Step aimed at holistic evolution of sector
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 15: To ensure proper planning, monitoring, evaluation and quality assurance in universities and other higher educational institutions of the State, the Government is going to establish State Higher Education Council with the approval of the State Legislature.
A bill in this regard was introduced in the Legislative Assembly by Minister for Horticulture Syed Basharat Ahmad Bukhari on behalf of Minister for Education Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari.
Under the guidelines prescribed by the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development, the State needs to set up Higher Education Council through an exertive order to begin with but must be converted into statutory bodies by Acts of the State Legislature within two years for enforcing planning, monitoring, evaluation and quality assurance in the universities and other higher educational institutions of the State, the Minister said in the statement of objects and reasons.
The Council will render advice to State Government, State Universities, Private Universities and other institutions of higher education in the State and to coordinate the role of the State Government. Moreover, the Council will provide common facilities in higher education without impairing upon the autonomy and promote research by encouraging coordination between State Universities and other Universities of the country and abroad.
“At present, no creation of staff as well as infrastructure is involved as such there is no financial implication”, the Minister informed the House.
The State Higher Education Council will advice for a comprehensive and holistic evolution of higher education sector; strategize and steer the expansion of the higher education; evolve new concepts and programmes; provide academic input to the Government and to the universities, research institutions and other centers of higher education in the State for the formulation and implementation of the policies and evolve a perspective plan for its development suo moto or on the suggestions from Government or request from universities or other institutions.
The Council will also undertake or cause to undertake independent research for generation of new ideas for the promotion of social justice and academic excellence in higher education; undertake human resource development planning for the State and plan the growth and development of higher education in accordance with such planning and suggest improvements in curriculum and syllabi in accordance with the changing societal and academic requirement and facilitate the development and publication of teaching material.
Moreover, the Council will advice the Government on the start of new courses, colleges and other higher education institutions in the State; evolve schemes for providing equitable opportunities for higher education, scholarships and free-ships, financial assistance to the needy students, coordinate implementation of SC, ST and other eligible backward classes welfare programmes of the Central and State Governments.
Approval of State Higher Education Plan, allocation of funds under RUSA and suggesting accreditation reforms in consultation with National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) will also be the mandate of the Council.
Chief Minister will be the Chairperson of the Council while as Minister for Higher Education will be its Vice-Chairperson. The MoS Higher Education, Chief Secretary, Administrative Secretaries of Planning, Finance and School Education Departments, VCs of all the Universities of J&K, Nodal Principal of the Colleges, two former VCs (to be nominated by the Chairman), two eminent Professors (to be nominated by the Chairman), two nominees from outside the State (to be nominated by the Chairman) and one NRI of the State (to be nominated by the Chairman) will be the members of the Council.
Administrative Secretary of Higher Education Department will be Member Secretary while as Director IIT Jammu and Director IIM Jammu will be special invitees.
It is pertinent to mention here that there are 7 Universities, 96 Government Degree Colleges and 208 private BEd, Law and Degree Colleges besides two Agricultural Universities and two Central Universities in Jammu and Kashmir. In order to avail the benefits for development of education sector, two Cluster Universities have also been established under Rashtriya Uchchattar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) Scheme.
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