JAIN Online co-hosts Techspectations EDUCATE Summit 2021

The full-day summit enabled the platform to discuss the emerging possibilities and challenges transforming the Indian education sector in the new normal world. Around 20+ Industry experts in 8+ insightful sessions delved deep into the pressing issues of the education sector, due to the pandemic. The event was attended by 2000+ delegates.

The Keynote address at the Summit was delivered by Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Hon'ble Minister of Education and Minister of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Government of India. He emphasized that NEP's role in building an aspirational India as well as the opportunities and challenges that lie therein.

During his speech, Hon'ble Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said, "NEP is going to transform our education landscape as per the needs of aspirational new India. This policy has come at a time when disruptive technologies like artificial intelligence and virtual reality have taken solid routes into many sectors. These technologies present several opportunities for our children and teachers. NEP 2020 has a special focus on Digital education. Our government has announced National Digital Education Architecture ((NDEAR), a unifying national digital infrastructure to energize the entire education ecosystem."

Highlighting another major reform in education technology - National Education Technology Forum (NETF), Shri Dharmendra Pradhan said, "NETF will provide a platform for a free exchange of ideas in the use of technology to enhance learning, assessment, planning, administration, and several other aspects of the school as well as in higher education. The NETF will facilitate decision-making in the induction, deployment, and use of technology. It will not only provide the latest knowledge and research but also the opportunities to consult and share best practices with state governments, education institutions, and other stakeholders. We must recognize the importance of leveraging the advantage of technology while at the same time acknowledge the potential risk and dangers".

Pradhan also emphasized that the benefits of digital infrastructure can be fully utilized when every student will have all access to digital devices. The Digital India campaign is a major initiative to bridge the digital divide in the country. "PM eVIDYA program and the Vidyanjali portal have been rolled out with the specific intention of bridging the digital divide.

Dr. CN Ashwath Narayan, Hon'ble Minister of Higher Education, Information Technology and Biotechnology, Science and Technology, Government of Karnataka said, "Technology has become a solution in taking education to every student during the pandemic. Karnataka took the lead in adopting advanced technology and offering online education to the students. The Karnataka Government launched the first-of-its-kind comprehensive learning management system in the interest of the students.

Through this, we were able to create a lot of educational content which empowered us to develop close to 3.5 lakh classes in just one semester, supplemented by audio, visual, and best possible examples for effective learning. Further, this was supported by internet-enabled smart classrooms. Today, we have more than 8000 classrooms in the state higher education including engineering, polytechnic, and degree. We have already enabled 2500 classrooms and the remaining 5500 classrooms will be integrated within a short time. Besides this, we have provided more than 3 lakh students with tabs/laptops to ensure and encourage the concept of any time and anywhere learning. Our student-centered learning approach and performance review will improve the efficiency of our students and secure the best education."

He further added, "We have brought in accountability, transparency, efficiency, and accessibility through our unified university and college management system initiation. We have been able to connect with all the stakeholders of the education sector in real-time, ensuring the free flow of data that helps for the holistic development of the sector. So, we continue to make ample use of technology to strengthen our education system, thereby, the National Education Policy (NEP) can be implemented to its fullest. In this direction, Karnataka is the first state to set up a Task Force for the successful implementation of NEP which was constituted in March 2020. The implementation of NEP in Karnataka was initiated in 2021 and has been welcomed by all the stakeholders. Therefore, I strongly believe that the NEP will strengthen the country to look forward to and compete with the rest of the world to be ahead."

Speaking on his felicitation address, Dr. Chenraj Roychand, Chancellor, JAIN (Deemed-to-be-University) said, "It is a great honor to witness the magnetic presence of Hon'ble Union Minister Shri. Dharmendra Pradhan and Hon'ble State Minister Shri. CN Ashwath Narayan joined us along with top educationalists, technologists, and decision-makers who are passionate about transforming India's educational landscape with their new innovative ideas, latest tech, and best practices, on this platform. The Indian education sector has been witnessing a paradigm shift from the traditional model of learning to the imperative mode of learning. The onset of the pandemic has driven the need for online learning, demanding educators to adapt themselves to the changing situations. India has quickly responded to the changes and adopted a new-age digitized learning mechanism. Pioneers in the tech sector and leading universities have also come up with e-learning solutions to make learning more efficient. Today, almost every student has a smartphone in his or her pocket with access to high-speed internet enabling them to innovate and create new ideas". However, there are challenges we continue to face in the largest education system. Due to this, a large section of experts still advocates for theatrical learning, rote learning, and exam-based learning. These challenges can be addressed by implementing collaborative, approach-centric, and project-based learning in our educational institutions. Our NEP comes as the best solution to many of our problems. NEP not only advocates for innovative ways of learning but also promotes digitization in education, paving the way for new quantum and emerging technologies."

Dr. Raj Singh, Vice-Chancellor, JAIN (Deemed-to-be University) and Mr. Tom Joseph, Director - New Initiatives, JAIN (Deemed-to-be University) chaired the panel discussion on the topic 'Online Upskilling Challenges & Vision Beyond 2021.'

Techspectations EDUCATE is an annual summit organized by Manorama Online. It offers a holistic view of the overwhelming challenges and dynamic opportunities of online learning, which is also evolving at an exponential pace. Various stakeholders associated with the Edu-tech sector including academicians, school and college authorities, teachers & professors, students, researchers & scholars, parents, Government officials, EdTech companies, Platform developers, Tech gadget manufacturers, Internet Service Providers, Publishing Companies, Digital Start-ups, IT Professionals, Content Developers, and Animators will deliberate on the paradigm shift in the education sector triggered by the pandemic.

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