In order to strengthen the primary education at grass root level the Chief Minister Punjab Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today reiterated his demand from Government of India to amend the Right to Education (RTE) Act by re-introducing board examination system for classes fifth and eighth. He also demanded that students failing in annual examination till class eighth should not be promoted to next class as promoting the students, irrespective of their results, were showing a bad impact on the standard of education.While interacting with media persons after performing the ground breaking ceremony of Central University of Punjab in 500 acres of land at its main campus here, the Chief Minister said that under the present provisions of Right To Education Act no student can be failed till class eighth and till class tenth students do not appear for any board examination. Consequently the application of these provisions has appalling impact on the standard of education. The Chief Minister said that he has already raised this issue with the Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi and even the Punjab Vidhan Sabha has unanimously passed resolution for bringing in required changes in the RTE Act.
While addressing the gathering at university campus Mr. Badal said it was a matter of pride for the Malwa area, where this varsity has come up, as universities are most important component of higher education. He added that people of an area can take advantage of such prestigious institutions only if the primary education is up to mark and of high standard. He said that the varsity has already brought laurels for the state by figuring in the list of top-notch 13 central universities in country. The Chief Minister asked the Chancellor Dr. Sardara Singh Johal to ensure that varsity adopts schools or colleges near its campus and prune the students of these educational institutions to clear various academic challenges. He said that as a pilot project the Meritorious School at Bathinda could be adopted that has a number of intelligent and deserving students. Mr. Badal asserted all kind of help from Punjab government to the varsity. He said that as a part of its endeavor to strengthen the state education system, Punjab government has opened Meritorious Schools at Bathinda, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Amritsar, Patiala and Talwara wherein students of government schools securing 80 percent and more marks are provided free secondary education. Now the state government was opening three more such schools at Ferozepur, Sangrur and Gurdaspur. Similarly taking giant leaps in the higher education sector, the state government had set up 12 universities and 17 colleges.
Congratulating the people of Malwa today, Mr. Badal said that the Bathinda has become now seat of learning with the establishment of two varsities including Maharaja Ranjit Singh Technical University and Central University of Punjab wherein students from other states are also getting education. He added that the time is bygone when this region was considered educationally backward. Today it is home to the best of national level educational institutes.
Answering a media query on agrarian crisis, Mr. Badal said that that the country’s bread grower was today reeling under crisis, which required immediate policies from Government of India for benefit of the farmers. Responding to a query on flood-like situation in various districts, the Chief Minister said that the farmer who has suffered losses due to flood of his fields will be adequately compensated with Rs 8000 per acre compensation amount after conducting due survey. Answering a question on Akali-BJP alliance he said that both parties shared cemented bonds, which can never break.The State President BJP Mr. Kamal Sharma in his address to the people congratulated them and shad that the varsity has come up as a result of the unmatched development Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal has heralded in changing the landscape of area.
Speaking the event the Chancellor CUP Dr. S.S. Johal said that the varsity wanted to ensure admission of Punjab’s students in it for which it was necessary to raise the standard of education in colleges. He suggested that the Chief Minister should talk to the Government of India for affiliating few colleges with the varsity so that students of Punjab can draw maximum benefit from it. He also demanded keeping in view the national importance of institution, the Bathinda to Delhi Shatabdi Express Train should be run daily or four times a week for which he requested the Chief Minister to take up issue with the Union Minister for Railways.
The varsity’s vice-chancellor Prof. V.K. Kohli gave details about the large building varsity campus will get vis-à-vis the courses being run.Earlier the Chief Minister performed ground breaking ceremony of the varsity. Prominent among others present at the occasion included the Rural Development and Panchayat Minister Mr. Sikander Singh Maluka, Chief Parliamentary Secretary Mr. Sarup Chand Singla, MLA Mr. Darshan Singh Kotfatta, former Lok Sabha member Mrs. Paramjit Kaur Gulshan, Special Principal Secretary to CM Mr. K.J.S. Cheema, Bathinda Mayor Mr. Balwant Rai Nath, Deputy Commissioner Dr. Basant Garg, SSP Bathinda Mr. Inder Mohan Singh Bhatti.