Progress of Higher Education Sector Under Review
Saturday, 9th August 2008:
New Delhi:Achieving the goals set by the 7th five year plan (2007-12) is a challenge that the government seems to have taken somewhat seriously. A recent review by the government of India has revealed that substantial work is in progress towards achieving 15% Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) by 2012. According to the review report central universities have increased their intake by 20,500 in the current academic year, reported the Online Sindh News Paper. Six new Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) have started their operation from this year in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Punjab, Gujarat and Orissa. 2 more IITs and 10 new National Institutes of Technology would be set up soon. The state governments are asked to identify suitable location for 14 World Class Central Universities and the University Grants Commission is in the process of identifying locations for 373 degree colleges in the backward districts.
A review of the 16 central universities to be set up in states that do not have one is also done according the officials of the Prime Minister's Office. As IIM Shillong has already commenced its academic session from July, the remaining six IIMs would be established in Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Jammu & Kashmir, Tamil Nadu and Haryana. The government has also assessed the establishment of 5 new Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research, 2 Schools of Planning and Architecture in Bhopal and Vijayawada, 1000 Polytechnics. The Prime Minister's Principal secretary has also seeks to accelerate the process of implementing the interest free Education Loan Scheme, ELISS at the earliest.
It can here be noted that the Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) of India at higher education sector is abysmally low at 11% as compared to 40% for European countries and 60% for USA & Canada. While the XI Plan seeks to promote research of high quality across the Higher Education system and make them more responsive to future challenges and needs, many intellectuals feel that this can not be achieved without improving the quality of education at the primary and secondary level.
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