New Delhi, Jun 18 (KNN) As you drive down on any of the national highways, you will see that a large number of colleges and universities have sprung up in the private sector with each one of them claiming global standards. But do they have standards and qualified teaching faculties. These questions bother you if you have to send your ward to any of these colleges at a hefty fee.

Thankfully, the new government knows the problem and has promised it will take some measures.

Concerned over mushrooming growth of universities and colleges with no standard facilities or full faculty, Human Resource Development, Smriti Zubin Irani has supported the proposed  “Know Your  College “ drive  with the help of internet that will help students decipher  the sub-standard and quality education.

Besides, technology will be leveraged for empowering the students and teachers. For this, the government proposes to launch a large number of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) and also establish a National e-Library by the end of this year.  

 Interacting with state representatives at the Conference of State Secretaries of Higher and Technical Education here yesterday, Irani asked the States to monitor such institutes to ensure that they conform to the standards.  She also supported a strong “Know Your College” drive whereby it would be possible to get the details of Colleges on the website, which would help the students to make correct choices. 
 
Meanwhile, she said that a new Central University for Himalayan Technology will soon be set up in Uttarakhand. The Institute will also have international faculty. 

The Minister sought the help of states to create an enabling environment for education of children in backward areas, minorities, women, weaker sections and tribal zones. Special steps are being taken by the ministry to meet needs of higher education of students from the north-east in the form of collaborative efforts with premier institutes of the country.

 Irani highlighted the need for a Rashtriya Aavishkar Abhiyaan to make science interesting for children, system of finding patents and to make parents and communities a part of the innovation realm. She asked the states to revisit the Right to Education Act in the light of their experiences. The fragmentation between the primary, secondary and higher education should be removed and skill development should start at the school level while continuing upto the higher levels. Technology will be leveraged for empowering the students and teachers. For this, the ministry proposes to launch a large number of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) and also establish a National e-Library by the end of this year, she explained. 

The minister also said that there should be a National Framework of Ranking of Universities and Colleges suited to the local conditions, circumstances and requirements. The Shaala Deep Programme of schools can also be replicated in colleges. (KNN Bureau)