Chandigarh: In a pioneering move, Solan-based Shoolini University is all set to fully implement the recommendations of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 from the coming academic session beginning from August this year.
The University, which would be among the few in the country to implement the policy from the ensuing session, has drawn up a detailed plan which includes introduction of four year undergraduate programmes in various disciplines. Students would have the option to exit and re-enter at different stages, as provided in the policy.
Among the new skill-based programmes developed are B Tech. in Defence Technology and Advanced Manufacturing, four-year B Tech (Research), four-year BA (Hons.) in Liberal Arts, Enhanced Master and Doctoral Programmes in Liberal Arts, four-year B.Sc. (Hons.) through Research, Research based M.Sc. Programmes and enhanced Ph.D. programmes across University as per NEP 2020.
Vice Chancellor Prof Atul Khosla said that the newly developed programmes are in line with the policy document released last year and mandated by Himachal Pradesh Governor Mr Bandaru Dattatreya.
He said Shoolini University has modified some of the existing programmes and has added several new skill-based programmes to successfully implement the policy.
The University has already started enrolment of students to undergraduate programmes on the basis of Class X and pre-Board Class XII examinations.
The four year programmes include those in agriculture, biotechnology, engineering and Bachelor of Arts. Specialisations would be offered, among others, in microbiology, bioinformatics, Automobile Engineering, Big Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence. “As a leading institution of management, we have launched a 4-year BBA programme in aviation, design, rural management and advanced manufacturing, Prof Khosla said and added that the University was offering undergraduate research programmes in food tech, defence tech, biology, chemistry and biotechnology.
Prof Khosla said the University has been a pioneer in implementing new programmes and pedagogy. The University had switched over to online classes within a week of the declaration of lockout last year. It has enhanced and updated online teaching infrastructure through investments worth Rs 11 crore in faculty, infrastructure, research and student support. There are also sizable plans in the pipeline, he added.