NCERT gets deemed university status, says education minister Pradhan

NCERT gets deemed university status, announces Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan:

NCERT becomes a deemed university: What does it mean for the education sector?

The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has been granted the status of deemed-to-be university by the Ministry of Higher Education on Friday, September 1, 2023. This was announced by the Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan at the 63rd Foundation Day of NCERT, which is the apex decision-making body for school education in India.

What is a deemed university?

A deemed university is an institution of higher education, other than universities, that works at a very high standard in a specific area of study. It can be declared as a deemed-to-be university by the central government on the advice of the University Grants Commission (UGC), which is the regulatory body for higher education in India. Such institutions enjoy the academic status and privileges of a university, such as designing their own syllabus and courses, offering various degrees and diplomas, and conducting research and innovation in their specialized fields. There are over 125 deemed-to-be universities in India, covering various disciplines such as engineering, medicine, arts, science, law, etc.

How did NCERT get this status?

NCERT was established in 1961 under the Society Act to assist and advise the government in matters of school education. It is responsible for developing curriculum frameworks, textbooks, teacher training modules, educational kits, etc. for school education across India. It also conducts research and surveys on various aspects of school education and provides guidance and support to state governments and other agencies. NCERT has been granted the deemed-to-be university status in ‘de novo’ category, which means it can apply to UGC for setting up a new institution as deemed to be university for undertaking study and research in emerging areas of knowledge that are not offered by any existing institution.

What are the benefits of this status?

The deemed-to-be university status will enable NCERT to offer its own graduate, postgraduate and doctoral degrees in various fields related to school education. It will also allow NCERT to collaborate with other national and international institutions of excellence and attract more faculty and students for its academic programs. NCERT will be able to contribute more effectively to the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which aims to transform the education system in India by making it more holistic, inclusive, flexible and innovative. NCERT will also be able to leverage its expertise and experience in developing quality educational resources and materials for school education in all 22 languages recognized by the Constitution of India with the help of software like Anuvadini and Bhashini.

What are the challenges ahead?

The deemed-to-be university status also comes with certain responsibilities and expectations from NCERT. It will have to maintain high standards of academic excellence and quality assurance as per the norms and guidelines of UGC and other regulatory bodies. It will have to ensure that its courses and programs are relevant and responsive to the changing needs and demands of the society and the economy. It will have to foster a culture of innovation and creativity among its faculty and students and promote interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research. It will have to balance its role as a national resource organization for school education with its role as a deemed-to-be university for higher education.

What are the future plans of NCERT?

NCERT has announced some of its future plans after getting the deemed-to-be university status. These include:

- Setting up augmented reality, virtual reality and artificial intelligence labs in all its seven regional centres to make India the global hub of research and innovation in education.
- Launching Jadui Pitara, a play-based learning-teaching material tailored for children between the age group of 3 and 8 years, which will benefit 10 crore children entering the play-based learning system at anganwadis or pre-primary sections of schools.
- Merging Bal Bhavans and Bal Vatika with NCERT to provide holistic education to children through various activities such as art, music, dance, drama, sports, etc.
- Adding chapters on evolution of Chandrayaan 3 and agreements of G-20 summit in new textbooks to make them more contemporary and relevant.
- Standardizing the teachers’ training curriculum across India based on its Early Childhood Care and Education syllabus.

The deemed-to-be university status is a significant milestone for NCERT in its journey of six decades. It is expected to enhance its role and contribution in shaping the future of education in India. It is also hoped that it will inspire other institutions in the education sector to strive for excellence and innovation.

Source: 

(5) NCERT gets status of deemed university, can now award degrees. https://whataftercollege.com/news/ncert-gets-status-of-deemed-university-can-now-award-degrees/.

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