The University Grants Commission (UGC) has announced a new initiative titled ‘NEP SAARTHI- Student Ambassador for Academic Reforms in Transforming Higher Education in India’ to involve students in the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
As per UGC Chairperson M Jagadesh Kumar, through this initiative, “the UGC aims to foster an environment where students can engage meaningfully” and come together “as active participants to make effective use of the provisions of NEP 2020.”
The UGC has urged all vice chancellors, directors and principals of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to nominate three students from their institutions to be considered as NEP SAARTHIs along with a brief write-up justifying the nomination.
The UGC Chairperson said, “The nominated students are expected to have an outstanding personality, possess excellent communication skills, organisational capabilities for conducting outreach programmes, creativity, sense of responsibility along with being a team leader.”
The UGC will select 300 NEP SAARTHIs from among the nominees and communicate it to the students. The selected students will be given orientation and guided on how to carry out their roles effectively in hybrid mode.
Nominations are open till June. The NEP SAARTHIs will be announced in July when the orientation will also take place. The NEP SAARTHIs will get a certificate of recognition, will be mentioned in the UGC’s official social media handles and they will get invites to all relevant online events organised by the UGC as well as an opportunity to publish an article in the UGC newsletter.
They have to work as ambassadors to promote NEP 2020, create awareness regarding the same, disseminate information, promote NEP 2020 initiatives on social media, collect feedback from students to improve the policy, provide guidance to students and other stakeholders regarding NEP 2020 initiatives and how they can benefit from them.
The NEP SAARTHIs will have to organise awareness drives regarding the latest NEP initiatives, connect with student groups, establish dialogue among students, faculty members, administrators and UGC, prepare brief notes on each NEP initiative for display on campus, plan events, debates, discussions, competitions, quizzes, nukkads, chaupals, initiate social media activities or campaigns and set up NEP help desks at college festivals.
Courtesy : The Indian Express