Mysore/Mysuru: The University of Mysore (UoM) is all set to implement the National Education Policy-2020 (NEP-2020) from the ensuing academic year. 

The launch ceremony to be held tomorrow will herald a new era of education in the University that will recognise, identify and foster unique capabilities of each student by incorporating flexibility in the learning process. 

The event will be held at 3.30 pm in the Crawford Hall in the presence of Suttur Seer Sri Shivarathri Deshikendra Swamiji. Higher Education Minister and Pro-Chancellor of Universities Dr. C.N. Ashwathnarayan will be the chief guest. MP Pratap Simha, MLA L. Nagendra and Vice-Chancellor Prof. G. Hemantha Kumar will be guests of honour. 

Addressing a press conference along with Registrar Prof. R. Shivappa this morning, Prof Hemantha Kumar said that a four-year undergraduate programme in multiple disciplines will be introduced for a multi-disciplinary and a holistic education with curricular and extracurricular activities between vocational and academic streams.

Day-long workshop

As a prelude to the launch, a day-long training programme will be organised on NEP implementation tomorrow at 11 am where Commissioner of Collegiate and Technical Education-Karnataka P. Pradeep will brief the stakeholders. At 2.30 pm, Dr. Ashwathnarayan will also inaugurate certain new infrastructure created at the University campus and also launch several programmes. 

“Multi-disciplinary under-graduate programmes with multiple entry and exit options, Development of curriculum focusing on conceptual understanding, creativity, critical thinking, teamwork, communication skills and command over curricular fields, emphasis for the Outcome Based Education (OBE) practices and synergy in curriculum across all levels of education are some of the highlights of the NEP at the University, he explained. 

Focus on critical thinking

“The curriculum focuses on critical thinking and development of real-life problem-solving skills where there will be extensive use of the technology in teaching and learning. Implementation of the vocational courses to enhance the technical skills and the courses will empower students to be expert in problem solving using their discipline knowledge and other related skills,” he said. 

A candidate completing the four-year undergraduate programme would get bachelor’s degree with honours and the honours degree holders with research component are eligible to enter doctoral or Ph.D. programmes or to continue a two-semester Master’s degree programme (with project work). The curriculum encompasses both theoretical and conceptual knowledge with specialisation under discipline areas, he added. 

Interdisciplinary knowledge

The course structure facilitates interdisciplinary knowledge through theory and practical and  language and skill enhancement courses will help students with effective communication and self-employment prospects. “With a flexible and imaginative curricular approach, the proposed model reflects the spirit of NEP,” the VC stated. 

Students will get a certificate after completion of one year, diploma after completion of second year and a bachelor’s degree after completion of third year. They will attain B.Sc honours after completion of fourth year, he added. 

Candidates will get to learn history of science, scientific philosophy, entrepreneurship and business, information and communications technology, computer programming, equations and graphs, chemical handling, materials testing, laboratory practices and safety and graphing software making them eligible for various jobs. 

In addition, the courses will enable students to be proficient in Kannada and English science communication, personality development and etiquettes, teamwork and confidence building, scientific communication, seminars and conference presentations, reporting minor research projects and also entrepreneurship and business etiquettes.