Expert committee to be formed to examine changing syllabus in

: Karnataka Higher Education Minister G T Devegowda Wednesday said that an expert committee would be constituted to look into changing the syllabus for highereducation courses in the state.

Stating that government was making all efforts to increase enrollment in higher education courses, he also said his department was mullingholding online examinations for the Common Entrance Test (CET).

During the meeting of Vice-Chancellors of all universities here tomorrow, discussions would be held on changing the syallbus in accordance with the need that exists today in the fast changing world, Devegowda said.

"Syllabus inhigher education has not undergone any change for a long period now...additional subjects can also be added undercourses like BA.

In accordance with changing times, a lotof changes have happened and we need to bring in programmesthat train our youngsters accordingly," he told reporters here.

"We will however continue with things in the syllabus that exist and holds good for today's requirements," he said, adding that an expert committee would be constituted for this purpose.

The Minister said discussions would be towardsensuring that the exams conducted by the Karnataka Examination Authority is through the online process.

"CET and other things that are there we want to do it online, make it paperless. We want to do it from nextyear... that's our decision," he said, adding that it was plannedto introduce software, for which a meeting has been called on January 19 to take a decision.

The minister said that the move was aimed at ending complaints aboutmalpractices in the CET exams.

Pointing out that there are 10 state-run engineering colleges in Karnataka, he said steps would be taken to provide all basic facilities to make them on par with noted private colleges.

Steps have also been taken to appointteaching staff and principals to government and aidedcolleges, he said, adding that the government would appoint 3,800 lecturers and 394 principals before the start of the next academic year.

Universities had been asked to open skilldevelopment centres and adopt villages to encourage youngsters to enroll forhigher education, by conducting various awareness programmesthere, he said.

"Now enrollment or admissions for higher education is about 25 per cent. We have to create more awarenessamong youngsters so that they enroll for higher education. I want Universities to work in this regard," he said.

The Minister said various steps, like introducing a biometric system to track attendance of teachers, was being planned by the government to improve the quality of education.

"The government is taking steps one after the other. By next year, you will see some results," he said.