5 DAY FDP ON PARADIGM SHIFT IN HIGHER EDUCATION ORGANISED BY STLC

DAY 5 REPORT

TOPICS COVERED: Understanding the NEP Framework

Holistic and Multidisciplinary Approach to Education

SPEAKER: Dr. Anand A Samuel, Former Vice Chancellor, VIT University Vellore

Dr. Anand A Samuel, Former Vice Chancellor, VIT University Vellore started the day 5 session by
highlighting the importance National Education Policy (NEP-2020) framework to the participants.
Further he added that, Education Policy lays particular emphasis on the development of the creative
potential of each individual. It is based On the principle that education must develop not only cognitive
capacities-both the ‘foundational capacities’ of literacy and numeracy and ‘higher-order’ cognitive
capacities, such as critical thinking and problem solving – but also social, ethical, and emotional
capacities and dispositions. He also said that the purpose of the education system is to develop good
human beings capable of rational thought and action, possessing compassion and empathy, courage and
resilience, scientific temper and creative imagination, with sound ethical moorings and values. It aims at
producing engaged, productive, and contributing citizens for building an equitable, inclusive, and plural
society as envisaged by our Constitution.

He further discussed Multidisciplinary and holistic learning which is an innovative medium through
which students can learn sciences, technologies, mathematics with liberal arts, humanities, languages,
social sciences, professional skills, vocational skills, ethics, morality, human values and so on at the same
time. It aims at overall development which means now students can have knowledge or mastery across
fields through access to infrastructure, trained teachers and other facilities at the higher education
institutes and newly introduced MERUs (Multidisciplinary Education and Research Universities).

He concluded by conveying that Multidisciplinary and holistic learning is an ancient method used in
Indian education system as well as the other parts of the world. This is the reason that such type of
education system was advocated by scholars like Kautilya, Banabhatta, Plato, and Aristotle among many
others. One can trace the evidence of such an education system in ancient Indian literature and practices.
It is seen in the Indian Gurukul system where students had to learn Science, Mathematics, and Geometry
along with vocational skills, professional skills, soft skills, ethics, morality, human values and so on.

Photos: