3-day Management Development Program on Universal Human Values begins at NITTTR, Chandigarh
“Take ownership of your work and your institution”: Director, IIT Ropar exhorts professionals
“Universal Human Values in Education is not a Choice, but an Imperative”: AICTE Chairperson
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, April 10, 2025:
A 3-day Management Development Program on Universal Human Values (UHV) has begun at NITTTR (National Institute of Technical Teachers Training & Research), Chandigarh, today, 10th April, 2025. The Program aims to build on the renewed focus laid by the National Education Policy 2020 on human values and seeks to further strengthen the commitment of educational institutions to take forward UHV and Holistic, Value Based Education in full spirit.
The Program has been inaugurated by Director, IIT Ropar, Prof. Rajeev Ahuja in the presence of Chairperson, AICTE, Prof. T. G . Sitharam (who joined the event virtually); Director, NITTTR Chandigarh, Prof. Bhola Ram Gurjar; Vice Chancellor, IK Gujral Punjab Technical University, Jalandhar, Prof. Susheel Mittal and other senior academicians from Panjab University and Himachal Pradesh Technical University, Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh.
More than 150 participants, especially Vice-Chancellors of Universities and Directors / Principals of AICTE/UGC approved Institutions from 10 states of North-Western India are attending the Program.
“Take ownership of your work and your institution”
Addressing the community of educators, the Chief Guest and Director, IIT Ropar, Prof. Rajeev Ahuja emphasized on the need for teachers to have empathy and achieve excellence in an ethical and moral way. Speaking about sincerity of employees towards work, the Director exhorted everyone to take ownership of their work and of whichever institution they belong to, adding that this is necessary for growth.
“We need good teachers to create good values in society”
The Director asked why we are becoming so individualistic. He observed that the Nobel Prize is given through nominations and that few nominations are being sent from India since people are not nominating their colleagues’ names. “When you are in academia, you are building the nation; we need to create good teachers, to create good values in society”, he told the educators.
“UHV in education is not a choice, but an imperative”
The Chief Patron of the Program and Chairperson, AICTE, Prof. T. G . Sitharam said that in a world witnessing trade wars, technological developments such as Artificial Intelligence, and physical wars, there is a need to reconnect with ethical leadership and that cultivation of Universal Human Values has become essential in this context. The Chairperson said that there is a need to instil moral courage, a sense of responsibility and integrity among our students and all our youth. He said that it is very important to find ourselves, and that the best way to find ourselves, as Gandhiji said, is to lose oneself in the service of others.
“NEP 2020 provides a structured approach to embed human values into education”
The Chairperson said that UHV in education is not a choice, but an imperative and that a strong foundation is essential to creating a society which is not just prosperous but humane as well. “And the NEP 2020 emphasizes ethical reasoning and provides a structured approach to embed human values into education.” He spoke of the vision of the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, of integrating Indian Knowledge System, UHV and ethical thinking into the mainstream education system. “Ethics is a new competitive advantage in what anyone endeavours to do.” Let us embrace this paradigm and make India a global leader in wisdom, exhorted the Chairperson.
“Need to make our education system multi-dimensional rather than one-dimensional”
Director, NITTTR Chandigarh, Prof. Bhola Ram Gurjar highlighted the importance of such workshops for integrating Universal Human Values into our lives. Noting that the NEP 2020 lays a lot of focus on values, ethics and morals, the Director spoke of the need to make our education system multi-dimensional rather than one-dimensional.
“Need to go back to basics and revise lessons given by parents and grandparents”
Vice Chancellor, IK Gujral Punjab Technical University, Jalandhar, Prof. Susheel Mittal asked why a need to discuss values has arisen in our country, where Universal Human Values have always been the backbone of our culture and heritage. He said there is a need to go back to basics and revise the lessons our parents and grandparents have imparted to us.
The other guests and experts too shared their views on pedagogical techniques and the role of experiential learning in taking forward the cause.
The program is being held in collaboration with Panjab University, Chandigarh; IK Gujral Punjab Technical University, Jalandhar and Himachal Pradesh Technical University, Hamirpur with the support of National Coordination Committee for Induction Program, AICTE. It is being held at the S S Bhatnagar Auditorium, NITTTR, Chandigarh.
Besides laying a focus on orientation of the participants towards UHV and Holistic Value Based Education (HVBE), the Program also seeks to evolve a commitment by the educators towards taking concrete steps for incorporating these values in their profession. This is expected to further strengthen the commitment of technical education teachers in taking forward UHV and HVBE in full spirit, as per the aspirations of NEP 2020.
The Program concludes on 12th April, 2025, with the Principal Secretary to Governor of Punjab, Shri Vivek Pratap Singh giving the valedictory address.