Haryana News- Hooda stresses on need to change the model of universities

New Delhi/Jalandhar, October 9, 2013:   Haryana Government is committed to make Haryana an Education Hub of international standards. Efforts are being made to improve infrastructure for education in the State and also the quality of education.  
Rajiv Gandhi Education City will be international hub of higher education in coming years and students from abroad will come to Haryana for studying.
This was asserted by Haryana Chief Minister,  Bhupinder Singh Hooda, while giving valedictory address at the Mail Today Education Conclave in New Delhi today, where he was required to give his thoughts on the subject-Seeking Private Participation in Meeting Public Education Goals.
Hooda said that human resource development is the most critical component in the task of national building. Public sector is making concerted efforts in this direction, but there is dire need to further improve the standard of education in consonance with the changing scenario all over the world. For this there is need for participation of private sector as well and Haryana Government has taken a policy decision to seek help of private sector.
Hooda said that in last 8 years, the number of universities has gone up from 8 to 36 in the State. Today there are 701 Government and private colleges in the State in addition to 662 technical institutes with the opening of 35 new Government colleges and 501 new technical institutes. About 12 lakh students are getting education in colleges and universities in the State. Rajiv Gandhi Education City is being developed as world class Centre of education, where as many as 1.5 lakh students would get education, when fully developed. It will be a major centre of research in higher education and new technologies. Prominent institutes are being set up here on the pattern of Oxford and Cambridge.
Hooda stressed the need to change the model of our universities and make their education job oriented. He also sought assistance of private sector to further increase Gross Enrolment Ratio. Efforts being made by Haryana Government are yielding encouraging results as the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) has touched the mark of 20.13 per cent, as against all India average of 19.40 per cent. To meet the target of 30 per cent GER of youth in the age group of 18-23 years by 2020, we need to involve private players, as the proposed government intervention would not be adequate to meet the growing demands of higher education.
Hooda said that it was the dream of our late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi to see a new emerging India in the 21st century and he was for promotion of new technology with focus on our youth. We, in Haryana, are trying to realise the dreams of that great visionary, who also made the youth realize their potential and strength.
Hooda said that Haryana Government has tried to expand the network of universities in the State. The Central University has been established in Mahendergarh. The Regional Centre of Mahrishi Dayanand University set up at Mirpur in district Rewari has been upgraded as a University. A Regional Centre of Kurukshetra University has been set up at Jind. The Guru Jambeshwar University in Hisar has been upgraded as a university of science and technology, Lala Lajpat Rai Veterinary and Animal Sciences University has also been established at Hisar. The level of YMCA in Faridabad has also been upgraded as University of Science and Technology. The level of Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram College of Engineering, Murthal has also been raised as Science and Technology University. IIM is being set up at Garnavathi in district Rohtak and its classes have already commenced at Mahrishi Dayanand University Rohtak. The State Government has established four state of art Institutes also namely State Institute of Design, State Institute of Film and Television, State Institute of Fine Arts and State Institute of Urban Planning  and  Architecture.
Referring to medical education, he said that no Medical college was set up in Haryana after it became a separate State. He said his government has opened three new such colleges. Earlier there was only one medical college Rohtak, which has now been upgraded as a University of Health Sciences by our Government. The AIIMS-II is being set up at village Badhsa in district Jhajjar, but its Out Reach OPD has already become functional. Bhagat Phool Singh Medical College and Nursing College are being set up at Khanpur Kalan in district Sonepat.  This is the first women medical college in public sector in independent India. Another medical college named after astronaught Kalpana Chawla is being set up at Karnal and a medical college is also being set up by ESI at Faridabad. Apart from this, a medical college and hospital, dental college and nursing college are being set up at Nalhard in district Mewat. Presently, there are a total of 800 seats of MBBS in both government and private medical colleges in the State as compared to only 350 seats in 2005.
A number of prominent personalities and educationists were present on the occasion. They praised the efforts of Haryana Government being made in the direction of education. Some of them raised some questions also.
On the question of investment in education in Haryana,  Hooda said that after he became the Chief Minister of the State in 2005, the budget of education has gone up by 23 per cent. Haryana is the first state, which is giving scholarships to about 20 lakh poor students belonging to schedule castes and BPL families. Drop rate in schools has also become negligible. On a question about improving the quality of education, Hooda said that semester system has been started in the State for this purpose. Main problem is the lack of good quality teachers, for which the Government has established a new teachers training institute at Jhajjar. For all round development of students, Government has come up with a new Sports Policy, which lays stress on developing infrastructure for sports, finding out sports talent and giving them training and also  securing the future of bright sports persons who win medals.
On the question about Khaps, Hooda said that it is being mis-interpreted. Khap has no legal sanctity. It is like any other social organisation, say RWA. On intolerance in the community on the girls marrying the boys of their choice, Hooda said that every society has its own customs and rules, like not marrying in the same Gotra and in the same village. As far as government is concerned, it gives incentives on inter-caste marriages.
The development of Gurgaon was highly praised. A representative of a company said that his company sends its guests for visit to Gurgaon. On this Hooda said, ask your company to show them Karnal and Faridabad also. I am dreaming of 4-5 more Gurgaons in Haryana, he said.
On the question about the impression of backwardness about Haryana, Hooda said that there are four basic parameters for assessing the progress of any state. They are per capita investment, per capita income, per capita plan beget and resource mobilisation and Haryana is ahead of other states in all these parameters.