Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Monday said the National Education Policy (NEP) when implemented will transform Indias educational landscape as the policy resonates with the countrys civilisational spirit, sense and ethos. Dhankhar shared his thoughts as he addressed the inaugural session of the 99th annual meet and national conference of the vice chancellors organised by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) at the Amity University here. I must share with you that after more than three decades, something has happened which has truly changed the landscape of our education. I am referring to the National Education Policy 2020, he told the gathering of academic leaders. Reflecting on his experience as the former governor of West Bengal, the vice president said that he was closely associated with the development of this policy. Input from hundreds of thousands of people was considered in shaping this policy after more than three decades, said Dhankhar. The policy resonates with our civilisational spirit, sense and ethos, and it will transform our educational system when implemented, he added. The vice president also urged for making universities a catalyst for big change and not just hand out degrees as he also stressed the need in academia for space for disagreement, debate, dialogue and discussion. Our universities are not meant to just hand out degrees. The degrees must carry great weightage, he said on the role of universities. Asserting that the universities must be sanctuaries of ideas and ideation, crucibles of innovation, the vice president said these places have to catalyse big change. That responsibility lies on the vice chancellors in particular and the academia in general. I appeal to you, there must be space for disagreement, debate, dialogue and discussion. That is how the mind cells are activated. Abhivyakti, Vaad Vivaad, Anant Vaad — these are inalienable facets of our civilisation, of our democracy, he added. Calling for equitable expansion of higher education, the vice president said, A lot of our institutions have remained brown-field. Let us fall in line with the global groove — lets go green. Greenfield institutions alone bring about equitable distribution. There is clusterisation in metros and Tier 1 cities. Many regions remain untouched. Lets go in for greenfield institutions in such areas. The vice chancellors are not only the watchdogs, but impregnable bulwarks against commodification and commercialisation of education. One of our fundamental objectives is to ensure affordability, reach and accessibility of quality education for ordinary people, he added. The vice president he firmly believed education is a great equalizer and it brings about equality as no other mechanism does. Education decimates inequities. As a matter of fact, education gives life to democracy, he said. The vice president also paid tribute to BJP ideologue and Jana Sangha founder Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee on his Balidan Diwas on Monday, calling it a historic day. Its a great day in the history of our nation. Today is the Balidan Diwas of one of the finest sons of the soil, Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee. The name itself is revered, he said. Recalling Mookerjees contribution to the integration of Jammu and Kashmir, Dhankhar highlighted the powerful slogan that he raised during his campaign in 1952: Ek Vidhan, Ek Nishan aur Ek Pradhan hoga desh mein, do nahin honge. For too long, we suffered under Article 370, which bled both us and the state of Jammu and Kashmir in several ways, he said, paying tributes to Mookerjee. Highlighting Indias potential to lead in knowledge domains, the vice president said, When you look around the world, youll understand its significance. The state of education defines not only the state of academics, but the state of the nation. We cannot remain perpetual students of Western innovation when our demographic dividend position says, as the worlds knowledge epicenter. And when we look back in our ancient history, we are reminded of our rich past. It is time Bharat must build world-class institutions, not just to teach, but to pioneer. These are not mere disciplines. These are levers of assurance of our sovereignty in all times to come, he added. Concluding his address with a call to establish leadership in emerging domains, the vice president asserted, Establish institutions of uncompromising excellence in emerging domains — artificial intelligence, climate change, climate technology, quantum science, digital ethics — then Bharat will lead, others will follow. Thats a challenge. Education is not just merely for public good. It is our most strategic national asset. It is integrally connected not only with our development journey in infrastructure or otherwise, it assures national security also, he added.

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