Sibal batted for norm-based funding for universities to ensure "equitable distribution" of grants and development of a model which would set standards for affiliating colleges to enhance the quality of education.
HRD minister Kapil Sibal today batted for norm-based funding for universities to ensure "equitable distribution" of grants and development of a model which would set standards for affiliating colleges to enhance the quality of education.
"If you have a norm-based funding then you have an equitable distribution of funding among insitutions depending on their level of development. Some require less funding while some require more funding. We also need to handhold weakest instititions so as to bring a paradigm shift in the quality," he said.
Addressing the valedictory function of the vice-chancellors conference, Sibal also suggested that the grants could be linked to the inflations and revised accordingly every two to three years in keeping with the growth prospects of the varsities.
Stating that universities should be free from any interfence and shackles to chart their own development process, the minister said the system of affiliation should also be looked as it is impeding their functioning.
"Hundreds of colleges are affiliated to universities. What work universities do if this is the level of affiliation. We don't even have any standards in terms of affiliation.
We should develop a model norm of standard of affilaition which will entitle a university to affiliate a college," he said.
The conference has recommended that number of colleges attached to a single university should not exceed more than 40 or 50.
The minister said the universities should also set up 'research parks' which would require less funding and where both the state and the centre can contribute.
"One of the recommendations I am going to make in the 12th plan period is to set up 100 of such research parks in the country," he said.
IIT Madras has set up the first research park in the country.
Noting that raising quality education at the secondary level is of fundamental importance, Sibal said universities must develop and promote secondary school education from where "the raw material come into the university system".
He also batted for a common entrace test at the university level.
Sibal asked the vice chancellors to apprise the HRD ministry within one month recommendations which could be implemented and ways to bring the state governments on board in implementing them.
Some of the recommendations include implemnetation of semester system across all central and state universities and a credits based system in all universities, besides mandatory external assessment of colleges, universities, institutions.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=spacer}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=tracking}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}