Focus Of Education To Be Oriented Towards Skill Development, Employability: Tamil Nadu Minister
NDTV
The move to set up 10 new Arts and Science colleges in Tamil Nadu would make higher education accessible to the rural students and also to those from the state-run schools who are now being provided a monthly grant of Rs 1,000 to pursue their collegiate education.
The Tamil Nadu government has proposed to establish 10 new arts and science colleges across the state and will orient higher education towards improving enrollment, enhancing skills and employability of students, state Higher Education Minister K Ponmudi told the Assembly on Monday. The colleges will be established at an outlay of Rs 166.5 crore, the minister said and added that the move would make higher education accessible to the rural students and also to those from the state-run schools who are now being provided a monthly grant of Rs 1,000 to pursue their collegiate education.
The new colleges will be opened at Manapparai, Gingee, Thalli, Thirumayam, Anthiyur, Aravakurichi, Thirukattupalli, Reddiyarchatiram, Vadalur and Sriperumbudur. The financial grant to the students of state government schools was announced by Chief Minister M K Stalin to help them to pursue their higher education.
"Based on the Chief Minister's guidance, the focus of the education has shifted to improving the enrollment of students, enhancing their skills and employability," Mr Ponmudi said. Winding up the debate on the demand for grants to his department, the minister said a World Skill Academy and Smart Manufacturing Technology centre will be established at a cost of Rs 10 crore each in six government polytechnic institutions.
The government would establish a research park with incubation centres at Anna University at an estimated cost of Rs 50 crore to benefit about 20,000 students. Allowing lateral entry in second year engineering courses for diploma holders from this year, introduction of industry skill based courses for BE, B Tech and MCA students of Anna University through IBM and Tamil Nadu Skill Development Corporation, establishment of Marine Sports and Tourism Centre at Thondi campus of Alagappa University were among the 27 new announcements made by the minister.
