Parliament panel recommends UGC recognition for Sonam Wangchuk’s HIAL

A parliamentary committee praised the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives in Ladakh for exemplary experiential education and urged the University Grants Commission to grant long pending recognition, while recommending replication of its model nationwide despite recent controversies involving founder Sonam Wangchuk

New Delhi: The Himalayan Institute of Alternatives (HIAL), founded by Ladakh educator and activist Sonam Wangchuk, is doing “exemplary” work and should be granted recognition by the University Grants Commission, a Parliamentary panel has noted.

In its report tabled in Parliament earlier this week, the committee headed by Congress MP Digvijaya Singh expressed its concern over pending recognition of HIAL by UGC.

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The panel also recommended that the Ministry of Education closely study the HIAL model and consider how it can be replicated elsewhere through Centres of Innovation in Education or other interventions.

“During its study visit to Ladakh, the committee was impressed with the academic, research, and entrepreneurship ecosystem at the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, Ladakh (HIAL), especially its success in implementing experiential education and learning rooted in local socio-cultural and ecological contexts,” said the report of the Standing Committee on Education, Women, Youth and Sports.

“The committee was concerned to learn that the UGC has not yet granted recognition to HIAL and that the matter has been pending for many years now. The committee observed that HIAL has achieved a tremendous impact on the local community and received international fame through its ice stupas and other community engagement activities,” it added.

The panel noted that HIAL is exemplary in its implementation of the NEP 2020, which calls for such experiential and project-based learning, community engagement, and integration of Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS).

“The committee recommends that the UGC should consider granting recognition to HIAL. Moreover, the committee encourages the UGC and the department to closely study the HIAL model and consider how it can be replicated elsewhere through Centres of Innovation in Education or other interventions,” the report said.

Wangchuk was detained under the stringent NSA on September 26, two days after violent protests demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh left four people dead and 90 injured in the Union Territory. The government had accused him of inciting the violence.

The Ladakh administration had cancelled the land allotment to HIAL, and the Union Home Ministry had cancelled its Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) registration, citing alleged violations.