The discussion began with Prof. Vandana Sharma, Dean, School of Languages at CUJ, explaining the importance of Thursday Mind Meet events as forums for university students and scholars to discuss national and international topics. Prof. J. N. Baliya of the Department of Educational Studies provided an overview of the New Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
He also spoke about the Academic Bank of Credits (ABC) and its significance in giving academic flexibility to the students. Guest of Honour, Mr. Islam Khan, Assistant Commissioner at KVS Regional Office in Jammu, discussed the implementation of NEP in school education and highlighted the challenges and benefits for students. He praised Kendriya Vidyalaya Schools for their role as torch bearers and pace-setters for government initiatives.
Prof. Brij Mohan Singh Bhau, Head, Department of Botany, discussed the initiatives being taken to incorporate NEP into the curriculum and emphasized the policy as a lifelong learning process. He also stressed the importance of skill enhancement courses and the variety of choices available to students under NEP 2020. Dr. Samantha Vaishnavi discussed concerns regarding the quality of teaching, particularly in science courses, and shared her experiences and challenges.
Dr. Yogesh Kumar summarized students' apprehensions about the new system. He also described the challenges pertaining to implementation of a 3-language system for students who move between states. Student panelists and the audience shared their concerns about NEP, including the mixed curriculum, its efficacy, and the impact on job prospects. The event concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr. Ashok Kumar, who expressed gratitude to all panelists and participants for their contributions to the Thursday Mind Meet.