Union minister of human resource development Smriti Irani on Sunday said private institutions cannot have a non-transparent system on fee hike.
She said this during an interactive session on “Modi’s vision: A connect with academia to integrate innovation, entrepreneurship and start-ups” at the DAV Institute of Engineering and Technology (DAVIET). Addressing faculty members, the minister said parents were concerned about fee hike in private schools. “I want to let everyone know that is a law that bars schools from increasing fee in a non-transparent manner.”
“The Union government has forwarded the justice Srikrishna Committee report to every state to have a regulatory mechanism on fee hike in professional colleges. Similarly, the law exists for private schools as well,” she said.
When DAVIET principal Manoj Kumar urged the minister to release funds for research in private institutes, she said if they were ready to provide subsidised education and bring their fee on a par with government colleges and universities, she was ready to provide funds.
NEW DEPTS IN VARSITIES
The minister said soon any university accredited with the University Grants Commission (UGC) was free to start a new course or a department without seeking permission from the ministry. “The regulation in this regard will be announced by the UGC in a week or two,” she added.
STUDENTS POOR IN MATHS, SCIENCE
{{/usCountry}}STUDENTS POOR IN MATHS, SCIENCE
{{/usCountry}}Concerned over the quality of education in schools, she said the learning outcome (expected knowledge and skills of mind that students are expected to acquire at an institution) of students between classes 6 and 8 in maths and science was only 25%. “With this trend, how can we expect research and innovation?” she questioned.
Later, attending the 15th foundation day celebrations of the Lovely Professional University, the minister said it was important for every institution to have good infrastructure to raise the standard of education. Private institutes should also help provide education to children living in slums, she added.
“Slum children living near institutes should not be deprived of education. If we have to transform the country, start from your own campus by adopting five nearby villages and provide education to the underprivileged children,” she added.