Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 20 Jul: Chief Secretary (CS) Anand Bardhan today held a review meeting at the Secretariat with the Higher Education Department and the vice-chancellors of government universities to discuss key issues and the progress. He examined the status of government and private universities and colleges in the state in the context of the National Education Policy (NEP) and issued directions for their alignment with its objectives.
Bardhan emphasised that all the higher education institutions must be modified in line with the National Education Policy (NEP). He also directed the government universities to prepare five-year plans and at the same time also focus on securing NAAC and NIRF accreditation. He directed that short-term, medium-term and long-term strategies be drawn up to meet quality standards, and asked all eleven universities to establish mechanisms for evaluation and ranking. He also tasked government and aided colleges with preparing state-level ranking parameters within the next eight to ten days.
The CS further stressed upon the need for developing student tracing mechanisms, incorporating course participation as well as internships. He said that the universities must establish links with industry, NGOs and societies to strengthen practical and professional exposure for the students. He also highlighted the importance of teaching foreign languages and urged the Health Department to work proactively in this regard.
Bardhan emphasised that the higher education institutions must not only meet academic benchmarks but also integrate with broader skill development and employability frameworks. He said the state must ensure that its universities are competitive nationally and internationally, with accreditation and certification serving as key indicators of quality.
Among those present at the meeting were Secretary Dr BVRC Purushottam, Additional Secretary Manuj Goyal, Vice-Chancellors Prof Dr Surekha Dangwal, Prof Dr Diwan S Rawat, Prof Dr Naveen Chandra Lohani, Prof Dr NK Joshi, Prof Dr Satpal Singh Bisht and other senior officials.
