Rohit Thakur, Education Minister of Himachal Pradesh, today chaired a meeting of the State Level Task Force for implementing the National Education Policy (NEP)-2020 in the state. The meeting focused on strengthening higher education and ensuring effective adoption of NEP-2020 in government degree colleges affiliated with Himachal Pradesh University and Sardar Patel University.
Rohit Thakur emphasized aligning the state’s higher education with the national academic framework. He noted that while the semester system has been successfully implemented at the postgraduate level, extending it to undergraduate programmes would provide greater academic flexibility and efficiency.
The Education Minister instructed universities to adopt modern evaluation methods, including technical evaluation, spot evaluation, and strengthened internal assessments, aiming to declare results within 30 days to improve transparency and reduce delays.
He announced that NEP-2020 aligned undergraduate programmes will begin in the 2026-27 session. These will include three-year UG courses, four-year UG programmes with Honours or Honours with Research, and five-year integrated Bachelor’s–Master’s degrees. The four-year UG programmes will initially start in colleges with higher enrolment. The curriculum will incorporate the Learning Outcomes-based Curriculum Framework (LOCF), vocational education, skill development, internships, and apprenticeship opportunities to enhance employability.
To strengthen institutions, the Minister stated that 389 teaching posts will be filled soon, with the process already submitted to the Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission. He also directed the introduction of an internal college ranking system to improve academic standards and institutional performance. Colleges with enrolment below 75 students will be rationalized to optimize infrastructure and resources.
Highlighting institutional autonomy, Rohit Thakur encouraged colleges to sign Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with organizations to launch programmes that enhance skill development and career opportunities for students. He described universities as “temples of education” and reiterated the government’s commitment to providing quality, skill-based education. He also noted that Himachal Pradesh ranks among the top states in Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) for higher education nationally.
The Minister recommended phased implementation of NEP provisions if immediate full adoption is not feasible, with at least 50 percent in the initial phase gradually progressing to complete implementation.
Rakesh Kanwar assured that the government would provide full support to universities and colleges to overcome challenges in implementing NEP-2020. Dr. Marjeet K Sharma presented the current status of higher education in the state, detailing departmental initiatives and challenges in NEP implementation.
Vice Chancellors of HPU, Dr. Mahavir Singh, and SPU, Dr. Lalit Kumar Awasthy, shared their suggestions, and both universities delivered detailed presentations on NEP-2020.
The meeting was attended by Deans of Studies, State Task Force members, experts, college principals, professors, and senior officers of the Higher Education Department.
Nurturing Creativity – Keekli Charitable Trust, Shimla
