Odisha HRD

Major initiatives by MHRD in the last three years

May 23rd, 2007

From http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=28152

Raising public spending in Education; Commitment to universalise access to quality basic education; Revision of National Curriculum Framework for School Education; Strengthening Technical Education and Expansion of Higher Education are some of the highlights of the major initiatives of the Ministry of Human Resource Development  during the last three years. These are:-

1. The Plan Budget of the HRD Ministry has been substantially raised from about Rs.7025 crores in the year 2003-04 to Rs.20745.5 crores in 2006-07 and now for the year 2007-08, in the budget, a Plan Outlay of Rs.28674 crores which is an increase of 38.2% over previous year, has been proposed.

2. Central assistance to State for elementary education, notably for the flagship programmes of SSA and MDM which was around Rs.4647 crores in 2003-2004 has been increased massively to about Rs.16893 crores in 2006-07.

3. With the help of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and Mid Day Meals Scheme, as also their own schemes, States have managed to substantially reduce the number of out-of-school children at the elementary stage.  Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) at the elementary level in 2004-05 stands at 93.5%.  Infrastructure and teacher pupil ratio at the elementary level are also improving where SSA has contributed by opening 2.40 lakh schools, constructing over 98,000 classrooms and appointing 7.38 lakh teachers, all of which should hopefully have a salutary effect on quality.

4.      The nutritional norm for the Mid-Day Meal programme was revised from 300 calories to 450 calories, 12 grams of protein and micro-nutrient supplementation.  The cooking cost norm was revised to Rs.2 per child per school day with central assistance of Rs.1.80 for the States in the NE Region and Rs.1.50 for other States and UTs.  In addition, keeping in view safety and hygiene norms, central assistance was provided for construction of cooking sheds and purchase / replenishment of kitchen devices.  Ministry , during 2006-07, was able to provide assistance for construction of kitchen sheds in 1.94 lakh schools across the country. An exercise has been commenced for extension of the programme to upper primary levels in 3,427 economically backward blocks.

5. Ministry circulated a Model Bill on Right to Education for comments from the States.  18 States and UTs have, so far, forwarded their comments.

6. Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs), and Jawahar NovodayaVidyalayas (JNVs) have been recognized as setting the standards for the secondary education in the country.  50 new KVs and 28 new JNVs have been approved in 2006-07, in addition to the 919 existing KVs and 539 JNVs.

7. 2180 Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs) have been sanctioned upto March 2007, which includes 1000 new KGBVs in 2006-07.  88% of KGBVs have been operationalised.  A major national evaluation conducted this year has shown that the scheme has received ‘high priority and political attention in all States and has been launched in record time with a clear commitment to reach out to out-of-school girls.  The programme has been very well received by the community and has responded to diverse poverty situations including remote inaccessible locations’.

8. National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) is the largest open schooling system in the world.  Since inception NIOS has registered 14 lakh learners at all stages.

9. In order to arrest the drop out ratio and encourage students to continue their education beyond class VIII, the Government has introduced a National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme. One lakh students each year will be given Rs. 6,000 per year for study in classes IX to XII. It is proposed to more than double the Kendriya Vidyalaya system from existing 919 schools by opening of 1,000 new schools over the Eleventh Plan period. Likewise, the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya system too would expand to more than double its existing size of 539 schools through opening of 700 more schools over the Plan period.

10. 17 Regional Engineering Colleges and 3 other State Colleges have been converted into national Institutes of Technology, fully funded by the Centre.  A Bill to grant statutory status to NITs is now before Parliament.

11. To give a boost to education and research in science: three Indian Institutes of Science Education & Research, at Pune, Kolkata and Mohali have been sanctioned, of which the first two have already started functioning.  The third one at Mohali is expected to start functioning from the academic year 2007.  The UGC is also taking action to implement the recommendations of the Prof. M.M. Sharma Task Force on Strengthening Basic Science Research in Universities.

12. The seven IITs and six IIMs have served the country extremely well and have done us proud. It is now proposed to establish 3 new IITs in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan during the XIth Plan.  It has also been decided to establish a 7^th IIM at Shillong in the North East.   Two new Schools of Planning and Architecture are also proposed to be started at Vijaywada and Bhopal.  In addition to the existing Indian Institute of Information Technology at Gwalior, Allahabad and Jabalpur under the Government of India, a  new IIIT (Design and Manufacturing) has been approved to be established at Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu.  Proposals have been submitted to the Planning Commission for starting 20 new IIITs so as to cover each major State.

13. A number of steps have been taken by the Government to ensure that all institutions of higher learning and professional education retain their autonomy. This includes- (i) Restoration of the power of the IIMs to decide on their fee structure, (ii) Financial contributions now need not be routed through the Bharat Shiksha Kosh, (iii) Draft Model University Act to standardise governance across universities withdrawn, (iv) Preparation of a report by a committee of CABE on measures for enhancing the autonomy of higher education institutions as a consensual basis for further action, (v) Withdrawal of orders requiring universities to seek prior approval for entering into MoU with foreign institutions for collaboration in research, (vi) Reintroducing providing of Block Grants to institutions to restore financial autonomy, and (vii) Making the participation of universities in the AIEEE optional.

14. Regulations relating to the procedures for grant of recognition etc. have been revised and notified by bodies like the CBSE, the UGC and the NAAC that recognise or accredit educational institutions to provide for online submission and processing of applications and prescribing of time frames for disposal of applications.

15. Plan assistance to State universities has been made into a separate budget item under UGC assistance since 2006-07.  The allocation under this head in 2006-07 was Rs.755 crores which has been raised to Rs.1193 crores in 2007-08, which is a major jump.

16. Four new Central Universities have been created during 2006 through Acts of Parliament.  Arunachal Pradesh (Rajiv Gandhi National University) and Tripura University have been converted from State Universities into Central Universities, while a new University of Sikkim has been created.  The Central Institute of English and Foreign Languages has been converted into a Central University.    Now all States in the North East have a Central University each.  Besides the above, a total of six Central Universities have been created (including the Allahabad University and Manipur University which were created by converting the existing State Universities)  since the UPA Govt. assumed office.

17.   With a view to increasing support to women’s education, the UGC has raised the amounts available for the construction of women’s hostels from Rs.25 lakhs to Rs.2.00 crores in metro cities and Rs.1.00 crore elsewhere. 

18. With a view to attract talent and encourage research, UGC has announced a substantial increase in the fellowship amounts for the NET qualified PhD students from the existing Rs.8000 per month to Rs.12000 per month along with the existing percentage of HRA and contingencies.  Further, corresponding enhancements have also been announced for the subsequent years as well as for Research Associates.  Even for the Non-NET qualified candidates, the existing amounts of PhD fellowships which were introduced at the rate of Rs.5000 per month in the year 2006 in the Central Universities, are proposed to be enhanced by almost 50%, besides increasing the coverage by including all State Universities with Potential for Excellence, all University Departments with Centres for Advanced Studies (CAS) and Special Assistance Programmes (SAP), all Departments assisted by the Fund for Infrastructure for Science & Technology (FIST) and all autonomous colleges and institutions having NAAC or NBA accreditations and having been running PhD programmes for at least the previous five years.  This is applicable since 1.4.2007.

19. The HRD Ministry has launched a very comprehensive learning portal called “SAKSHAT” in October, 2006.  SAKSHAT is a major step towards our commitment to bring education within reach of every Indian, regardless of his or her age, using the best of modern technology.

20. A statutory National Commission on Minority Educational Institutions has been established, which is also empowered to adjudicate on complaints relating to denial of minority status to educational institutions.

21. A Committee headed by Shri M.A.A. Fatmi, Union Minister of State in the Ministry of HRD has given its recommendations for giving a boost to Minority Education in the light of the Sachar Committee Report.  These recommendations are under consideration.

22. Article 15 of the Constitution was amended by near unanimity by the Parliament in January, 2006 to enable reservation for SCs, STs and other Socially and Economically Backward Classes in admission to educational institutions.  To follow up on this, Ministry had requested all the States in January 2006 to enact State-specific legislations.  According to information available with the Ministry, 06 States (Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand) have so far done  so while Rajasthan has issued an executive order.

As regards Central institutions, the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Act has been enacted and notified in January, 2007.  The Hon’ble Supreme Court has in its interim order stated that it would be desirable to keep in hold the operation of this Act so far as it relates to Section 6 thereof for the OBCs.  The Government is examining all legal options to resolve this issue at the earliest.

Entry Filed under: K-12,MHRD bias against Odisha (past?)