Artificial Intelligence powered technological tools have the potential to revolutionise education delivery and improve learning outcomes

The National Education Policy (NEP) of 2020 is a comprehensive reform aimed at reshaping pedagogy and establishing a world-class education system rooted in Indian values. This ambitious policy sets out to create a sustainable, inclusive, and knowledge-driven society by the year 2040. A fundamental aspect of NEP 2020 is the transformation of existing curricula and teaching methods across schools, as well as more than 1,000 universities and over 50,000 colleges and standalone educational institutions throughout India.

Current State of Education:

The focal point in the current state of education in India is the students, who are the heart and soul of the higher education ecosystem. This encompasses the vast network of 42,000-plus colleges and over 11,500 standalone institutions, many of which operate in the private sector. The entire educational infrastructure, curriculum, and policies must revolve around enhancing the student's learning experiences and outcomes. It is crucial to establish a student-centric environment to rekindle India's status as a global knowledge powerhouse and learning hub, as it once was. The emphasis should be on effectively catering to students' needs, individual preferences, and holistic development.

This need for a student-centric approach is also recognised at the institutional level. Private universities in India are increasingly focusing on entrepreneurship, acknowledging the heightened competition arising from new educational facilities.

In response, these institutions are taking various measures to expose students to entrepreneurship at all levels of study. They are introducing unique courses that support entrepreneurship, technology empowerment, and enhanced employability, going beyond traditional academic formats. Evolution of Skills:  The rapid emergence of technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), robotics, and automation has led to the evolution of skill sets at an unprecedented pace. This necessitates a flexible framework for skill acquisition.

Continuous learning, upskilling, and reskilling have become integral components of digital-era skill development strategies. NEP 2020 recognises this evolving learning landscape by advocating the identification and integration of specific skills and values at each stage of education to foster comprehensive student development.

Principles of NEP 2020

Ensuring an equitable and inclusive learning environment for all students.

Providing an educational system that caters to every student, regardless of age, gender, passions, interests, strengths, and weaknesses, in a personalized and accessible manner.

Emphasizing student upskilling and vocational education to cultivate a high-quality future workforce.

Striking a balance between curricular and extracurricular activities .

Role of Technology in Delivering Holistic Education

Technological tools, powered by Artificial Intelligence, have the potential to revolutionise education delivery and improve learning outcomes. This became evident during the COVID-19 pandemic when more than 320 million Indian students faced disruptions in their studies due to lockdowns. Digital education emerged as the alternative to ensure the continuity of learning.

Online classrooms were established using various online meetings, webinars, and video conferencing tools, followed by standardized virtual education through platforms like Google's "Teach from Anywhere" hub, which was available in English and 8 major Indian languages. This platform assisted over 9 lakh educators in facilitating online teaching. Multiple similar initiatives have been and can be planned and executed using cutting-edge technologies.

(The writer is Vice Chancellor, Mahindra University, views are personal)