Uttarakhand Universities to Align with NEP 2020; Chief Secretary Directs Five-Year Development Plans and Focus on NAAC-NIRF Rankings
Dehradun:
Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan on Monday chaired a comprehensive review meeting of the Higher Education Department at the Secretariat and held detailed discussions with Vice Chancellors of the state’s universities on key issues concerning higher education. The meeting focused on implementing the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, improving academic quality, strengthening institutional rankings, promoting research, and enhancing students’ employability.
The Chief Secretary emphasized that all government and private universities and colleges in the state must be aligned with the objectives of the National Education Policy. He directed higher educational institutions to adopt reforms that would make them more modern, quality-driven, and employment-oriented.
Five-Year Development Plans for Government Universities
Anand Bardhan instructed all government universities to prepare comprehensive five-year development plans. These roadmaps should include academic excellence, research and innovation, digital education, infrastructure development, skill enhancement, industry partnerships, and student placement strategies.
He said clearly defined long-term goals would help Uttarakhand’s universities improve their competitiveness at the national level.
Special Focus on NAAC Accreditation and NIRF Rankings
The Chief Secretary directed all government universities to prioritize obtaining higher NAAC accreditation and improving their performance in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF).
He asked universities to prepare short-term, medium-term, and long-term action plans to meet quality benchmarks and achieve academic excellence.
Evaluation Mechanism for 11 State Universities
Anand Bardhan also directed the development of a robust evaluation and ranking mechanism for all 11 government universities in Uttarakhand. The system will regularly assess institutional performance and encourage healthy competition among universities.
Additionally, all government and aided colleges have been assigned the task of preparing state-level ranking parameters within the next 8–10 days to evaluate academic quality and institutional performance.
Student Tracking Mechanism to Be Introduced
The Chief Secretary instructed universities to establish a student tracking mechanism to monitor students’ academic progress, higher education pursuits, employment status, entrepreneurship, and career growth after graduation.
He noted that the data would help institutions evaluate the effectiveness of their academic programmes and improve curriculum planning.
Greater Industry Participation and Internships
Highlighting the importance of practical learning, Anand Bardhan said internship participation should become an integral part of academic programmes. Universities were advised to strengthen partnerships with industries, NGOs, and civil society organizations to provide students with hands-on experience and enhance employability.
Promotion of Foreign Language Education
The Chief Secretary also stressed the need to expand foreign language education in universities, enabling students to access global education and employment opportunities.
He further stated that the Health Department and other concerned departments should proactively collaborate with higher educational institutions to promote multidisciplinary education and skill development.
The meeting was attended by Higher Education Secretary Dr. B.V.R.C. Purushottam, Additional Secretary Manoj Goyal, Vice Chancellors Prof. Surekha Dangwal, Prof. Diwan S. Rawat, Prof. Naveen Chandra Lohani, Prof. N.K. Joshi, Prof. Satpal Singh Bisht, and other senior officials.
