PM seeks revolution in modern education, 370 colleges promised

By IANS

New Delhi : Stating that he wished to see “a revolution in the field of modern education”, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Wednesday promised to set up a slew of quality schools, colleges, central universities and institutes of higher education across the country.


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The prime minister devoted a considerable part of his speech from the Red Fort on the country’s 60th anniversary of independence on education, saying it was his fervent desire that India should become “a fully educated, modern, progressive nation.

“From this historic Red Fort, I would like this message to go to every corner of India – we will make India a nation of educated people, of skilled people, of creative people.”

Manmohan Singh said the government had decided to invest in setting up good quality schools. “We will support 6,000 new high quality schools – one in every block of the country. Each school will set standards of excellence for other schools in the area.”

He said the government wanted to universalise secondary education, for which “an extensive programme … is being finalized”.

“We will also ensure that adequate numbers of colleges are set up across the country, especially in districts where enrolment levels are low. We will help states set up colleges in 370 such districts.”

Describing the university system as one that had been “relatively neglected in recent years”, Manmohan Singh promised to open 30 new central universities and that each state “that does not have a central university will now have one”.

And in order to promote science and professional education, he said the government would set up five new Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research, eight new Indian Institutes of Technology, seven new Indian Institutes of Management and 20 new Indian Institutes of Information Technology.

“These will generate new educational opportunities for our youth… We can ensure that at least a fifth of our children go to colleges as compared to one-tenth now.”

The prime minister announced the launch soon of a Mission on Vocational Education and Skill Development through which 1,600 new industrial training institutions (it is) and polytechnics, 10,000 new vocational schools and 50,000 new Skill Development Centres would be opened.

“We will ensure that annually, over 100 lakh students get vocational training – which is a four-fold increase from today’s level.

“We will seek the active help of the private sector in this initiative so that they not only assist in the training but also lend a hand in providing employment opportunities.”

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