|
|
|
|
|
| Wednesday, May 07, 2008
State to get 10 new universities: Ponmudy
5 new government engineering colleges from coming academic year
CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu is all set to get ten new universities during
the coming academic year, with both Central and State governments
chipping in to boost the State’s education profile.
Replying to a debate on the higher education demand in the Assembly
on Tuesday, Higher Education Minister K. Ponmudy said while
the Centre had announced three new universities for Tamil Nadu,
the State would convert seven existing colleges into universities.
One of the 14 world-class universities promised by the Prime
Minister earlier this year will come up in Coimbatore. Another
Central university will be set up at Tiruvarur. An Indian Institute
of Managementwill be set up in Tiruchi, said Mr. Ponmudy.
Chennai’s oldest government colleges, Presidency and Queen
Mary’s will be converted into unitary universities, along
with the Government Arts and Science College in Kumbakonam and
the Government Arts College in Coimbatore, he said.
Two aided colleges, PSG college in Coimbatore and Thiagarajar
college in Madurai, will also be converted into unitary universities.
The Wellingdon Institute of Advanced Study in Education will
become the country’s first teachers’ training university,
the Minister said.
On the technical education front, five new government engineering
colleges would start functioning in the coming academic year
at Villupuram, Panruti, Tindivanam, Nagapattinam and Ramanathapuram.
The government had also decided to accept the demand of self-financing
engineering colleges to relax the entry requirement for admission.
Noting that last year alone, 10,000 engineering seats were left
vacant, Mr. Ponmudy said the qualifying mark for admission to
engineering colleges in the State would be reduced by 5 percentage
points, from 60 per cent to 55 per cent in the general category,
55 to 50 per cent for OBCs, 50 to 45 per cent for MBCs and a
simple pass mark for SCs and STs. This would make it easier
for rural students to gain access to technical education.
He said the Tamil Nadu State Council for Technical Education
for upgradation of curriculum in the professional courses would
also be set up this year.
Government polytechnics were being drawn in for the community
education initiative.
All polytechnics would conduct community education courses on
Saturdays and Sundays to provide training to skilled and unskilled
labourers who had not had the opportunity to complete their
school education. Students would be given certificates at the
end of their course to aid in employability, both in India and
abroad.
Shift system
The shift system, which had been implemented by government arts
and science colleges would be adopted by polytechnics as well,
he said.
While the choice-based credit system would be introduced in
all arts and science colleges this year, the cluster college
system would be implemented on a pilot basis in Chennai, Coimbatore,
Tiruchi and Madurai. Job-oriented add on courses would be introduced
in government arts and science colleges.
The Minister announced several infrastructure development programmes,
including plans to build 20 new classrooms, compound walls and
toilets in government colleges.
Courtesy: The Hindu
|
| << Back |
|
|
