The Department of Higher Education (DHE) has yet again written to the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) to sanction eight Model Degree colleges in educationally backward districts of the State.
With the MHRD extending the Model Degree college project to the 12th Plan, the DHE has now approached the Ministry in this regard.
In 2009, MHRD had decided to set up these colleges in 374 educationally backward districts all over the country.
The Ministry had received 125 such proposals from States and approved 48 of them. The plan was initiated in the 11th Plan period.
The scheme aims at increasing the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in educationally backward districts where the GER is less than the national average of 12.4 per cent and subsequently increase the GER in higher education from 12.4 pc to 30 pc by 2020.
In June last year, the DHE had proposed to UGC to open Model Degree colleges in Boudh (having GER of 6.8 pc), Deogarh (9.7), Malkangiri (3.9), Nayagarh (9.6), Nabarangapur (3.5), Nuapada (6.7), Rayagada (6.7) and Sonepur (10.5).
As per Ministry sources, all the proposals were referred back to the Odisha Government for clarifications and DHE returned them with corrections. The Government even set aside State’s financial share in setting up the colleges in 2012-13 Budget.
According to UGC norms, the Centre will provide assistance to the extent of one-third of the capital cost for each college with maximum margin being Rs 2.67 crore. Also, the land for college will be provided free of cost by the State.
However, by the time the proposals were resent, the 11th Plan period was over.
“We have met the UGC Chairman Ved Prakash and Deputy Secretary of UGC Archana Thakur over the issue. The State Government has urged UGC to give green signal to the Model Degree colleges for eight districts so that we can take necessary steps in the 12th Plan,” said Gagan Dhal, Secretary of DHE.