Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): At a time when MP higher education department is jostling with problems including shortage in teaching staff in universities, not having enough manpower for modern courses, it has received the target to submit an Action Taken Report (ATR) on 28 Action Points under Higher Education: Knowledge Economy Sub-theme at the 5th National Conference of Chief Secretaries.
This is an initiative of the Union Ministry of Higher Education. Based on the ATR form, the discussion will be held with all the states to identify the potential solutions and support or coordination required for effective implementation of the Action Points.
The 28 Action Points include Improving Access to Higher Education-increasing Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER), Strengthening Quality and Excellences, preparing tech-ready workforce, advancing internationalisation of education, developing new-age curricula in agriculture sector, expanding research and innovation, strengthening industry-academia collaboration, addressing faculty vacancies in state public universities, leveraging PhD research, time-bound implementation of National Education Policy 2020 in universities and so on.
The state higher education department is preparing to fill the Action Taken Report on 28 identified points. A senior MP higher education department official said that the major challenge was vacant posts in universities.
At least 70-80% vacancies are in universities. Similarly, colleges have roster problem in terms of vacancies. Most vacancies are due to matters pending in court. We are going to mention this in report, he said.
He added that another problem of concern was that state education institutions lagged behind in research and innovations. The quality of PhD remains a matter of concern.
Moreover, problem of good professors is affecting the education institutions. The modern courses need better professors and they are not available.
Steps to improve education quality
While submitting ATR on 28 points, the state higher education department will also highlight the steps taken by it to improve the education quality.
It has proposed to turn Bhopal and Indore divisions as education hubs in the state. It has made one special cell to help varsities and colleges to improve their NAAC grading. As many as 16 centres of Excellence have been set up.
