Central university of Odisha inaugurates two days International Seminar on NEP2020.

Nishapati Nayak,Odishabarta

Koraput,02/12/23A two-day International Seminar on ‘Transforming Indian Tradition and Ethos through NEP-2020: Multilingual and Multi-Disciplinary Culture of Education’ was inaugurated at the campus of Central University of Odisha on 02 December 2023. The Central University of Odisha in collaboration with Akhil Bhartiya Rashtriya Shaikshik Mahasangh is organising the seminar on 02-03 December 2023. The Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor of the University presided over the inaugural programme. Prof. Prakash Chandra Bhattarai, Associate Dean, School of Education, Kathamandu University, Nepal was the Guest of Honour on the occasion. Other guests were Shri Mahendra Kumar, Higher Education Wing In-charge, ABRSM from Gorakhpur, Dr. Narayan Mohanty, Executive Member, ABRSM, Prof. Narasingh Charan Panda, Registrar In-charge, Central University of Odisha and Dr. Ramendra Kumar Parhi, Head I/c, Dept. of Education and Coordinator of the International Seminar.

Inaugurating the Seminar, Prof. Chakradhar Tripathi satisfied that Koraput is the best place to begin with such discourses on National Education Policy, due to its mythological importance and natural beauty. Further, the state of Odisha also bears its importance due to eminent persons of the soil, Utkalmani Gopabandhu Das and Saint Poet Bhima Bhoi. He stressed the need for Indianisation of Education, for successfully implementing the NEP 2020. India was colonialised for so many years and the British could control our land, but could not control our heart and mind. The time has come that we should revive our old glory of rich knowledge and strengthens our education system through implementing Indian ethos. We should believe in ourself and have faith on human being, as Gurudev Rabindra Nath Tagore said. The Vice- Chancellor further said that human trust is very much important in building the strong education system, and India is the best known as its culture of trusting each other.

Shri Mahendra Kumar said that the Education Policy will be successful if we discard the westernization practices and follow the value system in Indian Education. The Indian value system is unique in the world, and every country follows the Indian value system in the world. But, unfortunately, we are forgetting our ethos. He stressed the need for the revival of our old education system and follows it in practice. Further, he also gave importance to the implementation of mother tongue in primary education so that NEP will be successful. Prof. Bhattarai delivered his talk on the topic ‘Cultivation of Ethics of Critique in the 21st Century Schools: Does Ethical Sensitivity matters?’ In his talk he gave importance to ethical consideration in education system. He said that Indian culture and Nepalese culture are almost identical and the ethical system is also same.

Prof. N.C. Panda delivered the inaugural address and praised the National Education Policy 2020 as the one of the most important policy documents of India. He also gave importance to the Indian education system to be revived under the National Education Policy. Dr. Narayan Mohanty, in his speech, briefed about the activities of Akhil Bhartiya Rashtriya Shaikshik Mahasangh in India and its historical background. In Odisha under ABRSM, another body the Rashtriya Sikshyak Parishad Odisha is a functionary, which works for school teachers in Odisha. He said that the organization is working hard on the implementation of NEP in India. Dr. Ramendra Kumar Parhi, Convener of the Seminar, welcomed the guests in his speech and briefed them about the International Seminar topic. Dr. Sourav Gupta, Head I/c, Dept. of Journalism & Mass Communication, coordinated the inaugural session, and Dr. C.V.N. Rao, Faculty member of Education Department, proposed the Vote of Thanks.

All the Statutory officers and faculty members of the University, dignitaries from various institutions all over India and abroad, and staff and students of the University attended the Seminar in large numbers.

The inaugural day also consisted of two technical sessions and a cultural programme at the end. Eminent speakers who delivered their talks in the technical session were Prof. G.C. Nanda, Retd. Professor of Education, Ravenshaw University, Cuttack, Prof. Kanhu Charan Sahoo, Professor at Vidya Bhavan, Visva Bharati, Shanti Niketan, Prof. Faisal Al Rfouch, University of Jordan, Jordan, Prof. B.B.Mishra, former Professor, Mizoram University, Prof. B.N.Panda, former Head, Dept. of Education, NCERT, Bhubaneswar and Prof. Rebat Kumar Dhakal, Kathmandu University, Nepal.