New Delhi:
As part of preparations for the upcoming 5th National Conference of Chief Secretaries, the Department of Higher Education, in collaboration with the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), hosted a national workshop on the sub-theme “Higher Education: Knowledge Economy” at Pragyan Auditorium, AICTE, New Delhi.

The workshop aligns with the overarching theme of the conference, “Human Capital for Viksit Bharat.” A Concept Note on the sub-theme was earlier shared with all States and UTs to serve as a foundation for policy input and collaborative action.

Dr. Vineet Joshi, Secretary, Higher Education, highlighted the crucial role of States and UTs in India’s development and urged them to fully utilise central schemes, tailor policies to regional needs, and share best practices. "If States improve, Bharat improves," he noted, encouraging broader grassroots consultations.

Dr. Mangi Lal Jat, Secretary, DARE, stressed the need to transform agricultural education by integrating advanced technologies like AI, ML, and behavioural sciences. He advocated for stronger collaboration between Agricultural Universities, IITs, and other Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).

Prof. M. Jagadesh Kumar, former Chairman, UGC, emphasized breaking academic silos and promoting interdisciplinary learning under NEP 2020. He highlighted the importance of frameworks such as the National Credit Framework (NCrF) and National Higher Education Qualifications Framework (NHEQF) in fostering innovation and adaptability.

Prof. T.G. Sitharam, Chairman, AICTE, spoke on turning India into a product-developing nation through tech-driven education. He showcased initiatives like the Smart India Hackathon, AICTE Internship Portal, and E-Kumbh Portal, which provides free textbooks in multiple languages.

Key Thematic Sessions & Highlights:

• Internationalisation & Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS):
  Maharashtra’s vision to become a global education hub was shared by Shri B. Venugopal Reddy. Prof. R.D. Kulkarni stressed integrating IKS in curricula.

• Reversing Brain Drain:
  Dr. Sunil Pareek from NIFTEM proposed innovative models like Brain Gain Sabbaticals to retain talent.

• Raising State Public Universities to Global Standards:
  Prof. Sangeeta Shukla advocated for equitable funding and improved infrastructure to elevate SPUs.

• Preparing Tech-Ready Human Resources:
  Karnataka’s Nipuna Karnataka initiative was presented by Dr. Shobha G., highlighting its support for over 4 lakh students.

Following the workshop, States and UTs are to gather feedback from officials at all levels and upload their consolidated inputs by 20th August 2025, while state-specific notes are to be submitted by 31st August 2025.

These inputs will form the basis of a comprehensive Background Note on the sub-theme “Higher Education: Knowledge Economy” to guide discussions at the 5th Chief Secretaries’ Conference and shape future policy directions.

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