CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-NEERI) organised Prof. P. Khanna Memorial Lecture on 14 August 2023 in the NEERI Auditorium. Dr. P Sivaswaroop, Sr. Regional Director, Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), Nagpur was the Chief Guest on this occasion. Dr. Atul Vaidya, Director, CSIR-NEERI and PrakashKumbhare, Sr. Principal Scientist, CSIR-NEERI were also present on this occasion.
Delivering Prof. P. Khanna Memorial Lecture on ‘Impact of National Education Policy 2020 on Future Environmental Education’, Dr. Sivaswaroop described Prof. Khanna as a visionary environmental educationist. He held that the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) is a revolutionary leap and will bring a paradigm shift in the field of education in the country. NEP 2020 will provide student-centric, multidisciplinary and experiential education, he added. He informed that India’s future aspirations with regard to environment, inculcation of respect for environment, appropriate integration of environmental awareness and sensitivity towards its conservation and sustainable development are integral parts of the National Education Policy. The concerns, concepts and issues related to water and its conservation have already been infused in the existing school curriculum, he added. Elaborating on ‘Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER)’, a statistical measure used in the education sector to determine the number of students enrolled, Dr. Sivaswaroop said that the NEP 2020 aims to increase the GER to 100% in preschool to secondary level by 2030 whereas GER in Higher Education including vocational education from 26.3% (2018) to 50% by 2035. He advised CSIR-NEERI to commence some online courses in the area of environment in tune with the NEP 2020. He also described about various courses being conducted by Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) in the field of environment.
In his welcome address, Dr. Atul Vaidya, Director, CSIR-NEERI briefed about the significant contributions of Late Prof. P. Khanna. He stated that Prof. Khanna gave recognition to CSIR-NEERI at national and international level.
Mr. Prakash Kumbhare, Sr. Principal Scientist, CSIR-NEERI proposed the vote of thanks and Dr. Shalini Dhyani, Principal Scientist, CSIR-NEERI conducted the proceedings.
38 B.E. (Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering) students from G H Raisoni Institute of Engineering & Technology and 25 B.Sc. and M.Sc. students from Institute of Science, Nagpur visited laboratories of CSIR-NEERI and interacted with scientists on this occasion.