Infrastructure and lack of teachers being the major problems faced by the universities in Odisha, Chancellor of Universities S C Jamir on Monday formed four sub-committees to look into these issues.
The sub-committees will comprise Vice-Chancellors and other higher officials of various universities.
The four sub-committees would look into necessary amendments to Orissa Universities Act, 1989, Orissa Universities First Statute, 1990, and Orissa Universities Account Manual, 1987, adherence and incorporation of norms framed by regulatory bodies like University Grants Commission (UGC), All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) by the universities, infrastructure issues and academic and administrative reforms.
The decision was taken during a meeting between the Chancellor and the Vice-Chancellors of Biju Patnaik University of Technology (BPUT), Utkal University of Culture, Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT), Sanskrit University, Sambalpur University, Utkal University, Ravenshaw University, Berhampur University, North Odisha University and Fakir Mohan University on Monday.
This was the first time that the Chancellor met the VCs of all the universities.
After the VCs spoke about various problems in their institutions, Jamir asked them to focus on five criteria __ quality education, excellence, equity, expansion and inclusion. He also deliberated on appointment of faculty, improving the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education sector which today stands at just 14 per cent, bridging the rural-urban divide and inclusion of ST, SC and tribal students.
Jamir asked members of the four committees to prepare reports on various problems being faced by all the State Government-run universities and propose reforms that can be implemented to streamline the education system.
While Utkal University VC P K Sahoo and his BPUT counterpart J K Satpathy have been asked to coordinate with the four sub-committees, all the VCs will once again meet on October 3 to deliberate upon the reports submitted.
Subsequently, a final report would be submitted to the Chancellor, who would then take up the matter with the Higher Education Minister and the Secretary.
VC of Utkal University of Culture D Jena, who attended the meeting, said it was a fruitful discussion on how to improve the quality of higher education in the State.
“I told the Chancellor that the Culture University is yet to be registered under Section 12B of the UGC Act as a result of which, no funds are allocated for development. Similarly, infrastructure and shortage of teaching and non-teaching staff in other universities were taken up by my counterparts,” he said.
4 SUB-PANELS
■ Four sub-committees formed to look into problems faced by the universities.
■ The sub-committees will comprise Vice-Chancellors and other higher officials of various universities.
■ This was the first time that the Chancellor met the VCs of all the universities.