State Higher/Technical Education Secretaries Meet held: Shri Kapil Sibal calls for Child Centric Education
A meeting
of Principal Secretaries/Secretaries of Higher
and Technical Education of State Governments was held at New Delhi today
which
was presided by Union Minister of Human Resource Development, Shri Kapil Sibal. Dr. (Ms.) D. Purandeswari, Minister
of State
for Human Resource Development inaugurated the conference in which 28
States/Union Territories took part. Smt.
Vibha Puri Das,
Secretary
(HE), , Prof. Ved Prakash,
Chairman UGC; Prof. S.S. Mantha, Chairman
AICTE and
senior officials of Ministry of Human Resource Development and Planning
Commission were present in the meeting.
Shri Kapil Sibal said that
education should be child – centric and not
institution centric. He said that the
present affiliation system where Universities affiliate hundreds of
colleges needS to be changed so that the
focus of education should
be on students and on learning, and not merely on examinations. He suggested that in order to ensure mobility
of students, we must ensure semester system in our Universities. He also announced constitution of a five
member committee with Secretary (Higher Education) of Gujarat as the
Convener,
to device a framework for mobility of students.
The
following other decisions were
taken in the meeting:-
Ø
The
states unanimously endorsed the broad outlines and contours of the
proposed Rashtriya Ucchhatar
Shiksha Abhiyan
(RUSA) and
exhorted central government to finalise the
scheme at
the earliest.
Ø
The
request of the central government to states to enhance plan allocation
of
higher education was very well received by state secretaries and they
promised
to take up this issue with their state government. The need to undertake
comprehensive perspective planning for higher education was also well
received.
Ø
The
states expressed their eagerness to participate in the Community College
programme of the MHRD. The details of the
scheme were
explained in detail to state secretaries.
Ø
The
states were presented with details of National Vocational Educational
Qualifications Framework (NVEQF) by Chairman, AICTE. The states, other
than
those participating in pilot project, agreed to integrate the framework
in
their existing vocational education programmes.
Some
states also made valuable suggestions to further improve upon the
scheme.
Ø
All
the states appreciated the Research and Innovation agenda outlined by
the
Ministry. There was a general consensus and agreement on need to step up
investments on Research and Development by way of earmarking of funds in
institutions of higher learning.
Ø
Central
role of faculty and teacher education was appreciated and the states
were keen
to know the details of the various components of the proposed Mission in
Teachers and Teaching. The proposed
Schools of Education can also be set up in select State Universities. However, inputs for pattern of funding needs
to be spelt out. Strategies to rope in
industry experienced persons to take up teaching assignments needs to be
worked
out. Transparent system of recruitment
to be put in place.
Ø
The
states appreciated that MHRD has
undertaken All India Survey on Higher Education to collect a robust data
base. They ensured that they would make all
efforts
to complete the survey by 31st May, 2012. They
will specifically instruct all the
colleges to upload the data on the portal immediately.
Some
innovative ideas from States
which were mentioned by the respective Principal
Secretaries are as under:-
Ø
Chhattisgarh
has signed an MOU with IIT Kharagpur for
training of
Teachers.
Ø
Tripura
has well utilized Community Polytechnic.
Ø
Andhra
Pradesh has Rajiv Gandhi University of Knowledge Technology.
Ø
Gujarat
has been able to introduce Choice Based Credit System.
Ø
Gujarat
is trying ‘Multi-Varsity’ of IIM-A, IIT-G and University of Gujarat.
Ø
Gujarat
has introduced online system of recruitment.
Ø
West
Bengal has suggested compressed system of Vocational Education.
Ø
Tamil
Nadu has started distribution of laptops to final year students.
Ø
Haryana
and Himachal Pradesh have introduced education hubs.
Ø
Jharkhand
is starting three engineering colleges under PPP mode.
MV
