IGNOU Celebrates Six Years of NEP 2020 with ‘Shiksha Sankalp’
Experts Deliberate on Innovation, AI, Skilling and Indian Knowledge Systems
New Delhi, July 29, 2026: Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) today organised a day-long national conclave, ‘Shiksha Sankalp: Celebrating 6 Years of NEP 2020’, at its Headquarters to commemorate six years of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The event brought together eminent academicians, policymakers, industry leaders and technology experts to deliberate on the transformative impact of NEP 2020 and its role in realising the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047.
The programme commenced with an exhibition titled ‘Showcasing Innovations for Viksit Bharat’, highlighting innovative projects and startups aligned with the goals of Atmanirbhar Bharat and a knowledge-driven economy. The inaugural session began with the University Kulgeet and the ceremonial lighting of the lamp. Welcoming the gathering, Prof. Jitendra Kumar Srivastava, Registrar, IGNOU, said that six years of NEP 2020 offer an opportunity to reflect on the progress made and collectively chart the way forward. He also highlighted IGNOU’s major initiatives in implementing NEP 2020 through flexible learning pathways, the Academic Bank of Credits, skill-based programmes and technology-enabled education.
Delivering the Chief Guest address, Prof. Shashikala Wanjari, Vice Chancellor, NIEPA, extended greetings on the auspicious occasion of Guru Purnima and reflected on the transformative journey of NEP 2020 over the past six years. Appreciating IGNOU as the “Jan Jan Ka Vishwavidyalaya,” Prof. Wanjari said its inclusive approach embodies the spirit of NEP 2020. She emphasized that while pedagogical innovation is essential, the aspiration of Viksit Bharat@2047 can only be realised through compassion, ethical values and a deep sense of social responsibility.
In her Presidential Address, Prof. Uma Kanjilal, Vice Chancellor, IGNOU, said that the conclave had been meticulously designed to deliberate on all the major dimensions of NEP 2020, including Indian Knowledge Systems, skilling, Artificial Intelligence, entrepreneurship and digital public infrastructure. Prof. Kanjilal highlighted that IGNOU is making a significant contribution towards achieving the national target of 50 per cent Gross Enrolment Ratio by 2035 through expanded access to quality higher education, skill development and innovation. She expressed confidence that the deliberations would foster meaningful partnerships for achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
The vote of thanks for the inaugural session was delivered by Prof. Neera Kapoor, who expressed her sincere gratitude to the Chief Guest, distinguished speakers, esteemed dignitaries, participants, and the august gathering for their valuable presence and insightful contributions, which set a meaningful tone for the deliberations under the ‘Shiksha Sankalp’ initiative.
The First Technical Session on “Indian Knowledge System & Digital India Awareness,” moderated by Prof. Jaideep Sharma, Registrar, Student Evaluation Division, featured Prof. Pawan Kumar Singh, Professor, IIM Indore and Former Director, IIM Tiruchirappalli, who spoke on “Indian Knowledge System: In Need of Empathetic & Rigorous Implementation.” Prof. Singh observed that the implementation of NEP 2020 over the past six years has been encouraging but called for an integrated approach to embedding Indian Knowledge Systems across disciplines. Describing multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary education as the heart of NEP 2020, he emphasized that creativity flourishes when knowledge systems converge and stressed that Indian and Western knowledge traditions are complementary rather than conflicting.
The session also featured Mr. Gaurav Khare, Senior Manager, Digital India Corporation, NeGD, and Ms. Yashika Sharma, Assistant Manager, NeGD, Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology, Government of India, who explained how APAAR ID, the Academic Bank of Credits (ABC), DigiLocker and the National Digital Education Architecture (NDEAR) are creating a secure Digital Public Infrastructure for education by enabling trusted digital identities, seamless credit mobility and authenticated academic credentials.
The Second Session on “Shaping Viksit Bharat: The Skill & Education Synergy,” moderated by Prof. Paramita Suklabaidya, featured Dr. Neena Pahuja, Former Director, NCVET, who described the implementation of NEP 2020 as a collective national responsibility requiring effective change management. She highlighted the role of the National Credit Framework in integrating skilling with higher education through flexible learning pathways and multiple entry and exit options. Mr. Praveen Roy, Advisor, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), underscored the importance of closer academia-industry collaboration and stressed that practical learning, internships and industry-relevant skills are essential for enhancing employability and preparing graduates for emerging opportunities.
The afternoon session on “AI, AVGC & the Future of ODL: Realising the Vision of NEP 2020”, moderated by Prof. Gaurav Singh, School of Education, IGNOU, explored the transformative role of emerging technologies in education. Mr. Munjal Shroff, Director & COO, Graphiti Multimedia Pvt. Ltd., highlighted the immense potential of Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics and Extended Reality (AVGC-XR) in creating immersive and experiential learning environments. Encouraging educators to harness creative technologies, he remarked, “Let every learner become a creator and storyteller.”
Speaking on “Secure, Responsible & Scalable AI in Education,” Dr. Neeti Verma, Government Policy & DX Strategy Lead, India at Google, advocated an AI-first pedagogy rooted in the needs of Bharat. She emphasized that responsible AI in education must be built on the four pillars of pedagogy, integrity, trust and privacy to ensure equitable, secure and learner-centric educational transformation.
The programme concluded with a Panel Discussion on “Innovation & Entrepreneurship under NEP-2020: From Policy to Practice,” featuring Mr. Shailendra Jaiswal, Lead Mentor, Srijan Sanchar and Former Principal Executive Director, DRDO; Prof. Jitendra K. Das, Founder & CEO, OptiServe Dynamics and Founder Dean (Noida Campus), IIM Lucknow; Prof. Satish Kumar Dubey, IIT Delhi; and Dr. Venugopal S, Senior General Manager, SIFY Technology. The panel emphasized strengthening innovation ecosystems, industry-academia partnerships, incubation support and entrepreneurship-driven education to translate the vision of NEP 2020 into practice.
Presenting the summary and way forward, Prof. Pema Eden Samdup, Director, International Division, IGNOU, underscored the need for sustained collaboration among academia, government and industry to accelerate the implementation of NEP 2020 and advance the shared vision of a developed, inclusive and knowledge-driven India.
