Tn To Set Up Science City Authority

State education secretary S P Elangovan said preliminary meetings have already begun under the chairmanship of former Union minister C Subramaniam.

The main function of the authority will be to tailor the education system in the state to the needs of the industry and business.

Addressing a seminar on higher education organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Ficci) here yesterday, Elangovan said the authority will study the suggestions from the industry regarding the changes in curricula and study materials and the introduction of new courses.

The state is also planning a non-statutory education council that will play a watchdog role on the changes in curricula.

 

Elangovan called for an informed debate on the pricing of education and capitation fees in professional colleges. Cost of higher education, he felt, would have to be reworked given the heavy subsidies enjoyed by it.

Chairman of the Ficci education committee S K Somaiya suggested an education system where fees payable by students are directly related to the costs. Subsidies, he said, should be directly disbursed through institutions for needy students and should be based on economic and other recognised criteria.

This will be in contrast to the existing blanket subsidy system where the rich and the poor reap equal benefits.

This could be supplemented with a well-designed scholarship-cum-loan scheme to ensure that higher education is accessible to all.

Private universities is another concept that is seriously being explored in academic circles, given that government support to most universities are dwindling. Grants do not match either rising expenses or inflation leading to an ever-increasing deficit, he said.