The new education destination

To open its doors to private educational institutions, Himachal Pradesh passed a model Private Universities Act two years ago. The present Government’s initiative liberalises clearance norms for newly applying medical colleges and nursing institutions — an area which has remained off-limit to private investment. Rapid expansion in healthcare infrastructure has caused a shortage of doctors and paramedical staff, which has in turn forced the state’s BJP Government to focus on medical education as well as IT, biotechnology and engineering.

What really piqued the state’s interest in private education investment is the fact that there are no environmental side effects and rule-bending involved. “In proposals that we are getting for world-class institutions, no one is asking for concessions or bending of the norm. Instead, a few are prepared to set up their own hospitals and allow the government to decide such conditions as fees and services,” says Principal Health Secretary Deepak Sanan.

A year back, the Government finalised two medical college projects, both in the Central zone. The BJP, upon its return to power, added one more proposal for Una, a district bordering Punjab. To give the projects a final shape, the Government has asked state’s Infrastructure Board to evaluate facilities at three regional hospitals. Norms established by the Medical Council of India (MCI) demand that certain specialty services be offered and prescribe standards like minimum bed strength. The evaluation is likely to be completed in the next two months.

In addition to these existing institutions, the Government has received offers for three “greenfield” projects — each with 100 seats — consisting of medical colleges and super-specialty hospitals, one of which is planned for Baddi in the Solan district. Says CM Prem Kumar Dhumal, “All admissions will be done through the Government. Fee structure will be decided by us, and service charges at the hospitals will also be fixed by the Government.” Such institutions could promote health tourism besides providing professional education and medical services. Similarly in the nursing sector, the Government has ten proposals before it. Most of these applying institutions are proposed for the state’s interior in places like Chamba, Mandi, Kangra, Sirmaur and Solan. When fully operational, the nursing institutions are expected to produce 1,000 trained nurses every year. This will provide excellent opportunities to areas where, a decade ago, the youths did not have access to elementary-level education.

Two private universities in Solan and Sirmaur districts have been approved, and two others, one of which is being set up by the ICFAI, are expecting to get approval by next week. Another half dozen are in different stages of clearance process and have begun building the prerequisite infrastructure. A leading IT university set up by the Jaypee Group five years back has already put Himachal on the nation’s map for quality education and placement.

Two other central institutions are in the planning stages: an IIT in Mandi and a Central university in Kangra. The Government has identified the future locations of the campuses and, in the interim, has offered the proposed IIT a temporary campus at an existing PG college. There are six dental colleges, four engineering colleges and a slew of polytechnics producing professionals, some of whom could find jobs in state’s up-and-coming hydro-power sector. A national institute of hotel management at Hamirpur was sanctioned by the centre three months back and is also in the making.

Himachal Pradesh will become a bustling education hub by 2010 if its institutions focus on quality education, remain uncorrupted by the stain of gain and render services matching world standards.