SECTION C : HIGHER EDUCATION
Introduction Higher Education has been an area of concern for all the states which are considered in these proceedings except Haryana which has confined only to school level. The issues in higher education which have received major attention in the state level seminars are "Access to Higher Education". Delinking Degrees from Jobs", "Role and Structure of UGC", "Governance of higher education and related issues of democratisation of university administration and autonomy of colleges and universities, Participation of teachers, students and karamcharies in politics etc. Importance of research in the universities am the direction it should take has also been an area of concern of a large number of states.
Structure of higher education and restructuring of courses in higher education, which are crucial for making education relevant and improving its quality have received very little attention in the deliberation, hence, recommendation to these areas are very few.
In what follows an attempt is made to abstract the maaor recommendations of the states in the area of higher education. These have been classified under varrious sub-heads for better comprehension and comparability.
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1. Access
Assam - Higher Education should be reserved for only the deserving students having scholastic ability and aptitudes.
Bihar - Higher education should be restricted to those really meritorious and intending to undertake intensive and extensive research- projects.
- Some kind of screening is extremely necessary to eliminate those who do not hold much promise in advance learning.
Gujarat - Moritorium should be placed on further expansion of colleges.
- At the postgraduate level only those students should be admitted as have academic records.
Himachal Pradesh - It is necessary that a proper check on admissions be placed and only those students who have aptitude for higher education be enrolled in colleges and universities. The admission should be done through an admission test. However, due weightage to rural poor, handicapped, scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and other weaker sections of the soceity should be given.
Jammu & Kashmir - Admission to higher education should be on merit basis with some reservations for scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes and other weaker sections of scoeity.
Madhya Pradesh - One method of restricting the expansion of education is to rationalise the fees in colleges and universities. For the scheduled caste and scheduled tribe students and other economically under privileged sections of society, the existing
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system of scholarships could be strengthened. Entry to these institutions should be on merit, therey providing equal opportunities to all.
- Access to non-professional colleges and universities needs to be severely limited. This can be best achieved by delinking jobs from degrees. We obviously need to improve the quality of education and reduce the number of students in universities and colleges.
Meghalaya - Entrance and aptitude tests should be conducted for admission to post-graduate studies before admitting to Humanity Stream, Science Stream, Professional stream and technical stream.
Orissa - Admissions to institutions of higher education should be regulated so as to admit only those who by their aptitude and attainments are fit for higher education.
Rajasthan - It the admission to institute of Higher Education are properly regulated, the value of a degree would increase and the graduates would be better qualified.
Sikkim - Situation in Sikkim is completely different from the other States. It is not possible to rigidly follow selection of students of the basis of scholastic aptitude.
Uttar Pradesh - Selective admissions into colleges and universities based on entrance examination. The basis of entrance in higher education should be a minimum 50% marks at the intermediate level.
West Bengal - the Chief, Minister felt that the proposed policy of discouraging higher education in this name of protecting quality was counter-
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productive. The number of persons receiving higher education is not as high as to warrant restrictions in that spheres and may be for fear of educated unemployed.
Delhi - Admission should be restricted only for the intellectually endowed deserving students. Marks should not be the criteria for admission. University should develop its own evaluation tool for admission.
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II. Structure
Assam - Degree courses should be of 3 years duration and the first year be devoted to general education followed by 2 years of honours studies. But higher professional education should be of 5 years duration.
- The Council feels that it is high time to restrict traditional pattern of college education in the country.
Jammu & Kashmir - A uniform structure of first degree i.e., three years (after 12 years of schooling) should be introduced in all the universities in the country. However, options should be kept open for the universities to have two years pass course followed by one year specialised/honours bridge course for the very keen and interested few who intend to pursue Master's degree studies in the universities.
Meghalaya - It is suggested that +2 stage should be allowed to continue with the colleges until such time when resources and infrastructure are made viable to be transferred to the school system.
- Separate colleges for Science and Humanities is recommended.
- Honours courses should be introduced in the 1st year of the Degree course with pass course running for two years and Honours course for three years. A test may be given at the end of one year to know the capability of the students, those who can not may be allowed to be reverted back- to the Pass course.
Nagaland - Higher education must be streamed into Science, Arts, Commerce and Technical lines.
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Uttar Pradesh - The groups proposed uniform structure of higher education in the whole country as well as uniformity of standard. This, it was felt essential to promote a spirit of national unity and inter-state mobility. It was strongly recommended that cadre of All India Education Service should be created. It was recommended that 10+2+3 system should be applied in Uttar Pradesh.
Pondicherry - There must be uniformity in the duration of university courses.
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III. Content
Assam - Qualitative improvement of higher education is a must for the backward states including Assam so as to prepare the society to meet the future challenges.
- Management study should be introduced area-wise keeping in view the local needs of a region in order to build up local experts for serving the region.
- In higher education dignity of labour should go side by side with intellectual pursuit to indicate value of education.
Bihar - The curriculum of higher education should be updated at regular intervals so that the new areas of learning can be immediately brought to the notice of the students.
Himachal Pradesh - In order to make college education more relevant to the needs of the society and in order to equip the students for jobs, certain subjects of practical nature like Home Science, Secretarial practice, Nursing, Hotel Management, Tourism, Banking & Insurance, etc. could be helpful. Mainly rural college boys could be given courses relating to agriculture, horticulture, maintenance of agricultural machinery, soil testing, use of fertilizers and marketing of agricultural produce.
- Extension work must form an integral part of curriculum at the college and university level.
- Area studies should be undertaken to study local needs and requirements and also make them aware of the facilities which the State and Central Government in offering for their development.
Jammu & Kashmir - The course at post-graduate level should only be research oriented.
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Madhya Pradesh - It was decided that common syllabi be prepared (in consultation with experts and those with experts and those with practical experience) for the different universities in the State at the first degree level, in order to ensure uniform standards and that the subject taught are relevant and upto date. A similar exercise can be conducted for agricultural and veterinary education.
Orissa - Courses of studies need to be redesigned urgently so as to make them multi-disciplinary in character.
- Even in the field of general humanities, commerce and science, vocational ban should be developed.
Rajasthan - Procedures should also be evolved for involvement of external agencies to update and revise the curricula from time to time. University bodies should be provided with greater flexibility to respond to demand from society to introduce job-oriented and vocational courses when they are required.
Andaman & Nicobar Islands - Subjects like forestry, marine biology, fisheries and oceanography be introduced for proper diversification of course and research at post-graduate level in A & N Islands.
Arunachal Pradesh - Curriculum needs to be restructured in connection with expansion of knowledge, use of educational research and technology, development of manpower and quality of education related to life.
Delhi There should be some uniformity in syllabus and standard of education in the universities to facilitate migration of scholars from one region to the other.
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- Choice of subjects by students should be more rational, for instance, students with low marks are allowed to offer honours in philosophy but not commerce. This practice is irrational.
- Curriculum in higher education is lopsided, it follows the model of foreign universities to utilise our trained personnel for their service. Thus IITs and IIMs etc. are catering to the needs of developed countries causing brain drain.
- There should be logical links and coordination in curriculum and teaching programmes between school education and higher education.
Pondicherry - A national core curriculum should be developed for higher education in all disciplines. Physical education and sports should be given an important place in the curriculum.
- Curriculum in the Universities should be restructured and modernised to relate it to economic, social and cultural life of the country. Individual colleges and teachers should be involved in the formulation of the curriculum.
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IV. Teachers
Assam - Teacher's status should be upgraded buy providing necessary facilities and incentives.
- Facilities for teacher training courses be created through the UGC and such other agencies. University teachers should be selected after through assessment.
- University teachers need orientation/in-service education after certain period. College and university teachers should be trained and their minimum qualification should be post-graduate degree plus M. Phil.
Bihar - Teachers in the university departments should be appointed on the basis of qualifying test at the national level on the pattern of test conducted by the UGC for award of research scholarship.