100-day targets met, time for new targets: Sibal

"The agenda for schools is 100 per cent complete. Now you tell me the agenda for the next 100 days," asserted Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Kapil Sibal today while revealing the status of his 100-day plan. He insisted that his ministry had not only met the 100-day targets but even exceeded them in some cases.

The ministry, for instance, has sanctioned 150 women's hostels in higher educational institutions in districts with significant population of weaker sections besides releasing Rs 45 crore for it as against a target of 100. Similarly, Sibal had announced the review of the functioning of the existing private deemed universities but the HRD ministry has now extended the review to public deemed universities too.

The review committee has gone through the presentations of 81 out of 92 private deemed universities, Sibal told reporters, adding that "the review of the functioning of balance 11 private and 38 publicly funded deemed universities is expected to be completed in the next fortnight".

Moreover, the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Bill, 2009, was passed within the 100-day period. It will be implemented by the next academic session, said Sibal. Besides, the Class X examination has been made optional, thus permitting students continuing in the same school (and who do not need a board certificate) to take an internal school assessment instead, from 2011. The current system of marking will be replaced by a grading system.

In higher education, Sibal had announced the setting up of an autonomous overarching authority for higher education and research based on the recommendations of the Yash Pal Committee and the National Knowledge Commission and a draft note has been circulated for inter-ministerial consultations. The same has been done for a law to prevent, prohibit and punish educational malpractices whose draft legislation is undergoing legal vetting.

The minsitry's target for mandatory assessment and accreditation in higher education through an independent regulatory authority has been met with a draft legislation and concept note having been made though some states had expressed concerns regarding the autonomy of the accreditation process. Sibal also introduced an amendment Bill to further amend the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions Act.

Besides, the ministry has also put on its website the concept note for the formulation of a "Brain Gain" policy to attract talent from across the world to the existing and new institutions.

The ministry had also announced 15 new central universities, that have been established with the appointments of the first vice-chancellors, except in Himachal Pradesh. Academic reforms like semester system and credit transfers have also been implemented by some universities.

"The legislations have been passed or will be passed in the next Parliament session and the policies will be implemented. Our focus is to be efficiency-oriented rather than expansion-oriented," concluded Sibal.