The situation of higher education in Odisha has not only been witnessing new challenges but greater opportunities with regard to expanding the higher education system in a sustainable way, eschewing ad hoc short-term solutions; taking on board complex issues of quality and relevance; addressing inequalities of access and outcomes; and putting into practice more flexible Government structures and management practices.
The State has a population of 4.20 crore (2011 census). The Scheduled Castes in the State are 17.1 per cent of the total population (71.88lacs) and the Scheduled Tribes are 22.8 per cent, which is 96 lakh. Thus, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes combined together is a significant portion that is 39.9 per cent of the total population.
Here, the relevance of higher education for the socially and economically disadvantaged groups or in broader terms for the inclusive development of the State becomes more important.
As per 2011 census, the urban population is 150.72 lakh and rural population is 269.02 lakh. Thus, majority of the State’s population live in rural areas having less access to higher education in comparison to people living in urban areas. In 1947, there were only 12 colleges in Odisha,both Junior and Degree combined together, with an enrolment of 4,104 students. In 2018-19, there were 52 Government Degree Colleges and 840 private degree colleges, imparting education for near about 2 lakh students. At the time of independence, there was only one university in the State. Now, there are 16 general universities, including four newly established universities viz. GM University, Khallikote University, RD Women’s’ University and State Open University.
As regards the educational scenario in Odisha, the All India Survey on Higher Education for the Year 2017-18 maintains that Odisha has 23 colleges per each lakh population, as against all India average of 28.
Further, the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in Odisha is 22 in comparison to all India average of 25.8. Again, in terms of pupil-teacher ratio, the figure for all the institutions is 26 in Odisha, the same as national average. All steps like rapid process of institution building, bringing in brilliant faculty, encouraging collaborations, moving towards internationalizations, facilitating indigenous research, emphasizing on equality, addressing contextual social issues, and social outreaching are in the agenda of reforms in higher education and are being adopted religiously with support and whole-hearted efforts of policy makers, educational administrators, researchers and teachers of the State.
Odisha has become a hub of education by establishment of IIT, IIM,IIIT, NISER, AIIMS, NIT, IISER, and the Central University, Koraput. Research institutes like Institute of Physics, Institute of Life Sciences, Central Rice Research Institute, Institutes of Minerals and Materials Technology, Regional Medical Research Centre, Indian Petrochemical Institute, Central Institute of Fisheries and Aqua Culture, etc. promote research and development in respective areas funded by the Central Government.
Utmost care has been taken for reforms in course curricula, examination reforms, decentralization and quality improvement in the system. Employability is also there in the agenda of reforms in higher education in Odisha.
Creation of model colleges in backward and tribal districts of the State, with well-developed infrastructure, qualified teachers, developed governance system and regular structured system of monitoring, encourages students for higher studies in these institutes.
Creation of teachers’ training institutes at universities, and different district headquarters are meant for creating well developed and qualified teachers to teach in schools for developing better students to be the feeders for better higher educations.
To educate, empower and employ the youth masses of the State, the Government has been providing and introducing various schemes and policies. The Government has taken many important financial steps realizing the poor financial condition of most of the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled tribes, OBCs and SEBCs families for last many years, so that students of disadvantageous group would not think of dropping out in the middle of their education. ‘Green Passage’ Scheme has started from the academic session 2016-17 with a view to providing free higher education to orphan students pursuing higher education.
Financial assistance is also provided to the students of underprivileged sections of the society under “Gopabandhu Sikshya Sahayata Yojana”.
To promote the regional language “Odia”, another scheme “Vyasakabi Fakir Mohan Bhasabruti” is given to the students doing well in Odia in the final examinations. The special provision extends from providing hostels, scholarships, stipend and laptops to the meritorious and underprivileged students to pursue their education. The smart classroom has been introduced in order to facilitate the audio-visual teaching methods in the classroom. Apart from these, the library and internet facility also has been taken into consideration.
The Government has introduced various programmes such as virtual Tutorials, capacity building conclaves, personality development programme, orientation and refresher programmes for teachers under RUSA and Word Bank assistance in achieving the excellence, inclusiveness and quality of education.
The universities of Odisha have been accredited with higher grades. For example, Utkal University, a category 1 university with NACC A+ Grade, is an example of progress towards quality education and research in the State. With the support of RUSA, these centres of higher education will flourish as centres for excellence and employability.
A major step towards development of higher education is the support of Government of Odisha to its universities and 140 colleges including autonomous colleges of the State by assistance from the World Bank.
The assistance is provided for improving infrastructure, strengthening research laboratories, promoting collaborations with quality institutes/universities, promoting equity addressing the issues of students at the lower strata, reaching the society and other stakeholders on contemporary issues, addressing developmental issues, conducting quality research with exchange of resource supports. Also, mentoring of colleges by universities to move towards being centres for good learning in the agenda shows the keenness of policymakers to ensure better higher education in the State.
More reforms, including automations, good governance, student friendly examination system, quality education through uniform update curricula, and CBCS etc. will ensure a structured quality growth of higher education in the State. Activating HRD centres at universities and strengthening College Developing Councils are intended to improve quality of teachers and colleges in the State.
Institution building is about creating sustainable organizations with positive value system guided by strong vision and mission.
Implementation of UGC guidelines with objective system of selection of better faculty and promotion therein is definitely helping the system to grow with quality and equity. Common admission system with quality tests will help in quality intake of students which is essential for better education.
However, the efforts for good governance, transparent examination and financial system, developed infrastructure, qualified faculty and support staff, better facilities for research etc. are the sine qua non of a promising, effective and efficient higher education system in Odisha. This needs proper monitoring and evaluation to ensure continuity of efforts for excellence in research, training and education. Odisha has tremendous potential for promoting better education as 50 per cent of its population is less than 25 years of age who can be converted to quality learners provided, the State continues with its thrust for quality and employability. It is expected that by 2030, Odisha has at least 100 better institutes of learning of which may be in the list of best institutes in the world.
(The writer is Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Higher Education Department, Odisha)