Research is for resurgence not for degree, says PM Modi at Vigyan Bhavan

September 29: The prime aim of research should be resurgence and not merely acquiring a degree. These were the key words of an hour long inaugural speech delivered by Prime Minister Narendra Modi while inaugurating a Conference on Academic Leadership on Education for Resurgence on September 29, 2018 in New Delhi. More than half a dozen of autonomous institutions organized this event. The Prime Minister further said our Universities and Colleges should be leveraged to find solutions to the challenges facing us. We should “Interlink Institutions to Innovate and Incubate”, he added. He urged students to link their classroom learning to the aspirations of the country.

The Conference on Academic Leadership on Education for Resurgence was organized at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi in which the Vice-Chancellors from different universities, directors of several institutes participated. Around 400 state and central universities, IITs, NIT, IIMs participatedin this programme. This event was organized jointly by University Grants Commission (UGC), All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), Indian Council for Social Sciences and Research (ICSSR), Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and SGT University.

Speaking to way2barak, Prof. Niranjan Roy, Dean, MG School of Economics and Commerce, Assam University, Silchar who was also a participant to the conference said, ‘Bharatiya Sikshan Mandal’ has a wing named ‘Research for Resurgence Foundation.’ This particular programme entitled ‘Conference on Academic Leadership on Education for Resurgence was organized by the Foundation which was inaugurated by our honourable Prime Minister.”

Prof. Roy further said that “The theme of the Conference was to deliberate on the challenges facing the Indian education system and to work out a plan for a paradigm shift both in terms of achieving academic outcomes and also in regulation of education. It was a conglomeration of academic coterie for churning on Academic Leadership on Education for Resurgence.” He said that apart from him, Assam University was represented in this conference by Prof. Dilip Chandra Nath, Vice Chancellor of the varsity and Dr. Anup Kumar Dey from Diphu Campus. The office bearers of the Dakshin Assam Pranth of Bharatiya Sikshsn Mandal also took part in the conference.

Referring to India’s rich cultural heritage, Prof. Roy said, “Once upon a time, India was the leader in terms of imparting education. The universities of Nalanda & Taxila were of international repute where scholars from different parts of the country came to acquire knowledge. But now we have given up that tradition and are busy looking at the West. The aim of this conference was to impart education which should be rooted in our own rich cultural heritage.”

Prof. Niranjan Roy further informed that the inaugural session was followed by breakout sessions covering eight thematic areas, namely: Improving pedagogy for learner centric education – use of artificial intelligence for customized learning; From job seeking to job creating – improving innovation and entrepreneurship; Improving quality of research – focus on requirements of India; Bringing synergy among educational institutions – pooling of academic resources like sharing of libraries and exchange of knowledge; Building inclusive and integrated campuses – taking up activities which could bring emotional attachments of students to the campus; Participatory Governance models – facilitating participation of students in governance processes; Building robust financial models – supplementing Government resources by getting funds from alumni and also from corporate (CSR); Promoting value education by building in universal values and life skills into education.

The valedictory session of the conference was chaired by Union Minister for Human Resource Development Prakash Javadekar in which each of the eight groups made presentation on the course of action that they have agreed upon. Prof. Niranjan Roy expressed the view that the outcome of the conference will be a comprehensive action plan which would go a long way in improving the higher education sector of our country.

This Conference is in continuation of the efforts being made by the Ministry for evolving an action plan for transformation of the higher education sector. The first among this was held in Delhi during Vice-Chancellors’ Conference from 26-28 July, 2018.