Vice-Chancellor
Dr. Harshad. A. Patel	Vice Chancellor 24th June, 1971 vc@gujaratvidyapith.org Doctor of Philosophy Gujarat University, 2002 Master of Arts(Education) IITE, 2017 Master of Education Gujarat University, 1996 Master in Journalism Studies Gujarat University, 1998 Bachelor of Science Gujarat University, 1993 079-27540391

Position Held

Profile

Dr. Harshad Patel, Vice-Chancellor of Gujarat Vidyapith, Ahmedabad, is a committed teacher educator at the core of his heart. He firmly believes that the faculty of Teacher Education holds a real power to transform the nation through education. Dr. Patel is also the Member of the Board of Management of Gujarat Vidyapith since June 2022 and also held the position of Secretary of Gujarat Vidyapith Mandal since January 2023.

Dr. Patel was born to a farmer family with modest agriculture practice in Jepur village of Vijapur in Mehsana district in North Gujarat. He completed his school education in his village and Ahmedabad. He received his Bachelor degree in Mathematics and Masters and PhD in Education from Gujarat University. He has also earned his Master degree in Journalism & Mass Communication from GU and MA in Education from IITE. He has nurtured hundreds of teachers in his career spanning over 22 years as a teacher educator at SUG College of Education, Ahmedabad.

Dr. Patel has inborn leadership qualities. He was elected as the General Secretary in his college. As a student leader and member of Gujarat University’s Students Welfare Board, he was vocal for students’ issues. He was representative of teacher educators in Gujarat University Senate. He has worked as a coordinator of Association of Teacher Educators of Grant-in-Aid institutes of Gujarat.

Dr. Patel has diverse experience of administration and management of education institutions. He is trustee of schools having primary to class 12 students. From the institutions teaching students to the institutions preparing teachers for those students, Dr. Patel has decade long experience of managing Teacher Education institutions offering courses like PTC, DLEd, BEd. Since his students days Dr. Patel has represented all the stakeholders in Education as a leader at various stages of his life and professional career.

Dr. Patel had been Vice Chancellor of IITE– a sectorial university dedicated to Teacher Education established by Hon. Shree Narendra Modi, during his tenure as the CM of Gujarat. Enriched with more than two decades of experience as a Teacher educator Dr. Patel is tirelessly working towards making the teaching profession the most gratifying and rewarding career in society. It is to be noted that NITI Aayog has recognised the formation of these five centres and affiliation of teacher-training institutes as one of the 23 best practices in the country in the area of Human Resources Development. Dr. Patel has always been at the forefront of academic administration and management. He has been entrusted with several responsibilities in various bodies functioning under the Central and State governments. He is serving as an Independent Director on the Board of Directors of EdCIL India Limited during 2017-2019.

Dr. Patel has always remained vocal about issues of the Teacher Education Institutes at the Western Regional Committee of National Council for Teacher Education as the member representing Gujarat. He has ensured that deserving Universities and institutes fulfil the requirement to get approval for running Teacher Education Courses. He has also safeguarded the high standards and qualities of Teacher Education by taking an uncompromising stand against the menace of non-attending students and degree shopping practices prevailing in the self-finance Teacher Education institutions.

As the Vice-Chairman of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation School Board, he had vigorously worked to implement the Right To Education (RTE) Act in its letter and spirit. He looked after the effective education management and teaching processes in more than 400 primary schools functioning under the school board. He had made systems to track ‘out of school’ children attaining the school admission age from the lower-income groups and migrant workers living in the city limits of AMC.

As an expert educator, Dr. Patel has contributed to the faculty of Teacher Education intellectually and insightful academic scholarship. He has served as an expert to the state education department and government bodies like GCERT, GHSEB, Gujarat State Board of School Textbooks, Academic Staff College. He has contributed to the Curriculum Development of various courses of Teacher Education, including BEd, BEd GBTC, BEd Special, MEd in various state universities in Gujarat. He was a member of the team of expert for developing Teacher Aptitude Test (TAT) for Gujarat Secondary & Higher Secondary Education Board.

Dr. Patel has also studied Mass Communication and Journalism. He has also acquired skills in publishing. With his deep understanding of mass communication processes and their application, he established himself as an excellent Teacher Educator who is widely popular amongst students and as a seasoned media expert. He had served as the Special Officer Media at the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) of Gujarat in the late 90s. He has actively worked in the public life as a media campaigner and strategist for two decades.

Dr. Patel has published and edited a theme-based educational magazine ‘Aditya Kiran’ for more than 15 years. He has published students magazines including a bimonthly ‘Majanu Ganit’ and a monthly ‘Vigyan Ajab-Gajab’ on Mathematics and Science respectively. He has been founder-editor of ‘Education: Theory and Practices’, a quarterly research journal for Teacher Educators.

He has authored seven books with ISBN on the subjects, including Right to Education, National Curriculum Framework 2005. More than ten research papers and countless articles of general interest for many compilations of books, magazines and newspapers. Dr. Patel has delivered more than 100 public lectures by invitations of various organisations and institutions on education, literature, journalism, and society.

Dr. Patel has been appointed as a member of the Central Committee of prestigious Gujarati Sahitya Parishad – a 125-year-old cultural and literary institute of Gujarat. He is a life member of Gujarat Ganit Mandal – an independent institute for popularising Mathematics in the society and Gujarat Prakashak Mandal – a body of publishers in Gujarat, Nutan Bal Shikshan Sangh, Vadodara and member of ‘Matrubhasha Samvardhan Abhiyaan’ and ‘Vanche Gujarat Brihad Samiti’, Government of Gujarat.

Dr. Harshad Patel’s scholarly personality is combination of deep understanding of society, sharp analytical, evaluation, innovation, research, and communication skill with positive outlook to the world.

He is also serving Children’s University as in charge Vice Chancellor since June 2022.