In the run up to the 5th National Conference of Chief Secretaries, proposed later this year with the overarching theme “Human Capital for Viksit Bharat,” the Department of Higher Education, today in collaboration with the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), conducted a national-level workshop for States & UTs on the sub-theme “Higher Education: Knowledge Economy”, at Pragyan Auditorium, AICTE, New Delhi.

Department of Higher Education, designated as the nodal department along with DARE had earlier circulated a Concept Note to all States and UTs on the aforementioned sub-theme.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Vineet Joshi, Secretary, Higher Education, emphasised that States and UTs are vital partners in India’s development journey. He urged them to make optimal use of existing schemes, tailor education policies to local needs, and share best practices across regions. "If States improve, Bharat improves," he said, calling on States to broaden consultations beyond state capitals and treat the Concept Note shared by the Ministry as a document for transformative policy action.

Dr. Mangi Lal Jat, Secretary, DARE, highlighted the urgency of reimagining agricultural education. He called for embedding cutting-edge technologies such as AI, ML, and behavioural sciences into curricula and strengthening inter-institutional collaboration between Agricultural Universities, IITs, and other HEIs to equip youth to address challenges across the agriculture value chain.

Prof. M. Jagadesh Kumar, Former Chairman, UGC, spoke about the NEP 2020 reforms that aim to break academic silos and encourage interdisciplinary learning. He stressed the value of curiosity and adaptability, and the critical role of frameworks such as NCrF and NHEQF in fostering innovation.

Prof. T.G. Sitharam, Chairman, AICTE, underlined the importance of making India a product-developing nation by embedding emerging technologies like AI and robotics in technical education. He showcased initiatives such as the Smart India Hackathon, AICTE Internship Portal, and the E-Kumbh Portal offering free multi-language textbooks.

Key Sessions & Speakers

• Internationalisation of Education and Promotion of Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS):
  Shri B. Venugopal Reddy, Addl. Chief Secretary, Maharashtra, outlined the state’s vision to become a global education hub through initiatives like the EduCity in Navi Mumbai and offshore campuses. Prof. R.D. Kulkarni, VC, Mumbai University, emphasized integrating IKS into academic curricula.
• Reversing Brain Drain:
  Dr. Sunil Pareek, NIFTEM, Haryana, proposed innovative solutions like Brain Gain Sabbaticals.
• Raising State Public Universities to Global Standards:
  Prof. Sangeeta Shukla, VC, CCS University, Uttar Pradesh, called for closing faculty and infrastructure gaps and ensuring equitable funding to raise SPUs to the level of national institutes of eminence.
• Preparing Tech-Ready Human Resources:
  Dr. Shobha G, Director, Department of Collegiate Education, Karnataka, showcased Nipuna Karnataka and its learning management system that currently supports over 4 lakh students.

After the Workshop, States/UTs are required to seek inputs in the form of feedback notes from officers at State/UT (including grassroot level officers) and collate the same & upload on designated portal by 20th August, 2025. State-specific notes are also required to be uploaded on the portal by 31st August, 2025.

The inputs will facilitate preparation of a Background Note on the sub-theme “Higher Education: Knowledge Economy” for the 5th Chief Secretaries’ Conference and guide broader discussions and shape the way forward.

 

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MV/AK

MOE/DoHE/ 2 July 2025

(Release ID: 2141650)