GOVERNMENT OF ARUNACHAL PRADESH
DIRECTORATE OF INFORMATION PUBLIC RELATIONS & PRINTING
NAHARLAGUN
PRESS RELEASE SL. NO 154
Job - Oriented & Skill Technical development Education the need of the hour
Naharlagun, March 14- Higher education in the state should be dominantly geared towards providing
Job - oriented vocational courses and high
quality technical skill development to address the growing unemployment and need of the time, the State CM , Shri Gegong Apang opined today, at Itanagar, while addressing at the inaugural function of the two - day Higher Education conference attended by representative from
UGC, NERIST, Arunachal Polytechnic,Deans, HODs of Rajiv Gandhi University, Principals of Govt. and private colleges of the State including forestry and Agriculture
college, Pasighat ,etc. Referring to the renaming of Arunachal University to Rajiv Gandhi University, The Chief Minister said
the Government decision was taken out of Pragmatic considerations, keeping in mind the interest and development of the
State's lone University, adding that in the new name, the University will be eligible to avail Financial support from the Rajiv
Gandhi foundation etc. Further the Chief Minister said that , our higher education system should also facilitate innovative , cost
-effective, and environment and ecological friendly local and rural technology, to keep intact our clean environment ,while
citing evolving earthquake proof housing technology using local scientific indigenous technology. Developing work culture is of utmost importance if the State is to move in the right direction he also said. And further expressed hope that discussions on the
various issues in the workshop - organized with the objective of revamping the very working of Higher Education system in the State and with the ultimate aim of promoting the quality teaching, research and technical skill development in the State -would be result oriented. The state Education Minister said that the career options like P G Diploma in Mass Communication and Journalism offered by Arunachal University, and the employment oriented Courses offered by Arunachal Polytechnic,
Itanagar like Diploma in Information Technology, Travel Tourism and Hotel Management, Costume Design and Garment
Technology ,Herbal Remedy Course, Automobile Engineering etc should be given wide publicity and exposed to the youths.
Further he urged that periodic training and workshops should also be he conducted to create awareness among the youths for
entrepreneurship. Further, he said as part of incentive to teachers, the Government has implemented the revised UGC pay scales for the colleges, University eachers in the state adding that Career Advancement Schemes have also been regularly
implemented. Also 17 Lecturers of various subjects have been appointed in various colleges to strengthen the
departments. The State government is very much aware of the infrastructural constraints face by the government colleges the minister said and assured that measures have been initiated to address the constraints while adding that since government
patronage in every aspect is no longer possible privatization is slowly making in road into the sphere of Higher education
.Expressing serious concern at the growing trend of indiscipline among the youth, he said they should only focus on their
studies and career for a secure future instead of diverting to other areas not under their domain. While expressing happiness
over the fact that NERIST would soon achieve the Deemed University status, he said , "the States lone University , is in the process of getting Central University status" and most likely to
get the Central University status in the near future . The recent visit by the team of UGC experts, to assess to the potentiality, had expressed their satisfaction on the functioning of the
University, he informed. The state Government is concerned for the development of higher education and has been extending all possible support despite resource crunch, the minister said adding that the state Chief Minister, has been in all his capacity, trying to help accord the Central University status to Arunachal University and recently the Government has also created a provision of statutory fund by amending the Arunachal University Act 1984 and enhanced the annual grant from Rs 4.00
crore to Rs 8.59 Crore. Once the University gets Central University status, the amount can be utilized for consolidation and expansion of collegiate education in the state he further said. However, the Education Minister said that the colleges should now
prepare for the assessment by NAAC(National Assessment And Accreditation Council )adding that a few like Dera
Natung Itanagar and J N Pasighat college have offered themselves for assessment by NAAC in the first phase. The
Government has also started the coaching programme for civil services aspirants in Dera Natung College, the minister said. The Vice- Chancellor, Rajiv Gandhi University, Shri Atul Sharma, informed that in the present global scenario - there is
the growing demand for diversified skilled manpower in the service sector adding that our education system should he geared
torward these demand adding that the workshop would serve the purpose of discussing these issues and help in the evolving
of strategies for Higher Education. He further conveyed the message of UGC Chairperson , especially to Principals of colleges to take initiative on providing add - on skills to the present curriculum and UGC programmes on these should be availed by them. He further said in the near future the developed countries with its ageing population would acutely require the services from the countries like India with the advantage of its high young population adding that our higher and technical
education system should be equipped to provide these skilled services demand. Director Higher Education Shri Joram Begi
gave the welcome address while Shri T. Padu gave the vote of thanks.
( Deepali Dodum )
Press Research Officer
Information, Public Relations & Printing
Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh Naharlagun.