HRD ministry eyes implementation of Right to Edu Act

The HRD ministry is trying to haul up the education sector in the country. Not only is it determined to go ahead with the common entrance test for engineering colleges and IITs, it is also looking at funding issues of state universities and making sure the Right to Education Act is implemented by March 2013, report Appaji Reddem and Animesh Das of CNBC-TV18.

There has been a noticeable disparity between universities run by state governments and the ones by the Centre. With most of Central funding going to Central Universities, it often reflects on the quality of infrastructure and training offered at many state universities. The Union minister for HRD, while maintaining the states are responsible for funding universities created by them, says that there is a Bill on the anvil to facilitate more funding for state universities.
“We are looking at a Bill which aims at providing some more funding to State universities also. And I hope we'll be able to get these legislations through. We will be hoping to introduce it in the Budget session,” says MM Pallam Raju, HRD minister.
The ministry is also taking other steps such as giving the go ahead to the common entrance test for engineering colleges and IITs. And the minister says, the government is ready to fight out all odds to implement the Right to Education Act from coming March.
"I know that there are some concerns expressed by states like Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal to name a few. Their primary concern is the shortage of teachers. But we'll work with them towards meeting the objective. I know that it's important to create that capacity of teachers. But the larger cause is the cause of children, " says Raju.
At this point, quality education, viability of universities and industry-academia synergy are the key priorities for the ministry according to Raju.