HYDERABAD: Commenting that most of the government degree colleges in the state are not even eligible to apply for National Assessment and Accreditation Council’s (NAAC) accreditation, deputy Chief Minister and education minister Kadiam Srihari has asked officials to make sure that all government degree colleges go in for accreditation by the end of 2016-17.
Speaking after inaugurating Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) Resource Centre on the premises of Indira Priyadarshini Government Degree College for Women here on Friday, he said, “Higher education was neglected in the combined state of Andhra Pradesh. Although some new government degree colleges have been sanctioned, they do not have proper infrastructure such as land, building and faculty. Out of the 130 government degree colleges, only 52 got NAAC accreditation and the others are not even eligible to apply. We should make sure that all the government degree colleges have necessary facilities and become eligible to go in for accreditation by the end of this academic year or else our colleges might lose credibility.
“This year we have allocated `140 crore in the planned budget. Government colleges which have land should take the necessary permissions and start constructing of buildings as soon as possible. Those without land should approach the district collectors for land. If necessary, the land can be purchased.”
On the staff crunch, he said, “Soon the contract staff will be regularised and we will have more than 75 pc of requirement. The sanctioned posts in new colleges will also be filled soon.”
The deputy Chief Minister asked the Telangana State Council for Higher Education, universities and the commissioner of higher education to work together to improve the quality of higher education in the state. “There is no point in these three working independently. They should meet regularly and have brainstorming sessions to prepare strategies for raising the standards of higher education.”
He also asked the officials to conduct special drives to improve the enrolment in government degree colleges.
RUSA scheme
It is a centrally-sponsored scheme launched by the Union ministry of HRD to improve key areas of higher education i.e access, equity and quality. Accreditation of universities and colleges by NAAC is mandatory to be eligible for funding under RUSA.