THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: An expert panel consisting of pro-vice-chancellors (PVC) from the state’s varsities has been set up by the government for devising a common academic calendar to ensure timely conduct of varsity examinations and announcement of results, Higher Education Minister KT Jaleel informed the Assembly on Tuesday.
The higher education sector will witness major changes, once the common academic calendar comes into existence, he said. According to the minister, the authorities are exploring the possibility of informing examination results to students and parents via mobile phones. The moves under way to turn institutions into centres of excellence will give a fillip to research programmes, Jaleel said.
Engg education quality hit
Jaleel told the House mushrooming of engineering colleges coupled with understaffed faculty have resulted in a slide in the quality of education provided by them. Though, the existing guidelines allow only those with MTech/ PhD to be appointed as faculty members, many colleges had to recruit BTech holders as teachers due to manpower shortage.He also directed the colleges to establish internal quality assurance cell to maintain quality in education. “Syllabus revision will take place from next academic year,” he said.