Higher education committee meets at Bikash Bhavan; proposes uniform sharing of facilities

KOLKATA: A higher education committee which was formed by chief minister Mamata Banerjee last year to improve the quality of higher education in the state held its first meeting on Wednesday at the state education secretariat in Bikash Bhavan. Coming up with several suggestions, the committee consisting of vice-chancellors of Presidency University- Anuradha Lohia, Calcutta University – Sonali Chakravarti Banerjee and Jadavpur University – Suranjan Das along with secretary RS Shukla and education minister Partha Chatterjee, wants the facilities and infrastructure of eminent educational institutes to be shared.

A source on Wednesday said, “because a large number of the number of universities have been set up along with colleges in Bengal over the last seven years, it is imperative to enhance their quality. CM’s main concern is to ensure a uniform development.” He added. “the main purpose of the committee is to coordinate and decide on the methods to be implemented. Accordingly, in the first meeting a preliminary framework has been drawn.”

Among the suggestions which have come up is to share the lectures of stalwart teachers, faculty members and international visitors. “The quality of teaching in rural areas and villages may not be at par with the renowned universities of the country.

Once in a while the eminent scholars and teachers may go and give lectures in the specialised subjects wherever they are needed and on specific topics. It will expose students to broader field and wisdom. The committee has also suggested that Nobel Laureates who come to visit the universities, their lectures can be live streamed and thus transmitted to the districts,” the source said.

The committee also wants one colleges from each district to be a nodal institute whose infrastructure and facilities can be shared with others.

After the meeting education minister Partha Chatterjee said, “we have prepared a draft. A second meeting will be convened soon where we also want to discuss the possibility of student exchange between universities.”

On Wednesday in another meeting a committee has been set up under Indologist Nrisingha Prasad Bhaduri to plan for the bicentennial birth celebration of Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar. “All the education institutions which hold a connection with him will be renovated, recognised and illuminated. We have also proposed to set up a statute before Vidyasagar Setu which is yet to receive a sanction. A shave also sought a go-ahead from the centre to publish a stamp to commemorate Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar’s 200 birth year. At Sanskrit University a museum will showcase things of day-today use associated with Vidyasagar – one of the foremost stalwart of Bengal Renaissance,” said the education minister.

Courtesy:TOI