Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, Dec 22: All +3 lecturers will have to undergo retraining from the upcoming academic session in order to strengthen the higher education sector in the state, it was decided at a Principals’ Conference held at Utkal University under the College Development Council (CDC).
The conference was attended by about 300 constituent colleges of Utkal University. Several important decisions that were taken at the conference include retraining of teachers under a Choice-Based Credit System (CBCS), and separation of +2 and +3 streams from the upcoming academic year. This means each constituent college will have separate staff for +2 and +3 streams.
The constituent colleges have also been asked to fulfill all affiliation norms by 2015-16 failing which their affiliations will not be extended. All colleges have also been asked to lay more emphasis on research activities for which the CDS decided that migration of research projects will be allowed on condition of the guides’ transfer from one college to the other. Other major decisions include supplying all statistical information to the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development as required and activating NSS units and sports units at colleges. Affiliation issues will be resolved through inspection by government and university officials.
The conference was inaugurated by higher education minister PK Panigrahi. He stressed on raising the quality of higher education in the state and promised all help and support from the government.
“The issues faced by various colleges need to be addressed as quickly as possible. The government is ready to provide any help ranging from staff and infrastructural facilities along with grants for promotion of research activities,” said Panigrahi.
Utkal vice-chancellor Ashok Das said he expected teachers to play a more proactive role in ensuring quality in research as well as teaching. “Higher education should be more pro-society; it should address issues and also provide skill development programmes to make students more employable,” Das said.
CDS director SK Tripathy urged colleges to streamline documents needed for affiliation prior to the upcoming academic session.