‘New education policy to give more autonomy to private universities’

Rachna Khaira

Tribune News Service

Phagwara/ Jalandhar, May 22

While hinting towards granting more autonomy to the private educational institutes in terms of introducing new courses in the soon to be announced new education policy, Union Human Resource and Development (HRD) Minister Smriti Irani said the universities would be able to introduce new academic courses without taking any permission from the concerned regulator.

“After the introduction of the new education policy, the private universities will be able to introduce new academic courses without taking any permission from the concerned regulator,” said Irani while addressing academicians at the DAV Institute of Engineering and Technology (DAVIET) in Jalandhar.

However, she said: “The facility will be extended only to some of the chosen recognised universities who would be given accreditation on the basis of various factors to be introduced in the new policy.”

She also informed that the new education policy would focus on the up gradation of the syllabus of some of the premier educational institutes across India and the Union Ministry of HRD has recently signed a memorandum with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to upgrade the curriculum of the National Institute of Technology (NITs) across India. Also, the ministry has engaged Standford University to do a quality check on engineering students to test their technical skills of ‘desi engineers’ before they graduate.

“The biggest challenge I am facing presently is to bridge the gap between the school and higher education caused by the UPA government in the last few years. The children in schools do not understand the concept in small classes. The average outcome from class VI to VIII is only 25 per cent. Around 8 lakh engineering seats are presently lying vacant in the country,” said Irani.

She said the ministry has so far engaged around 400 internationally renowned academicians in the last one year to teach in government schools under ‘Padhe Bharat Bhade Bharat’ campaign to fill this gap.

While slamming private institutes for charging exorbitantly, Irani said the HRD ministry has submitted the Sri Krishna Committee report to every state so that they can have a regulatory mechanism to ensure that there is no spike in fee hike especially in the engineering and management sector. Also she stated that very few schools have so far stepped in to put details of their fee structure on public domain.

No motorable way for DAVIET, Irani’s convoy scrolls through Burlton Park

Even though the DAV Institute of Engineering and Technology (DAVIET) spoke volumes on its research activities and policy making skills in front of the Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani, the institute does not have a motorable road to reach its premises till date. Even Irani’s convoy had to scroll through the Burlton Park to enter the institute.

MUDRA Scheme has 97% women beneficiaries

While speaking on MUDRA Scheme, Irani said, "97 per cent of the beneficiaries under the MUDRA scheme were found to be women. I told bank authorities that since women have 100 per cent record of loan paybacks, their loan amount is safe."

Irani takes a dig at LPU Chancellor

While welcoming Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani, LPU Vice Chancellor Ashok Mittal spoke on the westernisation of Indian education system. To this, Irani taking a dig at Mittal said even though you spoke about the harmful effects of western culture on the Indian education system, you yourself addressed the students in English. Also, Mittal denoted Irani as the futuristic Prime Minister of India. Though given few stares by Irani, Mittal immediately covered up and said many former HRD Ministers too had risen up to the post in the past.

Politics too reigns large

While Former cabinet Minister Manoranjan Kalia remained with Irani throughout the day, Punjab BJP Chief Vijay Sampla along with a handful of workers met Irani during her brief visit at Circuit House. Also, MLA KD Bhandari met Irani at the DAVIET event. A section of the Bharatiya Yuva Morcha too boycotted her due to their ongoing agitation against the selection of Munish Vij as district head of Bharatiya Yuva Morcha.

Irani urges private universities to uplift nearby areas 

• While attending the 15th Founder’s Day event at Lovely Professional University in Phagwara, Irani said that since private universities have built massive infrastructure and was also providing education to thousands of national and international students at one time, they should also contribute to uplift of their surrounding areas. 
• “Along with adopting few nearby villages for education, universities like LPU should come forward and facilitate research and development to people in their areas,” said Irani. She also urged them to contribute in the integrate innovation, entrepreneurship and start-up programmes launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently. She also honoured around 36 academicians of the LPU. 
• Following this, LPU Chancellor Ashok Mittal declared that the LPU would adopt 10 villages soon to facilitate free education provided by government through upgrading the infrastructure in government schools.