BHUBANESWAR: The Higher Education Department has formed a committee to look into the modalities for bifurcation of Plus-Two and Plus-Three.
The committee, comprising officials of School and Mass Education (S&ME) Department, Council of Higher Secondary Education (CHSE) and Directorate of Higher Education, will prepare a roadmap for the bifurcation which will pave way for availing grants under Rashtriya Madhyamik Siksha Abhiyan (RMSA).
A decision in this regard was taken recently at a high-level meeting held between authorities of Higher Education and S&ME Departments, Vice-Chancellors of all universities and CHSE officials.
The State Government is now losing `150 crore annually due to non-separation of Plus Two (junior colleges) from Plus-Three (degree colleges). Apparently, junior colleges are eligible for the grants only after their bifurcation from degree colleges.
The National Education Policy had earlier recommended to bring Plus Two under S&ME Department.
Though the Government had decided to bifurcate Plus Two in 1989-90, the decision is yet to be implemented. Official sources said a separate directorate for Higher Secondary Education will soon be created for managing the affairs of junior colleges.
This apart, the Government will have to amend the Orissa Education Service Rules for the separation.
As many as 255 colleges, both private and Government, have Plus Two and Plus Three courses. There are 51 Government Plus Two colleges and 46 Plus Three colleges of which nine junior colleges are functioning on separate campus.
The sanctioned strength of junior lecturers is 1,023 in Plus Two and 1,818 in degree colleges.