Social work is a global profession and we should have a national council for social work education: Prof Sanjai Bhatt

Chandigarh: Social Work is a global profession and Social Work is taught in more than 145 countries all across the world.
In India, we have more than 526+ Universities/ Colleges/ Institutions which are offering the education in Social Work discipline and now we should have a National Council of Social Work Education in our country  at the earliest,  said Prof Sanjai Bhatt, Former Head of Delhi School of Social Work and Ex-President, NAPSWI( National Association of Professional Social Workers in India) while giving his Presidential Remarks to the audience in a National Webinar organized by Centre for Social Work, Panjab University, Chandigarh today. 

Prof Sanjai Bhatt gave a seven step guide to the Social work practitioners and especially to the students. Prof Bhatt emphasized the importance of networking and joining the Professional bodies of Social Work for the beginner's and the students. He urged participants to come forward and join the campaign and make it more popular and visible.  
 
Prof Archana Dassi, Head, Department of Social Work, Jamia Millia Islamia University, Delhi while giving her opening remarks shared the importance of having a National Council of Social Work Education in our country. She highlighted the five key attributes  for the development and flourishing of any profession. She said that having a Council of the discipline I.e. Social Work is  the need of the hour and is the fifth attribute. She said that " With the help of this National Council of Social Work, the Social worker's would get proper recognition and due visibility of  all the hard Work they do. 
 
Dr Shewli Kumar, Associate Professor, School of Social Work, Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) and member of the drafting committee of the National Council of Social Work Bill, 2020 gave a detailed and thought provoking presentation to the audience about the various Chapters and Provisions kept under this drafted bill. She clarified the difference between the Registration and  Licensing. She said the present bill suggests only voluntary Registration for Social Workers. She focused on the importance of regular Curriculum development and updates by the Social Work institutions and it should cater to the local needs of the region and to the market as well. She also shared the Code of Ethics to be followed by the Social Work practitioners. 
 
Dr.Gaurav Gaur, Faculty, Centre for Social Work, Panjab University, Chandigarh moderated the whole  discussion.
 
Prof Ashutosh Pradhaan, Head, Department of Social Work, Central University of Himachal Pradesh, Dr Aditya Parihar, Assistant Professor, Department of Social Work, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Dr Atul Partap Singh, Assistant Professor, B R Ambedkar College, New Delhi along with other teachers also joined the webinar. 
 
The online slot had 100 participants from Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttrakhand, Delhi, Maharashtra, Telangana, Bihar and Tamil Nadu etc.