National Knowledge Commission

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National Knowledge Commission19th January,
2009New Delhi
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Higher Education

• Recommendations focus on Expansion, Excellence
  and Inclusion in the Higher Education System
• Expand capacity by establishing new universities
  and lowering entry barriers for setting up the
  same - Attain a gross enrolment ratio of at least
  15 per cent by 2015
• Establish 50 National Universities as exemplars
  offering a variety of disciplines and admitting
  students on an all India basis
• Prepare proposal for a Central University, if not
  in the State
• Establish colleges in backward districts
• Create models for community colleges that provide
  credit and non credit courses leading to two year
  associate degrees. These would include general
  education programmes as well as employment
  oriented programmes.

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Higher Education

• Restructure the system of affiliated
  undergraduate colleges
• Establish an Independent Regulatory Authority for
  Higher Education (IRAHE) with the authority to
  accord degree granting powers to higher education
  institutions
• Multiple accreditation agencies must be licensed
  by the IRAHE to assess quality
• Promote enhanced quality and accountability
  through stringent information disclosure norms,
  up gradation of infrastructure, salary
  differentials etc
• Set up a State Board of Undergraduate Education
  as an affiliating body for new colleges/institutio
  ns

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Higher Education

• Improve quality in existing colleges through
• Governance reforms
• Mechanism for frequent curricula revisions
• Greater reliance on internal assessment
• Shift to a course credit system
• Encouraging research
• Up gradation of infrastructure
• Salary differentials to attract and retain
  talented faculty
• Peer evaluation of faculty

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Higher Education

• Diversify sources of financing, encouraging
  private participation as well as philanthropic
  contributions
• Revitalize polytechnics through industry linkage
  and teacher development
• Facilitate convergence of Open and Distance
  Education system with conventional Universities,
  promote research and increase access for learners
  with special needs
• Ensure access for all deserving students through
  well funded scholarships and affirmative action
  that takes into account multi dimensionality of
  deprivation

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Open and Distance Education Open Education
Resources

• To promote Distance Education create a national
  ICT infrastructure
• Develop web based common open resources
• Establish a credit bank and provide a national
  testing service
• Regulation to be performed by a sub committee
  under the proposed IRAHE
• Leverage global open educational resources in a
  comprehensive manner and encourage open access
  for all educational material

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Professional Education

• Constitute Committees to review each professional
  education stream
• Governance reforms Introduce autonomy in local
  colleges of professional education
• Establish independent and multiple accreditation
  agencies for all professional institutions
• Promote quality through curriculum revision
  according to new developments and evaluation
  reforms to focus on critical thinking and problem
  solving and research
• Promote research by creating vibrant Ph.D.
  programmes and making universities the hub of
  research
• Faculty Development Open training centres to
  train and update faculty with latest developments
  in their profession

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Professional Education

• Expand seats in nursing, paramedics and pharmacy
  streams
• A three tiered structure consisting of a one year
  diploma course, a three year B.Sc course and a
  three year Masters course may be introduced in
  Public Health.
• Introduce medical informatics as a course in
  medical colleges
• Introduce courses for non-traditional management
  streams eg. agri business, rural banking, public
  utilities etc.
• Create mechanisms for integrating science and
  engineering education
• Encourage industry-academia interaction to
  enhance employability

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www.knowledgecommission.gov.inThank You