‘Promoting inclusivity, diversity in higher education institutions can help reduce dropout rate’: IIT Madras Director

Kamakoti stressed the importance of fostering “an inclusive campus culture, value respect, embrace and celebrate differences.” The 7-prompt approach included support services, grievance redressals and assistive technology for physically challenged students. He further said: “Increase in women representation in faculty, teacher diversity and PM research fellowship to encourage more participation of students in the PhD programme leading to increase in number of faculty to ensure a good student to faculty ratio.”

“Continuous evaluation and improvement of policies like Gender Equity under the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Right of Persons with Disability Act, 2016 and National Digital Literacy Mission need continuous evaluation for proper implementation,” said Kamakoti at the concluding session of the Visitor’s Conference 2023.

Earlier in the inaugural speech, President Droupadi Murmu stressed the importance of extending student support and sympathy. “The National Education Policy 2020 believes in learner-centric education. Providing equitable and inclusive higher education for students,” said Murmu. In the concluding session, she said, “HEIs are among the most effective platforms for promoting our constitutional ideals of justice, equality, fraternity, individual dignity and respect for women.”

UGC Chairman Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar also addressed the concluding session, emphasising HEIs’ responsibilities to “maximise social benefits.” Vice-Chancellor of the Banaras Hindu University Sudhir Kumar Jain focused on NEP’s goal of becoming a knowledge superpower by developing “an effective outreach and communication strategy in countries of our interest,” especially in countries of South East Aisa, South Asia, Central Asia, Middle East, South, Central and North Africa.

Commenting on NEP’s efforts to transform India into a global knowledge superpower, Chairman ISRO K Radhakrishnan said, “National Gain, National Glory and National Growth is more important than anything else.” Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan also emphasised the goal to “become a global benchmark.”

All India Council of Technology Education Chairman TG Sitharam focused on the celebration of starting a new venture during the Amrit Kaal. In ending remarks, the Union Minister of State for Education Subhas Sarkar said, “I am pleased to see the vigour and spirit with which all the institutions are introducing new and innovative ideas and policies. This has been reflected in the recent QS ranking wherein 45 Indian institutions featured in 2024 compared to 41 last year.”