Panel to develop perspective plan on state’s higher education

Accordingly, the GR said a committee has been constituted to create a perspective plan for higher education in the state. Each university had to submit its own perspective plan to the state government and these plans will be considered and the common aspects in them will be studied by the panel.

“Facilities are different in institutes in urban and rural areas and this cannot bring about proper development in higher education. We need to figure out the current scenario, present requirements, and what can be provided to students by the government, universities and colleges collectively. The committee will thus develop a perspective plan which will give a direction to higher education in Maharashtra and where we need to focus. The aspects to be considered will be affordability, employability and accessibility,” said Dr Murlidhar Chandekar, acting Vice-Chancellor of Gondwana University and member of the committee.

Some academicians, however, questioned the need for a new committee, stating that the government is yet to take action on three existing reports on higher education. To improve higher education in Maharashtra, three committees were set up in 2010, headed by academicians Anil Kakodkar, Arun Nigavekar and Ram Takwale respectively. The reports have been gathering dust since 2011.

“We will look at those reports too as they were prepared by very eminent academicians and a lot of effort went into them. One panel looked at the Maharashtra Universities Act, another focused on sub-division and reorganisation of universities and the final prepared a consolidated report on higher education in Maharashtra. Our committee, however, has a different mandate and we will make our recommendations,” added Chandekar.

mihika.basu@expressindia.com