With a view to enhancing quality in higher education, a virtual tutorial package is being developed in Odisha.
Sources said the Department of Higher Education (DoHE) has taken a lead in this regard by undertaking several digital initiatives including a virtual tutorial package which will be developed by the Utkal University.
The DoHE has sanctioned Rs 5 crore for developing the package under RUSA (Rashtriya Ucchatar Sikshya Authority). ACS Higher Education GVV Sarma recently took a review of the digital initiatives undertaken by DoHE, which was attended by senior officials. The requirement of a virtual tutorial package was felt against the backdrop of introduction of a Choice-Based Credit System at the undergraduate level.
One of the prime reasons for providing virtual tutorial package was the unavailability of enough skilled faculties in remote colleges and in tribal areas. The Utkal University is going ahead with such a digital initiative and soon it will be made available to the students, said a senior DoHE official.
As the State Government is providing laptops to the meritorious students passing out from junior colleges, this will also help them in making them digitally empowered. Over 75,000 students were given laptops from 2013 onwards to encourage them towards higher education opportunities.
Under the Biju Yuba Shasaktikaran Yojana, 15,000 laptops are being distributed for free every year. Similarly, another digital initiative includes eMedhabruti, which is provided to at least 24,500 students from different streams including professional courses.
These students are awarded scholarships for pursuing higher studies and as on today over 1.25 lakh students of Plus II, Degree, professional courses and Post Graduates have been assisted by eMedhabruti, revealed an officer.
Both the programmes are being funded entirely by the State Government as there is no such centrally sponsored scheme available to help out the needy students in this regard.
Speaking about another major digital initiative, an official of DoHE said every year 4 lakh online applications are processed under eAdmission system for around 1,000 degree, autonomous, vocational institutions and it is across the State for 2.50 lakh seats.
eAdmission is implemented through Student Academic Management System (SAMS). Presently, there are 52 Gover-nment Degree Colleges, 788 private Degree Colleges and 16 universities, imparting education for nearly over 3 lakh students in higher education sector.
With the State Government laying stress on quality education, gross enrolment ratio (GER) has increased during these years in the State. While GER was 16.1 per cent in 2010-11, it has increased to 21 per cent in 2016-17. However, it is observed that there are blocks in tribal districts having not a single college.
Accordingly, the DoHE has urged the Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD) to sanction Model Degree Colleges in at least five such blocks without having any college. The initiative can be taken up under the RUSA Programme, said a senior official of DoHE. A memorandum has been presented to the MHRD in this regard and the State Government has pressed for considering the proposal on priority basis.