Odisha Govt To Finalise Higher Education Policy

BHUBANESWAR: After seeking suggestions from the stakeholders, the Odisha government is in the process of finalising higher education policy to improve the quality of higher education and research.

The Higher Education Department had sought suggestions and recommendations from all stakeholders on or before April 30 this year. It had sent the draft copy to all higher education institutions including universities and colleges for their suggestions.

Starting with higher education is the key to the overall progress of a state, the draft said, “Higher education is presently facing many problems of which the major is the lack of good quality teaching-learning and research. Such problem is due to multiple factors.”

Last year, after the formation of a new higher education policy at Central level, the state government had decided to formulate a new higher education policy. Hence, the state government had constituted a committee in October 2015 under the chairmanship of Vice- Chancellor of Fakir Mohan University SP Adhikary. As per the suggestions of the panel the draft policy was prepared, sources said.

Among major suggestions, the panel suggested for establishment of full-fledged state higher education council, compete de-linking Plus II from the ambit of higher education in all the academic institution of the state, implementation of semester system and Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) in degree colleges and set up of UGC model colleges in educationally backward districts. The CBCS system would be implemented in all higher education institutions from the academic year 2016-17.

The panel also suggested for set up of new state universities, research centres and other infrastructure projects with an investment of Rs 55,000 crore over a period of 12 years, the draft said.

As various commissions set by UGC have suggested to limit the strength to a maximum of 100 affiliated colleges per university for effective administration and to monitor their quality, the government planned to move some colleges from the fold of three old universities to autonomous colleges, it said.

The draft also proposed for implementation online education including e-library and wi-fi campus.

As per the draft, VD College, Jeypore will made a new affiliating centre by removing colleges of Nowrangpur, Koraput, Malkangiri, Rayagada districts from Berhampur University; Rajendra College, Bolangir removing colleges of Kalahandi, Bolangir, Nuapada, Sonepur districts from Sambalpur University;  Rourkela Government College removing colleges of Deogarh and Sundargarh districts from Sambalpur University.

Similarly, Government College, Angul would also be made an affiliating centre by removing colleges of Dhenkanal and Angul districts from Utkal University while SCS College Puri will be another affiliating centre by removing colleges of Puri and Nayagarh districts from Utkal University.