For ensuring quality higher education, the State has to allocate more funds in the 2015-16 Budget that is going to be presented in February 16. The Government has geared up for a common education pattern called Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) in all degree colleges from the next academic session. It has to provide teachers against huge vacancies in various colleges and keep fund for various other academic activities.
As a much-required step, it has to fulfill some of the most old and genuine demands of the teachers getting grants, whether in GIA or Block Grant mode. There is a need to appoint regular principals in colleges starting from Autonomous to Government, Government-aided and Block Grant. For all these, the Government has to hike its budgetary allocation this year.
For starting the new CBCS, the cooperation of the teachers and staff in the colleges is indispensable. The semester system would need more industry and commitment from the degree teachers. It would require skill upgradation and training. However, the most unfortunate thing is the degree teachers in the State do not have any separate status other than their counterparts in the Plus II level, especially in aided and Block Grant colleges. In the 488 group of colleges, those getting Block Grant are having no special financial benefit so far as teaching in Plus III and Plus II is concerned.
The same situation prevails in the 662 category colleges. There is no justice for imparting teaching at Plus III level, possessing higher qualifications like MPhil or PhD or attending refresher courses or having publication in respect of teachers. Under the present Block Grant, teachers, irrespective of teaching at Plus II or Plus III, their qualification and experience, get the same salary. Besides, the Block Grant teachers have been working without hike in their salary for years and their long cry for GIA has been ignored by the Government. As a result, these teachers feel harassed and hence, may not evince much interest for the new system of study.
However, the constant dip in revenue collection would pose as a dampener for a bigger size Budget this fiscal. The Government is in a tight spot as mining revenue has fallen by 24 per cent in April-November while overall revenue collection has dipped by 3.69 per cent over the same period. There is also no clear picture about the size of the Central grant. Since this is the last year of 13th Finance Commission and the first year of 14th Finance Commission will start in 2015-16, only after the Central Budget is presented, the State would be able to have an idea of its share.
Be that as it may, it is sure that unless funding is not hiked, the State may veritably find it hard to carry out its reform in the higher education and implement new pattern of education which have been necessary under the new guidelines of the UGC.