Classroom experience cannot be substituted with online learning. There is need to explore the best hybrid model that combines the best practices of online learning as well as classroom teaching, said Vice President of India M Venkaiah Naidu during an event on Wednesday.

“The ongoing pandemic has disrupted our lives and an estimated 1.2 billion children have been pulled out of classrooms globally. Today 32 direct-to-home channels are dedicated to providing online education but not all have access to online infrastructure. Even if we resolve these issues, we cannot substitute the classroom experience with online learning. We need to explore the best hybrid model combining the best practice of online learning and classroom teaching,” said Naidu.

Education drives the economy of the nation to chart the course of prosperity through the useful application of knowledge. We face a complex demand in education which is not only marked by large student numbers and the rural-urban geographic divide, but also by the unique diversity in our country. While our numbers and diversity are our strength, they also bring upon us the challenges of equity of access to education, he added.

Naidu inaugurated the World Universities Summit 2021 (WUS 21) organised by O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU) on “Universities of the Future: Building Institutional Resilience, Social Responsibility and Community Impact”.

“In today’s age of globalisation and liberalisation, we must reform the education sector. The New National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 reimagines the transformation of India’s education landscape and it outlines the vision of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in not only creating responsible citizens but also a global citizen –‘Vishwamanav’. The four pillars of NEP of quality, equity, accessibility and affordability are the foundation on which a new India will emerge,” said Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

Over 30 themes related to universities and higher education across the world will be discussed at this summit. The summit will be attended by senior leaders of national, regional and international organisations including Association of Commonwealth Universities, World Bank, Association of American Universities and Colleges, Association of Indian Universities, American Association of Community Colleges, Times Higher Education, Quacquarelli Symonds among others.

“We wanted to ensure a research-intensive institution which can contribute to the larger good of the community. All our collective efforts have culminated in JGU being recognised as an Institution of Eminence and as India’s No. 1 Private University as per the QS World University Rankings. JGU has enhanced the global footprint of Indian higher education,” said Naveen Jindal, JGU Founding Chancellor.

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