This whole discussion around Odisha universities becoming globally competitive sounds good on paper,but honestly,real test is going to be inside campuses only . Because saying universities should be innovative and rooted in Indian values is one thing,actually making that happen is different matter ah.
Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati spoke about this at Conference of Vice-Chancellors of State Public Universities and Private Universities at Lok Bhavan . He said higher education institutions have big role in shaping future of Odisha and country,and they need to prepare students for fast changing world.
And I liked one point here . He did not talk about universities like they are just exam centres or degree factories. His focus was more on social responsibility,innovation,technology,manufacturing,healthcare,education and overall Atmanirbhar Bharat idea .
According to Governor Kambhampati,Atmanirbhar Bharat is not only about economic self-reliance . It is also about young people building ideas,creating solutions and becoming part of society’s growth. That is where universities are expected to push entrepreneurship and innovation.
Few points clearly came up in this whole discussion:
- NEP 2020 promotes multidisciplinary education,academic flexibility and research excellence.
- Research on indigenous knowledge systems was linked with preserving Odisha’s rich tribal heritage and traditions .
- Enhanced budget for education was highlighted for strengthening higher education initiatives.
And this connects with National Education Policy (NEP) 2020,which talks about interdisciplinary learning,academic flexibility and partnership with industries . Governor Kambhampati also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan for their role in taking NEP forward.
Chief Minister of Odisha,Mohan Charan Majhi was also present,and his point was also direct . He said universities should not merely function as degree-awarding institutions,but should become hubs of knowledge creation and research.
Majhi also said state government has increased budgetary allocation for education sector and introduced several initiatives for strengthening higher education . He called education foundation of progressive society,and said,“Odisha has set ambitious target of becoming a developed state by 2036,”.
And that 2036 target is big,because it links Odisha’s growth with national vision of Viksit Bharat . But at same time,question is whether universities will get enough freedom,funding and serious implementation support to actually become this kind of growth engine.
Because speeches at Lok Bhavan are one part,but what happens in classrooms,labs,hostels and research departments is real story…
