The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted almost all the sectors of the economy, including the education sector. Amid the pandemic, the recently approved New Education Policy 2020 outlines the vision of India’s Education System and guides the future of the education system in India. In the light of the current developments in the education sector, the alumni association of Institute of Commerce, Nirma University organised a webinar on the theme of “Future of Higher Education in India” on Friday, September 18, 2020. Mr Alok Mishra, Director, Development Monitoring and Evaluation Office (DMEO), NITI Aayog, was the keynote speaker of the Webinar. The Dean Institute of Commerce, Prof Udai Paliwal, Prof Udai Paliwal, Dean, ICNU welcomed the guests, faculty members and students in the workshop. Speaking on occasion, Mr Alok Mishra emphasised on the essential issues related to the future of higher education in India. He started with the economics of education and discussed the returns on education. Speaking on the disruption in higher education due to COVID-19, he emphasised on the need for innovation in the field of online platforms available for teaching and learning. He said that the implementation of the New Education policy would provide flexibility to the students and thus called for the requirement of up-gradation of the quality of teaching and learning in higher educational institutions.
Assistant Professor Ashutosh Pandey, Institute of Commerce, Nirma University, moderated the event and the question-answer round. A total number of around 150 participants from 17 different states of India participated in the event.