Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 16: Minister for Higher Education, Mohammad Akbar Lone today said that Government was going to start viable and job oriented courses in the colleges across the State enabling more and more educated youth to get job opportunities in the market.
Replying to the discussions on demand of Grants for Higher Education Department in the Legislative House today, the Minister said that Government has created a strong network of higher education by opening good number of colleges in the uncovered areas to improve the literacy rate in the State, adding this vital sector will continue to receive the attention of the Government and efforts will be made to plug the gaps.
Regarding opening of new Degree Colleges in the uncovered areas, he said that Government has constituted a committee and all such demands will be examined on merit and norms to fulfill the aspirations of the people, adding functioning of University Campus established in different parts of the State will be streamlined so that the benefits of these campuses reach to the needy. He announced that new University Campus will be made functional at Leh, Kargil and Kupwara district during the next financial year.
Referring to the shortage of teaching staff in various colleges, the Minister said that the Government has created 1700 posts of different faculties and same will be referred to the PSC for early selection. He said the Government has also been considering absorbing permanently the adhoc/contractual teaching staff who have been engaged from time to time. The Government will examine this issue on case to case basis, he added.
Admitting the deficiency of technical/engineering colleges in the State to meet the requirements of students, the Minister said, “Government welcomes private players to come forward and establish technical colleges”. He appreciated the role of the private institutions in the education sector in the State for providing quality education and supplementing Government efforts and asked the private institutions to fulfill the required para-meters regarding infrastructure and academic standards.
In order to bring reforms in the present set up of education, the Government will hire the services of experts who will suggest how to improve the education scenario according to the modern trends and global requirements, Mr Lone said, adding “to make judicious use of funds in the Universities and Colleges Government will strengthen the monitoring mechanism. The process of framing rules for Government College for Engineering and Technology, Jammu has been set in motion and issues regarding implementation of 6th Pay Commission have also been decided. The functioning of all colleges will be streamlined to ensure work culture”.
Earlier, while participating in the discussion, National Panthers Party MLA Harshdev Singh stressed that colleges should not be sanctioned on political consideration and pick and choose basis so that eligible areas could get their due share.
Raising the issue of disparity in the salaries of Lecturers and Teaching Assistants despite having similar nature of work, Mr Singh said, “it is unfortunate that equal work and equal pay concept has been thrown into winds”, adding “the Government must treat Lecturers and Teaching Assistants equally”.
He also expressed concern over non-functioning of EDUSAT facility in the State and stressed that Government should make efforts to revive the same as this facility was providing immense benefit to the students in the remote areas of the State.
Seeking justice for the GCET faculty, the NPP MLA said that Government must immediately frame rules and remove pay anomaly besides implementation of 6th Pay Commission. He also demanded upgradation of GCET to the level of NIT at Srinagar.
Former Minister and National Conference MLA, Qamar Ali Akhoon highlighted the problems confronting the higher education sector in Kargil district while as Congress MLA and former Minister, Sharief Naz demanded immediate start of work on Kilotran Degree College and sanctioning of one more college for Bhaderwah tehsil.
Jammu State Morcha’s Ashwani Sharma demanded sufficient funds for newly opened college in his constituency, start of new subjects and opening of college at Arnia for the border area students. BJP’s Ashok Khajuria stressed the need to open colleges in areas like Suchetgarh, Marh and Ramgarh and said that there should be proper transfer policy in the Higher Education Department. He also demanded introduction of job oriented courses.
Prof Chaman Lal Gupta demanded abolition of contractual system in the higher education after regularizing all the contractual lecturers. He also expressed concern over un-satisfactory functioning of the Central University. Balwant Mankotia demanded start of Post Graduate courses in colleges of far-off areas and Dogri subject in the colleges especially when it has been included in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution of India.
Jugal Kishore demanded thrust on expanding the infrastructure of higher and technical education in the rural and far off areas. He also demanded Degree College at Manwal, funds for Jandrah Degree College, ITI and Polytechnic in his constituency. CPM MLA, Mohd Yousaf Tarigami said that Government should engage some experts to work out requirement in the field of higher education instead of going in for opening of colleges and other institutions in haphazard manner.
Javed Ahmed Dar, Ashok Kumar, Aijaz Jan, Charanjeet Singh, Krishan Chander Bhagat, Nasir Aslam Wani and Mohammad Ashraf Ganai also participated in the discussion. Later, the House passed the grants amounting to Rs 712.11 crore by voice vote.
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