State govt constitutes Council to ensure quality higher education

Surjit kumar Dhal, Bhubaneswar, Feb 21: State Government has constituted Odisha State Higher Education Council (OSHEC) on the lines of the policies of the National Policy on Education and mandated by Rastriya Uchattar Sikshya Abiyan (RUSA) for quality higher education.

            According to officials, OSHEC has been constantly involved in improving & implementing quality education in Colleges and Universities of the State.

As per the Odisha State Higher Education Council Act, 2017, Minister Higher Education is the Chairman and former Vice-Chancellor of Utkal University Prof. Asoka Kumar Das is the Vice-Chairperson of the Council.

The State Government has decided to engage 30 academic consultants, who will implement various aspects of equity and excellence programmes of the Government, such as digitization of HEIs, running the research incentivization scheme, NAAC accreditation schemes, new curricular and strengthening and mentoring the new centres of excellence in Universities etc.

These consultants will be Subject or Domain Experts and will be retired Associate Professor or above. Selection of consultants will be made by the Council through a properly constituted Committee.

Further, Government has nominated 13 members of eminence from different fields, including vice chancellors of the Government varsities and principals of prominent autonomous colleges, to advise the Council in implementing various aspects of equity and excellence programs of the Government.

 Officials said, the Council will coordinate and maintain standards and promote Higher Education and research, in college education at +3 and post graduate levels in University education.

             This will further promote the autonomy of higher education institutions for the free pursuit of knowledge and innovation, and for facilitating access, inclusion and opportunities for all and providing comprehensive and holistic growth of higher education and research in a competitive global environment through reforms and renovation and to provide for an advisory mechanism by eminent peers in academia.