Quality Assurance, Accreditation & NIRF” for the same what are all the challenges is to overcome by the institutions. 3. Importantly, the present Government announced New Education Policy and Higher Education Forum. Hence, this session would discuss on “Recent Reforms in Higher Education – Whether leading to Centralisation & Bureaucratisation?”
Mr. P Palanivel, Executive Secretary, EPSI delivered vote of thanks.
Apart from this the following Senior Educationists and the other key speakers of the conference are delivered their address: Dr. Sandeep Sancheti, President, AIU , Vice Chancellor, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, Prof. V B Nanda Gopal Chief Executive, JSS Academy of Technical Education, Mysore, Prof. I K Bhat, Vice Chancellor, MIT World Peace University, Pune, Dr. P N Razdan, Vice Chancellor, Dr. D Y Patil Vidyapeeth, Pune, Dr. Sunil Rai, Vice Chancellor, MIT ADT University, Pune, Shri Palak Sheth, Director (Planning and Dev) Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University, Gujarat, Prof. (Dr.) Suku Bhaskaran, President, G D Goenka University, Gurgaon, Prof. (Dr.) Vijay Khare, Director, International Centre, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, Prof. Dr. N Jayasankaran, Advisor, VIT Business School, Chennai, Prof. D P Agrawal, Former Chairman, Union Public Service Commission, Delhi, Dr. Bhimaraya Metri, Director, Indian Institute of Management ,Tirichurappalli , Prof. (Dr.) Amit Banerjee, Vice Chancellor, Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan,Bhubaneswar.