As we move towards the end of 2020, many would say that the worst year of this century is finally getting over. In fact, there are several reasons to believe that 2020 has been a cursed one. Starting with terrible bushfire in Australia that killed or displaced 300 crore animals, COVID-19 pandemic that infected almost 80 million people and killed over a 1.75 million worldwide, and multiple natural disasters like floods, cyclones, earthquakes – we have had enough to forget!
For the word of education, however, 2020 has been a year of revelations and reforms. Though the pandemic disrupted the normal campus operations, it presented an opportunity to rethink the deep-rooted classroom mode of education. We saw the emergence of futuristic trends, including online teaching and learning and the need for up-skilling. Remote working, adoption of 3-D printing, artificial intelligence and robotics have also been accelerated by the pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic may be just the ‘tipping point’ for reform of the Indian education system.
Talking about reforms in 2020, we had a New Education Policy (NEP) that introduced many improvements in the Indian education system. Starting with the Ministry of Human Resource and Development renaming as Th Ministry of Education, the new policy envisions to offer a new structure to the country’s education system. From school education to higher education, NEP proposes revamping all aspects of the education structure, including its regulation and governance, to create a new system aligned with the aspirational goals of 21st-century education while remaining consistent with India’s traditions and value systems.
To celebrate the positives of 2020, we have come up with “10 Must-Watch Universities of the Year 2020” that have been proactive and efficient in offering quality education despite the hiccups caused by the pandemic and lockdowns. On the cover, we feature University of Petroleum and Energy Studies (UPES) that has always been a visionary and well equipped with technology, which enabled the university to absorb the shock better and stay ahead of the competition.
Enjoy Reading.