PS Bali
In a crispy talk with Newspoint, Minister of Higher Education and Labour, Abdul Gani Malik revealed attempts made by Higher Education Department in expanding it to every nook of the state.
Excerpts ….
What are the targets in upgrading higher education?
Malik: The basic target of Higher Education Department is to reach the masses at its doorsteps in order to provide higher education.
Our main motive is to expand educational infrastructure in the state by which every student can avail easy access of higher education in cities as well as in far flung areas.
For the upgradation of educational system of the state, we are going to initiate post graduation courses in the private colleges, so that maximum numbers of students avail higher degrees, as there is huge gap between graduates and post graduates. After completing graduation, students apply for various post graduation courses under university, but due to dearth of vacant seats in varsity large number of students deprive of regular PG courses. The reason behind which is that we are short of faculty in private colleges; otherwise we would have started PG courses in private colleges. We don’t want to compromise in PG courses, so first we will introduce one to two subjects in private colleges and after satisfaction we will further expand courses.
We have also requested many B.Ed colleges to introduce M.Ed courses in their institutes for betterment of education at grass root level as right now we have 10th pass teacher in our government schools, which are spoiling career of next Generation. Every year around 44000 students get admitted into different B. Ed colleges but after that they strive, for their benefit we are going to introduce M. Ed course with the help of some B. Ed colleges to get cream of teachers for the government as well as private schools. As educational institutes are ever growing sector and will increase in coming time.
To check the smooth functioning of B. Ed Colleges in the state, we are going to constitute special teams for different areas to inspect the quality of the education being imparted.
Besides all this, our main target is to raise our Grass Enrollment Ratio (GER), with consistent pace.
Sir, what are your achievements so far out of your sketched targets, and what else is yet to accomplish?
Malik: To reckon targets and achievements, I think we have done a great job during my tenure as the education system of the state is now considered among few Indian states with such a rapid growth rate. We have six universities and more than 90 government colleges in addition to around 323 privately run colleges. Still we are working to establish more and more. For past three years the literacy rate of higher education in J&K state has increased by 5- 10 per cent which is not a less achievement.
Every year we add new subjects on the basis of requirement to enhance the scope for the students in different and novel fields and to make them competitive in and out of state.
Besides, all this every year we amend syllabus with addition of current statistics, which provides new horizons for the students to get more spirited.
Demand of B. Ed colleges in Jammu and Kashmir
Hence, government is not providing any aid to these private colleges, but they are affording quality education as well and are raising GER of state, which has recently touched 12 percent from 7.09 percent.
Are there any miss outs which you feel could have changed the education scenario?
Malik: Though there are very less miss outs but the long strikes and curfews in Kashmir have made us to lose precious time of our academia, but slowly and steadily we are coming out of it. In Jammu non-availability of land for Central University
Central University is a thousand-crore project which consumes around hundreds of kanal of land, and it always takes time to identify such a huge available land.
We have also missed last academic session of Central University
We have noticed that the placement ratio of management and computer students is on the decline. The reason behind its decline is poor faculty in colleges, we have diploma holders conducting classes for BCA students and simple MBA is for BBA and MBA students, which brings such results. Hence we have underlined this difficulty and very soon we will get some alternatives. And for which we would have to approach industries.
Meanwhile, the demand of Poonch and Ladakh students for central university is subtly haunting us, for which we have considered them for campuses but, it will only take place once CU starts a successful functioning in the Jammu
We were lacking in introducing post graduation courses in private colleges and that was due to dearth of faculty but now we have decided to start it in some to check college faculty to hone teachers for imparting higher education to PG students.
Being from far flung area, what is your contribution for border and far flung areas?
Malik: Being from far flung area, it was my profound desire to do something for such areas, where access to higher education is a far off dream for students. Higher education department is working to sort out this cliché wherein students from far-flung areas remain deprived of the facilities. For past few years besides government degree colleges many private colleges have been established in the far flung areas, except few for whom we are working. We are also planning to set up campus of Central University in the belt area of Poonch, despite its successful functioning in Jammu
Where does state stands in the field of higher education?
Malik: With such strides in the education system it definitely falls in the fast growing category. I am hopeful that in the coming times our state would over take many others in the literacy race.
