Budget 2022 puts dues emphasis on agri universities
Representative Image | PTI
Budget 2022 has given the long-due emphasis to rural development through agricultural sector, agriculture universities, digitisation of land reforms, and incentives to organic farming and start-ups.
The curriculum of agriculture universities would be changed to meet the demands of natural, zero-cost organic farming, as well as modern agriculture. ‘One Class One TV Channel’ to compensate for the loss of learning owing to the pandemic will also be very helpful, mainly to rural students who could not obtain the benefit of online teaching in the absence of access to digital devices. The PM eVidya Scheme will be expanded from 12 to 200 channels to provide extra learning in regional languages from Classes 1-12.
Quality e-content will be created in a variety of ways and teachers will be trained to apply more effective e-learning outcomes. Five Excellence Centres would be established, each with Rs 250-crore endowment fund for urban planning courses that will aid in the development of the urban sector. SNDT Women’s University, Mumbai, aspires to undertake one such centre. Being a town planner, I was pleased to see the consideration given to safe and green urban spaces.
The Digital University is a welcome idea, too. It will be developed and launched with the goal of providing students with access to world-class quality education. However, digitisation in the education sector has not been given any incentive in terms of increased budgetary allocation. This was expected in light of the implementation of the National Education Policy 2020.
(The writer is Vice Chancellor, SNDT University)
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