Skill Development Centres to be started in Professional Colleges
 

Hyderabad|India|May '2011:"Employability of the students passing out of the Engineering, MBA, MCA, Pharmacy and other Professional colleges should be our main focus hereafter. It is not enough producing about 4 lakh engineering and other professionals every year without providing them quality education and employment opportunities", the Chief Minister Mr N Kiran Kumar Reddy said.

The Chief Minister recently reviewed the new initiatives and programmes of the Higher Education Department with officials. He lauded the initiatives of the Department of Collegiate Education in launching the Jawahar Knowledge Centres in almost all the degree colleges in the State. Officials informed the Chief Minister that "Sandwich courses" were introduced in the professional colleges in the State and a 6-month attachment with industry in the 3rd year from the Academic year 2010-11. This would increase higher employability of the students and all courses are converted to sandwich courses.

Collaboration with Industries Department, A.P.S.R.T.C, A.P.TRANSCO, APGENCO, BSNL, BHEL, Vizag Steel Plant and various other industries are being tried out to make this scheme successful. The officials explained that on the lines of JKC in degree colleges, 25 Skill Development Centres (SDC) are being introduced in the professional colleges in the State. These are the Centres of Excellence for imparting 21st century skills i.e. critical thinking skills, problem solving skills, communication skills and collaboration skills and life skills--one per district will be launched from this year.

Officials said there will be latest Desk top computing facility in each centre with 30 seating capacity and latest midrange software. This facility which is being created in the districts is novel and cater to the needs of Polytechnic and Engineering students for their project work. The Skill Development Centre Project is designed on a self-sustaining basis and there will be tutorial facility to students after working hours on the JKC model.

Commissioner of Technical Education also briefed the Chief Minister about the Technical Education Quality Improvement Programme (TEQIP). The TEQIP Phase-I is an Externally Aided Project (EAP) with World Bank assistance and implemented in selected Engineering colleges and Government Polytechnics. The total Project outlay is Rs.142.62 crores and it commenced in 2004-05 and was completed on 31-03-2009. Andhra Pradesh was adjudged as the best in the implementation of the Project in Joint Review Mission in the country.

The Chief Minister was informed that Under TEQIP-Phase-II, it is aimed to improve quality of education in selected States and to strengthen institutions to improve learning outcomes and employability of graduates. The funding pattern is @ Rs.4 crores for private institutions and Rs.10 crores for Government and University colleges and out of this 75% will be centre share and 25% State government share. Under Sub-component of the plan, scaling-up post graduate education and demand driven research and development innovation will be funded at Rs.12.5 crores per institution, with GoI share being 75% and State Government share being 25%.
Other Components of the Programme are Establishment of Centre of Excellence @ Rs.5 crores per centre with the same GoI share of 75% and State share of 25%. It also includes Faculty Development for effective teaching (training in Pedagogy), Improving system management (Capacity building to strengthen management) and Project management, monitoring and evaluation. The tentative Project outlay is Rs.263 crores and the MoU between State and GoI has already been signed by Andhra Pradesh and sent to the Government of India for final approval. Project period for the programme is 4 years and will be started very soon. The Chief Minister asked the Finance Department to release the State share at the earliest. Meanwhile 85 colleges out of 88 applied were permitted in the TEQUIP-Phase II and 80 colleges submitted their development proposals for final selection.

The Chief Minister said the Professional Colleges should leverage the maximum advantage of the scheme and the State Government share towards the scheme would be released in time.

May.2011