Improve gross enrolment ratio to 80%: Jagan to officials

Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Friday directed officials to ensure a significant increase in gross enrolment ratio (GER). He said the GER should be more than 80%. During a review meeting held at the camp office here, the Chief Minister said fees are being reimbursed under Vidya Devena and accommodation fees are being paid under Vasathi Deevena to ensure that poverty does not deprive a student from pursuing higher education.

He said higher education courses should be job-oriented and added that supplementary courses and special courses should be introduced. Students should become proficient in English to improve their communication skills and best training should be provided to students for GRE and GMAT exams, he added.

Curb dropouts among girl students

The Chief Minister said fee reimbursement and Vasathi Deevena schemes will be applicable to all the children in a family unlike earlier when they were limited to only one child. He added that this decision was taken to ensure education for both girls and boys. He said girls are dropping out of schools in backward areas and directed the officials to focus on western Kurnool, Chittoor, and Prakasam districts.

Mandatory internship

He instructed the officials to choose four to five universities in the state and take steps to make them on par with the best universities in the country. He directed the officials to make a 10-month internship mandatory for graduation courses and said it should be done in three phases – two months for the first year, two months for the second year, and six months of internship for the third year.

Develop courses in colleges

Jagan said there should be one degree college in each constituency and added that junior colleges should be developed under the Nadu Nedu scheme. He said a system should be introduced to make the degree colleges in the state the best. He added that they should be developed to provide the best courses. The CM said all government degree colleges should be brought under one university to add value to the degree courses. He said Andhra Pradesh should become a top destination for degree courses in the country and students who complete their degrees in Andhra Pradesh should get good salaries. He instructed the officials to fill faculty vacancies and said there should be no room for recommendations in recruitment.

He said efficient and talented teachers should be selected for the teaching posts and their communication skills should also be considered during the selection process. He said discipline and transparency are of utmost importance in universities and instructed the officials to complete IIITs in Ongole and Srikakulam soon.