By Prof. Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit
The biggest challenge for Jawaharlal Nehru University is to include the multiple intellectual narratives in India, without excluding any
The goal of becoming a vishwaguru in the knowledge society requires transformational reforms in education. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, is indeed a unique framework, for it brings in continuity with change, and merges specialisation with a holistic approach. The stress on interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary aspects of knowledge introduces a balance between science, technology, social sciences, humanities and languages; between the local and the regional, the national and the international, as well as the universal.
The State’s role in education is very important, for it is public education that bridges the gap between social, economic and regional disparities. Private players can never replace the State as the autonomy of educational institutions is guaranteed by democracies such as India. The weighty yet indispensable responsibility of fostering education and driving innovation is intricately tied to the architecture of our education system. Within this framework, the role of higher education institutions, particularly exemplified by institutions such as Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), assumes an outsized and pivotal significance. This calls for a higher investment in education by the State to more than 10 per cent of the GDP.
The role ascribed to institutions of higher learning, including JNU, is to facilitate education, foster innovation, and contribute to the construction of a society characterised by openness, diversity, compassion, self-reliance, self-dignity and high-calibre competitiveness. Since its inception, JNU has been a vital chapter in India’s narrative of higher education. It has functioned as a nurturing crucible for emerging leaders across diverse domains and sectors, from politics to bureaucracy to the armed forces. It has also produced a Nobel Prize winner. Moreover, JNU has championed inclusive, democratic and creative spaces for discourse, deliberation and discussion, significantly influencing the trajectory of public debates.
While we rightfully take pride in many aspects of JNU, its history, and the institution itself, some challenges demand our attention. The first challenge confronting higher education institutions in India, including JNU, revolves around enhancing their outcomes and outputs.
Subsequent challenges, though relevant, complement or augment this central concern. The primary objective at JNU is to extend its impact by assuming a heightened social responsibility — cultivating a workforce that is not only characterised by parity, equity, diversity, and enhanced competitiveness but also one that wields the agency to influence and guide the global future. JNU nurtures a workforce that not only conforms to prevailing global paradigms but also possesses the capacity to shape and lead them. Failing to fulfil this pivotal mission would render JNU’s identity as a university and higher education institution incomplete. The second significant challenge is extending our outreach to marginalised and underrepresented segments of society. JNU has steadfastly positioned itself as an institution that fosters an environment conducive to the progress of women and marginalised groups. In doing this, JNU has not only propagated and extended the concept of “nari shakti” (women-led development) but has also served as an embodiment of it. In a remarkable stride, the institution has witnessed appointments of women as chairpersons and deans over the past one-and-half years as well as an increase in the number of women students during the period — a historical precedent that resonates with its commitment to equity and women’s empowerment.
The third challenge revolves around infrastructural limitations. Financing remains an enduring struggle for higher education institutions worldwide, presenting fluctuations in resource availability. Though JNU faces fiscal constraints, it has adroitly harnessed technology and alternative sources of revenue to mitigate a range of deficiencies. Pioneering the landscape, JNU is set to become India’s first higher education institution with a fully operational 5G-enabled campus, exploring private-public collaboration in infrastructure development. This transformative step underscores our resolve to recalibrate ourselves and bolster competitiveness and efficiency. Such adaptations equip us to effectively address contemporary issues and anticipate the challenges of tomorrow to enable us to yield tangible outcomes.
The fourth imperative is to link tradition with modernity, excellence with empathy, equality with equity and inclusion with integrity and innovation. This transition necessitates a concentrated emphasis on fostering and advancing Indian knowledge systems. The setting up of Vidyaranya Institute of Knowledge and Advance Studies (VIKAS) is a step in this direction. This includes various aspects, including the promotion of Indian languages. JNU envisions a School of Indian Languages, Culture and Civilisation to foster better understanding of each other. Under this initiative, a Centre for Tamil Language Studies has been established in JNU, and this will be followed by centres for Assamese, Odia, Kannada, and Marathi languages. While JNU is not the only entity engaged in this endeavour, it aims to assume a leadership role to actualise the visionary NEP 2020.
The challenges elucidated thus far are indeed formidable, but they are not insurmountable. Nonetheless, amidst these considerations, there is also a new-found sense of optimism. We find ourselves fortunate to have access to the guidelines outlined in NEP 2020, which furnishes us with a robust blueprint. What is remarkable about NEP 2020 is that it straddles the delicate balance between a structured framework on the one hand and the flexibility to effect adaptive changes on the other. The 15 schools, 10 special centres, and our 140 affiliated defence, research, travel and tourism institutes are implementing many features of NEP 2020.
The biggest challenge is to include the multiple intellectual narratives in India, without excluding any. We aim to cultivate a proficiency that attracts the world to us rather than us seeking validation from the world. Looking ahead, our strategy encompasses leveraging the prowess of our alumni network and building upon our notable achievements. Concurrently, we are committed to forging new avenues, exemplified by our emphasis on Indian knowledge systems.
Our Indic civilisation State is a feminist and a nature-centric one. We celebrate the Six Ds in JNU — democracy, difference, debate, dialogue, dissent and development. They are very much a part of our values. We have students and faculty from all parts of the country working for the nation’s progress in peace and harmony.
Our mission at JNU involves promoting equity with equality, intertwining tradition with modernity, seamlessly transitioning between continuity and change, harmonising the universal with the regional, and bridging the gap between theory and practice. Critics might argue that pursuing such an ambitious agenda is rife with inherent contradictions. Yet, in light of India’s current aspirations and trajectory, these ambitions are plausible and desirable. Indeed, time will substantiate the veracity of these ambitions. For such reasons, our goal is clear: We wish to become an integral contributor to India’s success story as the country inches towards its Independence centenary through innovation, inclusion, diversity, respect, and responsibility.
Originally Published : The Indian Express, 22nd September'2023
Posted in SIS Blog with the Authorisation of the Author
Prof. Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit is Vice Chancellor of the Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India