Prof. Raj Kumar, Vice Chancellor, Panjab University, Chandigarh was part of the panel discussion to chalk out a road map for Inclusive Teachers Mentoring in the light of NEP2020 which was organized by National Institute of Technical Teachers Training & Research (NITTER), Chandigarh. Various Vice Chancellors of reputed Universities, Directors of 4 NITTERs and Directors of Information and Library Network (INFLIBNET) Centre participated in the discussions.
PU VC while giving his address said that in the light of NEP-2020, the teacher is at the centre of the fundamental reforms in the education system. This policy aims to re-establish teachers, at all levels, as the most respected and essential members of society. Efforts have been made to empower teachers and help them to do their job as effectively as possible. The new education policy is going to be a game changer for recruiting the very best and brightest to enter the teaching profession at all levels, by ensuring livelihood, respect, dignity, and autonomy, while also instilling in the system basic methods of quality control and accountability. Overall the academic culture of faculty in higher educational institutes (HEI) involves:
® teaching,
® research,
® service as per vision and mission of HEI
He further added that road map for inclusive teachers mentoring in HEIs is the need of the hour. This is more relevant as conventional serviced-focused and less research intensive institutes are shifting their mission and purpose of teaching to a scholar-teacher model for research and development. He further opined that the inclusive teachers mentoring system in HEI must have mechanism for feedback between faculty and students. This may help institutional change for research-based productivity. For the purpose of road map, the change expected is a shift in the emphasis on teaching as a mark of success to the manifestation of research projects and accountability. Thus, the involvement of research activities by faculty and teacher candidates/practicing teachers in the academy will assume precedence over or equal status with teaching and service. The feedback loops remain open and incentives for change are maintained, there should be optimal opportunities for success and productivity of significant research outcomes. A unique characteristic of this inclusive teacher mentoring system is the relationship between faculty and teacher candidates/practicing teachers.
