Addressing the fourth convocation of the Odisha State Open University (OSOU) here on Tuesday on virtual mode, chief guest former Vice Chancellor of IGNOU and founder VC of Yashwantrao Chauhan Open University, Maharastra, Prof Ram G Katwale stressed that education should lead to innovation, creation and higher values of humanism to create new age society after 2035. “Any university, formal or open, in NEP (National Education Policy) has to function two ways- to go up vertically to offer opportunities of learning at the highest level of knowledge; and to go horizontally to include all so that we raise bottom up or antyodaya to higher level,” said Prof Katwale.
“The future is challenging. Hence, let’s accept the future challenges and move ahead with higher technology use,” he added. He further suggested universities to create goal for their learners, teachers and society.Prof Katwale, with high words, praised Odisha for its rich cultural heritage.
Talking about the NEP -2020, Prof Kakwale further said that the NEP 2020 has given complete freedom to design new models and process that will achieve goals and mission. “If this freedom is given jointly to schools, autonomous colleges and universities, then higher education institutions (HEIs) will rise to this challenge,” he said further. At the outset, OSOU VC Prof Dr Srikant Mahapatra gave a detailed but glorious history of the new institution established six years back.
“The OSOU has become a dream and destination for about 40, 000 learners (students) mostly belonging to socially and economically disadvantaged groups of the State,” Prof Mahapatra said. Keeping in view the Covid 19 guidelines, strict arrangements were made all through the celebration to ensure safety for all the participants.
