The primary objective of higher education is to expand the existing knowledge by providing a direction to students to find solutions to problems and challenges faced by society. Research facilitates the understanding of new realms of knowledge. Research also exposes societies and economies to innovative thinking besides finding solutions to various socio-economic problems through public interventions. The primary goal of the research is to discover and establish facts and principles in some area of knowledge by conducting careful, systematic, and patient studies and investigations. Research and Innovation also play an essential role in triggering smart and sustainable growth and job creation. The thinking process that goes with research helps students develop their creativity and problem-solving capacity. They develop the capacity to design effective strategies. The students also develop skills to gather and analyse information, build knowledge, think critically and come up with original ideas. NEP 2020 is a path-breaking initiative which has given a new dimension to research with paradigms in the higher education sector of the country. The theme of the policy is that higher educational institutions, particularly universities, would bring back the research culture and become knowledge-creation centres. The NEP envisions promoting research and solving several hurdles that hamper the process of research and Innovation. In fact, the NEP has laid a landmark commitment, especially in financing academic research. This has come against the backdrop of a lack of adequate public and institutional funding for undertaking research.
The purpose of this conference is to discuss challenges that hamper the pursuit of research and Innovation under the ambit of NEP2020: to discuss and find out various issues technical, financial and academic that arise in the process of research. The question arises whether we are just producing scholars with rote-learned superficial knowledge but who lack original, analytical thinking, who do not rise up to the standards required for a research scholar in pursuit of fresh knowledge, path-breaking ideas and an box thinking, questioning and curious mind having a solid knowledge base. What prospects open up with the help of NEP 2020? How can we reinforce the culture of research and Innovation? The road to progress lies in preparing scholars given to break new paths, add fresh knowledge, rediscover, and redefine existing knowledge. In order to face socio-economic and cultural challenges: how can existing knowledge be reinterpreted in a modern context? We know that Startups and Patents enhance the image of the nation, and these are the results of Research and Innovation. Research and Innovation, I am confident, shall go a long way to foster the ‘Make in India’ image. Let us come forward and try to find answers to many more questions like these.