The higher education department has come up with its 5T action plan for quality improvement of the higher education in the state. The department is planning to change guidelines for sponsoring students to take coaching and avail facilities outside Odisha for All India Service examinations.
The department has come under 5T charter (transparency, technology, teamwork, time and transformation) of the state government. It has listed coaching facilities among 17 of its plans for the betterment of students and higher education of the state. The government has appointed Singdha Champatiray as nodal officer for coordinating 5T initiatives of the department.
“We have already started providing civil services coaching to students of the state in Bhubaneswar. We have a plan to sponsor Odia students to take coaching and avail facilities outside the state for all India service examinations. We will sponsor financially poor meritorious Odia students for the facility,” said Champatiray.
The government has sponsored UPSC civil services coaching scheme for the session 2019-20. Classes for first batch have already started. Dhyeya Educational Services Private Limited has been roped in for the coaching services. Though some of the state-run universities have civil services coaching facilities, it is not able to provide comprehensive and quality coaching, said government officer.
Among other plans, the department will form a Scholarship Council, monitor teachers’ attendance (7 hour duty) through bio-metric device, ensure minimum 75 per cent students attendance, programmes for motivating teachers including exposure visit to outside the state and country, students’ feedback on students academic management system (SAMS), to activate career counselling cells in universities and reputed colleges and skilling of degree college students to enhance their employability including soft skills such as spoken English etc.
The department plans to give incentive to colleges and teachers for getting accredited under NAAC and also for moving higher ranks. Universities and colleges will develop excellence in a few subjects or courses to create one of the best institutions of the country to attract outside students. ‘Mo College’ platform will be established for the development of the colleges.
The action plans include a uniform transfer policy for teachers and non-teaching staff, system for quick redressal of grievances in higher education department, amendment of guidelines for governing body or executive councils of colleges, help the Plus II passed out students in educationally disadvantaged blocks, change in guidelines of laptop distribution and scholarship in favour of poor meritorious students.
Courtesy: TOI