Low density of govt diploma faculties in Odisha stays a priority

Express News Service

BHUBANESWAR:  For the brand new tutorial session of 2023-24, the state authorities has significantly expanded the scope of upper training by opening extra self-financing, aided and unaided diploma faculties. Yet, fairness within the sector stays a priority, notably within the educationally-backward blocks, because the state lacks an sufficient variety of authorities diploma faculties which give inexpensive increased training to the poor and tribal college students.

For the upcoming session, 18 new diploma faculties have been opened up to now taking the whole variety of diploma faculties to 1,042. But the variety of faculties run by the federal government nonetheless stands at 49. The relaxation are aided and self-financing faculties which cost extra charges than the federal government faculties. 

Also, the city and rural distribution of presidency faculties just isn’t in accordance with the proportion of scholars (within the age group of 18-23 years) residing in these areas.  According to the Students Academic Management System (SAMS) information, solely 12 per cent of the 49 authorities faculties are in rural and tribal areas of the state. This even if the federal government has been attempting to enhance the gross enrollment ratio in increased training in backward areas. Interestingly, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur and Jharsuguda districts nonetheless do not need any authorities diploma faculties.

The state has 173 educationally-backward blocks of which 19 do not need any form of faculties. Besides, 26 blocks have only one faculty, be it aided, unaided or self-financing.  Experts stated other than GER, fairness and entry to increased training needs to be given significance within the present instances when the diploma training state of affairs is present process a metamorphosis with introduction of up to date topics.

“Government’s focus on increasing GER by allowing more private educational institutions is a welcome move but it should also consider if the students from rural pockets can afford to study in a self-financing college or pursue a self-financing course by paying more fees,” stated academician Surendra Jena. 

Official sources stated the final time authorities faculties had been opened within the state was in 2015 with eight mannequin (authorities) diploma faculties established within the educationally-backward districts of Rayagada, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Boudh, Sonepur, Deogarh, Nayagarh and Nuapada beneath the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA)-1 scheme of Central authorities. Under RUSA-2, 5 extra mannequin diploma faculties would open within the state however these are beneath development now.

Officials within the Higher Education Department stated establishing of a authorities faculty requires funds for infrastructure and manpower, each unavailable at current. “If a private body is willing to open a self-financing college in a backward district, there is no harm in granting it permission because it would look into its faculty requirement and other modalities,” they added. Meanwhile, the division is contemplating opening of schools within the 45 (19+26) educationally-backward blocks which are with none faculty or have only one faculty, quickly.  

BHUBANESWAR:  For the brand new tutorial session of 2023-24, the state authorities has significantly expanded the scope of upper training by opening extra self-financing, aided and unaided diploma faculties. Yet, fairness within the sector stays a priority, notably within the educationally-backward blocks, because the state lacks an sufficient variety of authorities diploma faculties which give inexpensive increased training to the poor and tribal college students.

For the upcoming session, 18 new diploma faculties have been opened up to now taking the whole variety of diploma faculties to 1,042. But the variety of faculties run by the federal government nonetheless stands at 49. The relaxation are aided and self-financing faculties which cost extra charges than the federal government faculties. 

Also, the city and rural distribution of presidency faculties just isn’t in accordance with the proportion of scholars (within the age group of 18-23 years) residing in these areas.  According to the Students Academic Management System (SAMS) information, solely 12 per cent of the 49 authorities faculties are in rural and tribal areas of the state. This even if the federal government has been attempting to enhance the gross enrollment ratio in increased training in backward areas. Interestingly, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur and Jharsuguda districts nonetheless do not need any authorities diploma faculties.googletag.cmd.push(operate() googletag.show(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); );

The state has 173 educationally-backward blocks of which 19 do not need any form of faculties. Besides, 26 blocks have only one faculty, be it aided, unaided or self-financing.  Experts stated other than GER, fairness and entry to increased training needs to be given significance within the present instances when the diploma training state of affairs is present process a metamorphosis with introduction of up to date topics.

“Government’s focus on increasing GER by allowing more private educational institutions is a welcome move but it should also consider if the students from rural pockets can afford to study in a self-financing college or pursue a self-financing course by paying more fees,” stated academician Surendra Jena. 

Official sources stated the final time authorities faculties had been opened within the state was in 2015 with eight mannequin (authorities) diploma faculties established within the educationally-backward districts of Rayagada, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Boudh, Sonepur, Deogarh, Nayagarh and Nuapada beneath the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA)-1 scheme of Central authorities. Under RUSA-2, 5 extra mannequin diploma faculties would open within the state however these are beneath development now.

Officials within the Higher Education Department stated establishing of a authorities faculty requires funds for infrastructure and manpower, each unavailable at current. “If a private body is willing to open a self-financing college in a backward district, there is no harm in granting it permission because it would look into its faculty requirement and other modalities,” they added. Meanwhile, the division is contemplating opening of schools within the 45 (19+26) educationally-backward blocks which are with none faculty or have only one faculty, quickly.