he University
Grants
Commission conducted
a
National
Seminar on
"Higher Education Development in the North-Eastern States - Towards an Action Plan" through its North- Eastern Regional Office at Guwahati, on 14-15 November, 2003. The Seminar was inaugurated by Shri Tarun Chandra Gogoi, Chief Minister of Assam. In his inaugural address Shri Gogoi stressed on the much needed linkage
of higher
education to economy,
commerce and trade.
He appreciated the
efforts of the
University
Grants Commission in
promoting skill-oriented
courses alongwith
general education. He
also stated that the
State Government is in
favour of
giving
autonomy to good
colleges and would
take steps
to
implement the
scheme.
Prof. Arun Nigavekar, Chairman, UGC, in his presidential address said that in view of changes taking place across the globe, a new thinking has emerged and the education is being linked to economy of the country. This linkage of education and economy has made the education a trade and the countries are striving hard to sell their education in other countries. However, in India, the education is linked to the changes at social, cultural and family levels and is one of the fundamental needs of the nation and, therefore, cannot be taken merely as a trade. |
Speaking on the Indian education system he mentioned that during the past 50 years Indian education system has expanded vastly and there has been a tremendous increase in the number of universities, colleges, students and teachers, e.g., number of universities has increased from 25 to about 350, colleges from 700 to over 16000, students from 7 lakhs to 19 lakhs, and teachers from 15 thousand to about 4.75 lakhs. But,
still the access ratio is just 7% as compared to 30- 60% in developed countries. During X Plan UGC has a target to achieve the access ratio of 10%. He mentioned that in view of "Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan" of Government of India, the UGC has to prepare itself to cater to the increasing demand in view of the several million students entering into the higher education system. Also, the UGC has to ensure the quality and relevance of education. He said that general education has not lost its relevance. It is the base of India and in future development of the Country, education has a
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bigger role to play. He stated that presently, only 17% students out of the total number of students pursuing higher education in India are in professional education and remaining are studying in general streams of Arts, Commerce and Science. It is, therefore, needed that all efforts and resources should ensure that the basic education should be relevant. He emphasized that along with the general degree courses there is a need to provide
career orientation courses
at comparatively low fee
structure, so as to enable
the students to develop
added skills and
get
added certificates and
diploma along
with
degrees.
He also informed that
UGC has initiated steps to
identify about
150
colleges as colleges with
potential for excellence
for which UGC will
provide an additional support up to Rs.100 lakhs for each college, provided the college is autonomous or should get autonomy and should get itself accredited by NAAC. A high performing, top NAAC-accredited , autonomous college would then be eligible for a total additional support of Rs.1.72 crores including the autonomy grant.
Dr. Nirmal Kumar Chaudhary, former Vice Chancellor, Gauhati University in his welcome address suggested that the UGC should
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