This is the key phrase marking the 74th Independence Day this year. The Prime Minister has exhorted us that the next 25 years will be very important for us. This has tempted me to encourage all, young and not so young to forecast what to expect in the future : in 2030, 2040 and 2050 and prepare themselves accordingly. We are even proposing to have a day every year to be celebrated as “ Future Readiness Day” to make sure that we are on course of being “ future ready” for the coming 25 years. There is also a sobering warning from Yuval Noah Harari that we may be rapidly becoming part of the “useless class”.
This is both a National goal and a personal goal for each of us.
The main Drivers of this exponential change are:
AI and Robotics
Quantum Technologies
Climate change
The changing nature of work
The emergence of AI-empowered teacher-less education
I am sharing below a playlist of some videos that inform you of the current thinking and developments. I am not drawing any conclusions but suggesting that you draw your own conclusions and plan your strategies on how to make the best of what’s coming. There is an acronym DYOR ( Do your own research) that is prevalent in the world of crypto-currencies. However, the acronym is not a piece of advice exclusive to the cryptocurrency ecosystem. It is also very important in planning one’s future educational and career paths.
There are many reports that also anticipate the upcoming challenges and identify the opportunities and paths ahead. The latest in these sets of reports is the sixth assessment report from IPCC ( they were recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize 2007).
Happy Independence Day 2021 and best wishes for thriving and flourishing in the 2030s and beyond.
Prof. M.M.Pant has a Ph.D in Computational Physics, along with a Professional Law Degree, and has been a practitioner in the fields of Law, IT enabled education and IT implementation.
Drawing upon his experience in world class international institutions and having taught in various modes of Face-to-Face, Distance Learning and Technology Enhanced Training, Prof. Pant is now exploring the nature of institutions which will be successors to the IITs, which represented the 1960s, IIMs, which represented the 1970 and Open Universities which were the rage of 1980s & 90s.
He believes that the convergence between various media and technologies would fundamentally alter the way learning would be created, packaged, and delivered to learners. His current activities are all directed toward actual implementation of these new age educational initiatives that transform education in the post Internet post WTO era..
Prof. Pant, has been a Former Pro-Vice Chancellor, Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) and has been on the faculty of IIT – Kanpur (the premier Engineering institution in India), MLNR Engineering College and Faculty & Visiting Professor - University of Western Ontario-Canada.
He has been visiting scientist to research centers in Italy, England, Germany & Sweden and has delivered international lectures with about 80 papers published.
During his association of almost 15 years with the IGNOU, Prof. Pant has served as the Director Computing and has been the Member of All Bodies (i.e. School boards, Academic council, Planning board, Finance committee and the Board of management).
With his interest in Law, backed with practice of Law in a High Court, and his basic training in Science and IT, Prof. Pant has been particularly interested in the Cyber Law, Patent & trade mark issues, Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) issues etc. and has been involved with many activities, conferences on “Law & IT”
Prof. Pant is presently;
• Advisor to Media Lab Asia - Chairman of working group on ICT for Education, chairman of PRSG handling projects on ICT for education.
• Lead Consultant for an ADB funded project for ICT in Basic Education in Uzbekistan
• Member of the drafting Group for India’s National Policy on ICT in education
• Chairman of the group creating books for class 11 and 12 students on ‘Computers and Communication Technology’ appointed by the NCERT
• Preparing a ‘Theme Paper” for the NCTE in the area of ICT and Teacher Training
• Advisor and mentor to several leading Indian and Multi-national Companies in the area of education.
Prof. Pant has in the recent past been ;
• Member – Board of Management – I I T, Delhi for 6 years (two consecutive terms)
• One-man committee to create the Project Report & Legislation for Delhi IT-enabled Open University
• Advisor to the Delhi Government on Asian Network of Major Cities Project (ANMC-21) distance learning project in association with Tokyo Metropolitan Government.
• Chairman Board of Studies, All India Management Association
With his mission to create and implement new business opportunities in the area of e-learning & learning facilitation, Prof. Pant has promoted Planet EDU Pvt. Ltd., as its Founder & Chairman, along with a team of highly experienced and skilled professionals from Education & Training, Operations, IT and Finance.
