In a bid to cope up with the unfolding crisis which emerged after the High Court ordered to enrol students on merit basis in colleges, State Chief Minister Harish Rawat on Sunday convened a meeting with the officials of the State Higher Education department.
During meeting, the Chief Minister categorically instructed them to begin evening classes in degree colleges and open a campus of Uttarakhand Open University in Dehradun. The officials were also advised to ask private institutes to increase their seats as much as possible.Rawat also directed the officials concerned to find out ways on how to adjust the students who would not be able to get enrolled in college due to high court order, in colleges.
“It is true that this problem can’t be addressed in a fortnight or so but we will have to take immediate step to address the issue. Whenever a large number of students come for admission you start evening classes so that they would be able to continue their study. You charge fee from students as regular classes. Ironically evening classes are being run the by the college on the basis of their own resources,” said the Chief Minister.
“You also open a campus of Uttarakhand Open University in Dehradun and provide them necessary infrastructure on priority basis and also installed laboratory facility. For this you can seek help of Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) and asked private teaching institution to increase their infrastructure so that they can enrol more students into their college.
In this state government would provide them necessary support so that they can upgrade their infrastructure to meet out the students’ expectation,” he added.“You also apprise the High Court about the State Government steps, which are being taken to upgrade the college infrastructure so that they would impart quality education to their students in class. As per long term plan you increase the infrastructure of degree colleges and improve teaching quality as well. With this we can provide them option so that they would not make beeline in particular colleges.”
CM also instructed them to publish five year calendar having information about how many students will be enrolled in particular course or colleges in next five years. Rawant also mentioned about how many students strength would be increased in colleges. During meeting CM Rawat was apprised that Uttarkhand Open University has started BSc classes.
During meeting Chief Secretary Subhash Kumar, Principal Secretary Higher education Manisha Panwar, Sridev Suman University Vice Chancellor Dr US Rawat, Dehradun DM Chandresh Kumar Yadav, Director Higher education Dr NP Maheshwari and other officials were present there.