Pass Courses should be introduced in all colleges : Virbhadra Singh
Exhorts lecturers to work hard for making better citizens , Grievances & genuine demands of lecturers be addressed
5 Dariya News
Shimla 10-May-2016
The students should have full choice to pursue between Pass Course or honours courses and Pass Courses should be introduced in all the colleges of the State whereas Honours Course should not be forcibly imposed on the students under the Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) as adopted by HPU since academic session 2013-14. The Honours Courses, however can be introduced in the selected colleges where the students want to take up the same, said Chief Minister Shri Virbhadra Singh while presiding over the Review Meeting of Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA), here today.He said that University Grants Commission (UGC) had given full choice to the students to pursue Pass Course or Honours as per CBCS module. The CBCS, if followed on analogy of UGC, was far better, comprehensive and in the far better interest of the students, he said.The merits and demerits of the present RUSA system was also deliberated upon and the Chief Minister directed to start Pass Courses in all colleges of the State.On the issue of recovery, the Chief Minister said that it was rather wrong to withdraw the increments given to M. Phil and Ph. D lecturers earlier (as per UGC norms) and the adjustments being made thereafter from their salary. The matter would be brought to the Cabinet to be solved at the earliest, he said.He directed that the genuine demands of the college lecturers should be met upon without delay and their grievances should be taken up.
However, the college lecturers should not think that tactics of pressing their demands every time during examination and evaluation period would be considered. He said that besides teaching, they too have responsibility towards the students and their career. They can’t ignore the interest of the students for their personal gains, he said. The genuine demands and dues, if any were to be given immediately to the college lecturers said the Chief Minister. The Government never backed out to give patient hearing to their genuine demands and meet them too.Chief Minister exhorted lecturers to work hard for the future of young generation to make them better citizens.On the declaration of results of sixth semester of RUSA, the Chief Minister said that apart from teaching it was the moral responsibility and the duty of the lecturers to evaluate the results well within time and they should do so. If theywere refusing for the same or boycotting the evaluation process, the contracts teachers teaching in other colleges can be called upon in case of such emergency as, the Government won’t tolerate such an act which was detrimental towards the career and the interest of the students. The Chief Minister said that conducting examination and evaluation was part of this duty.
We are not holding back the promotional avenues of the college lecturers; he said, adding that he wanted his staff to be happy and satisfied. He directed the State Government officers not to let the demands turn into agitation and should take immediate steps to solve them there and then. Why to delay over the issues which need attention and redressal, he said. Over the years the Government had been giving promotions to the lecturers, adhering to their genuine demands, giving increments when they were due. As far as financial dues, as being suggested and prevalent in other states were concerned, we will follow our norms as per the financial module of the state, he said.Vice-Chairman, HPTDC and member of HP University Executive Committee Shri Harish Janaratha, said that the shortcomings in CBCS would soon be redressed, adding that CBCS had one major limitation as it was not at par with the norms followed at National Level. He hailed the decision of the Chief Minister of allowing introducing Pass Course in all colleges under the CBCS.He said that State Higher Education Council (SHEC) would be re-constituted as per the directions of the UGC and implement UGC module in totality.Member, HP University Executive Committee Shri Chandershekhar, also gave in some valuable suggestion for improving the demerits in CBCS.Chief Secretary, Shri P. Mitra, Vice-Chancellor, HPU, Dr. A.D.N Bajpayee, Additional Chief Secretaries, Shri V.C. Pharka, Shri P.C. Dhiman, Dr. Shrikant Baldi, Director, Higher Education, Shri Dinkar Burathoki, Project Director, RUSA, Shri Amar Dev were also present in the meeting amongst others.