Union minister Pradhan seeks support from states for error-free entrance exams

New Delhi: Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday urged states to help implement the recommendations of the Radhakrishnan Committee, so that error-free entrance exams can take place.

The panel, formed in June this year under the chairmanship of the former ISRO chief after several complaints of irregularities in the conduct of entrance exams, especially the NEET-UG exams, was mandated to look into the functioning and fair conduct of examinations by the National Testing Agency (NTA), had submitted its report in October, Pradhan said.

Pradhan was speaking to education secretaries and directors in charge of higher education in states and Union Territories during a three-day event – the National Workshop on Higher and Technical Education. “The Radhakrishnan committee has submitted its recommendations and to implement it, the states' cooperation is essential. I have appealed to everyone on this matter, especially regarding entrance examinations,” Pradhan said at the event.

Pradhan said that he has appealed to all state government education secretaries. “A new entrance exam series for the upcoming year will begin in January. Based on last year’s experiences, the government has introduced numerous reforms,” he said.

Pradhan urged state officials to work on five key areas. These include strengthening public universities through innovative modes of funding, and, setting up think tanks so that curriculum can adapt to industry demands and the needs of states and UTs they are situated in.

Apart from that, Pradhan also asked states to focus on adopting a multidisciplinary approach in research and innovation, as well as, promoting academic leadership development programmes in each state and UT through collaborations with eminent central and state institutions. He also insisted on ensuring educational campuses have provisions of sports, debate, poetry, drama, performing arts etc. In the workshop, he also stressed on the importance of teaching in Indian languages.

“The objective of this workshop is to disseminate various approaches and methodologies to implement NEP 2020; effectively articulate the roadmap and implementation strategies, fostering knowledge exchange; provide a common platform for all stakeholders to come together and network for effective and smooth implementation of the NEP 2020 and encourage its adoption in state institutions, paving the way for a more robust, inclusive, and globally competitive education system across India,” the ministry said in a release.

The two-day workshop will feature 14 technical sessions on various themes, including implementation of NEP 2020, use of technology in education, collaborations in the education sector, digital governance, and, financing of higher education.