Hyderabad, Dec 22 (PTI) Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan on Wednesday appealed to state governments to collaborate with the Centre for effective implementation of the National Educational Policy-2020 (NEP) to herald global level standards in higher education. Soundararajan was delivering the inaugural address at a two-day seminar here on "Synergizing higher education in the context of NEP-2020: Strategies for implementation". Expressing concern over the declining standards of teaching, she called for concerted efforts to improve teaching standards and for the promotion of research. She said teaching vacancies need to be filled on a priority basis in the universities to improve the quality of teaching and standards. "The Governor appealed to the state governments to collaborate with the Central government for the effective implementation of the NEP-2020 to herald global level standards in higher education," a Raj Bhavan press communique said. Soundararajan said the National Education Policy-2020 has the potential to transform the education system and would pave the way for India to reclaim its position as the "Viswa Guru," for which the NEP needs to be implemented in letter and spirit. The Governor said the NEP-2020 promotes critical thinking and all-round innovation and will help the country emerge as a knowledge-based economy and create an equal, equitable, accessible, and inclusive education system. PTI SJR APR APR