(a) whether the Government has formed or proposed to form any task force to evaluate the
quality of higher education;
(b) if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the steps taken by the Government to improve the quality of higher education?
(a) whether the Government has formed or proposed to form any task force to evaluate the
quality of higher education;
(b) if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the steps taken by the Government to improve the quality of higher education?
MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT(SHRI KAPIL SIBAL)
(a)to(c): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (c) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.397 FOR
16.12.2009 ASKED BY SHRI M.B. RAJESH, HON`BLE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT, REGARDING QUALITY OF
HIGHER EDUCATION.
(a) & (b): The Government has from, time to time, constituted groups to advise and recommend
measures on various issues in higher education, including quality aspects. These include the
National Knowledge Commission (NKC), the Committee to advise on the Renovation and Rejuvenation
of Higher Education under Prof. Yash Pal (YPC), the Task Force on Higher Education to carry
out the recommendations of the NKC and the YPC and the Task Force on strengthening Basic
Scientific Research in Universities.
(c): Improvement of quality of higher education is a continuous process. A substantial increase
in Plan allocation has been made in the Eleventh Plan aiming at improvement of quality through
increased allocation for improvement of infrastructure in the existing higher and technical
educational institutions and by way of setting up of new quality institutions such as Central
Universities in uncovered States, establishment of Innovation Universities aiming at world
class standards, quality institutions such as Indian Institutes of Technology, Indian
Institutes of Management, Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research, Indian
Institutes of Information Technology, Schools for Planning and Architecture, establishment
of 50 centres for training and research in frontier areas of Science and Technology.
Quality of teaching in higher education is a matter of great concern. When the Pay Review
Committee recommendations in respect of teachers in colleges and universities were considered
by the Central Government, salaries and allowances, higher than those for the Group `A` Civil
Services was agreed to by the Government on the condition that the eligibility conditions for
teachers would be tightened and raised in merit. The age of superannuation of teachers in
higher education has also been increased from 62 year to 65 years. These steps would ensure
that over time the best talent comes into the academic professions through a process of
tightening entry and liberalizing pay.