The Maharashtra government recently launched a 15-day outreach initiative called ‘NEP Connect’ to enhance Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) and promote awareness about the National Education Policy (NEP) among junior college students. The initiative, which will commence on January 15, will be supervised by committees appointed by the university pro-vice-chancellors.
The initiative will involve activities such as university tours for students and workshops for college leaders. The universities have also been instructed to create a list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) and provide guidance to students. NEP is being gradually adopted in higher education institutes this academic year. Autonomous colleges have already incorporated the NEP-aligned courses while the non-autonomous colleges will roll out the changes by 2024-25.
Class 12 students, who will enter the colleges next year, will be the most impacted by the new curricula. The government is concerned that many students are dropping out of higher education after junior college due to obstacles. This has resulted in vacant seats in degree colleges.
The campaign is inspired by the success of the ‘school connect’ awareness campaign which was launched earlier by polytechnics. This initiative educated schoolchildren about the various diploma engineering programmes and career opportunities, resulting in increased enrollment.
The primary aim of ‘NEP Connect’ is to make students and their parents aware of the hands-on, multi-disciplinary and flexible courses, online and distance learning opportunities, and scholarship schemes. It is anticipated that this campaign will aid in increasing higher education enrollment and address the challenges faced by students in the state.
Educators and teachers can play a significant role in helping students understand the various opportunities available to them under NEP. Through workshops and seminars, they can help their students get acquainted with the changes and make informed decisions with respect to their higher education. Furthermore, teachers can provide mentorship to students and guide them towards their desired career paths.
