Discrimination between public and private academic institutions will gradually come to an end: Minister

Discrimination between public and private academic institutions would gradually come to an end as the matter was under serious consideration at the level of the Prime Minister and the President, Union Minister of State for HRD Satya Pal Singh said here today.

Inaugurating the Seventh National Summit on 'Institutionalising Academia-Industry Interface' under the aegis of PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry, he said that the government was taking various "satisfying" steps to improve the curriculum of education institutions to meet the industry requirements.

On the issue of discrimination between public and private academic institutions on various fronts, the minister hoped that something positive would emerge in times to come.

"I can tell you today that discrimination between public and private academic institutions will gradually come to an end since the matter is under serious consideration at the highest level. I have raised the issue with the President as well as the Prime Minister. That is the priority and significance that this government attached to the matter," Singh informed the gathering.

Laying emphasis on the need to bring in changes in the syllabus of educational institutions to generate jobs, Singh said the government was trying its best for confluence of industry-academic institutions and accordingly bringing in the public domain a fresh curriculum for engineering and polytechnic institutions.

A new curriculum for polytechnic students would be released in the next few days, he said.

This exercise, according to the minister, is aimed at intensifying industry-academia interactions as students studying in such institutions would have to work with industry at different levels beginning with internship and ending their interface on productions floors also.

The minister also called for extension of the move to allow lateral entry in various ministries at the rank of joint secretaries to even educational institutions as it would amount to acceleration of quality and speed including transparency in quicker dispensation of public policies and said that the matter ought not to be politicised by vested interests.

PHD Chamber president Anil Khaitan emphasised that the focus of education, be it elementary or higher secondary, should be on quality that empowers the learner with skills so that the knowledge earned is applied for earning and even wealth creation.