Bhopal:Thursday, June 25, 2009:Education Minister Smt. Archana Chitnis has said that the positive change being witnessed in higher education in Madhya Pradesh is a good sign. She said that the educational system in the state is molding itself to meet the changing requirements.
Now, colleges in Madhya Pradesh will not be allowed to become industry of churning out jobless educated youths. Smt. Chitnis was addressing a daylong workshop of principals on Community College Scheme of Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU). Commissioner Higher Education Shri Ashish Upadhyay and IGNOU director Dr. KS Tiwari were also present at the workshop.
Smt. Chitnis exhorted the principals that youths will have to be linked to such an education which can equip them with requirements of the changing times apart from traditional knowledge. With this express objective in mind, the state government is linking IGNOU-run Community Colleges to all the districts. This is a meaningful initiative for the state. The Community Colleges will provide option of higher education to remote areas. Youths will be able to connect themselves with employment, self-employment and various trades of industry. Describing semester system as better and more practical, Smt. Chitnis stressed the need of using this system in higher education. She said that the semester system is proving helpful in constant assessment of students’ ability and dexterity. Smt. Chitnis said that education system and teaching community will have to undertake concrete and hones steps to make it a success.
Smt. Chitnis said that if one wants to know the condition of a society, he can gauge it by knowing the state of affairs of its teachers. She called for utmost seriousness in the carrying out higher education teaching. Principals and lecturers should see to it that colleges do not become paan shops or venues of pastime. At the workshop, principals expressed their views about IGNOU courses. Several officers of Higher Education Department were also present.