Mangalore, Jan 4: Mangalore does qualify to possess an IIT but it will take some time for the government to give its nod for the same as overseeing of complete implementation of IIT's granted in the 11th five year plan needs to be done in the first place, said Pallam Raju, Union Minister for Human Resource Development.
Speaking at an interaction session with members of the Congress party at the district Congress office in Mangalore on Friday, Mr. Raju said in response to the demand made by former MLA Vijay Kumar Shetty and other Congress leaders of allowing an IIT for NITK, Surathkal, that Mangalore deserves an IIT but the process may take time.
Women's University
“Unless the IITs granted in the 11th plan are established, it is difficult to talk about setting up of new IITs. But Mangalore certainly qualifies to have an IIT. The city being an educational hub, a separate Women's University may also come up in due course of time”, the Minister said.
To a suggestion made by J R Lobo, Former Commissioner, MCC, about including agriculture and horticulture in school syllabi, Mr. Raju said that such a step indeed needs to be taken as rural children need academic exposure to a discipline that they are good at. The Minister asked members of the party present in the gathering to seriously consider including agriculture as part of school syllabuses if the party comes to power in the state.
On the issue of having better R&D (Research and Development) in the academic circles, Mr. Raju said that the local Chamber of Commerce and Industry and other similar institutions must be made to pump funds into R&D development at local levels. The Government of India is also aware of enhancing R&D in the country. “Currently only 0.85% of our GDP is spent on R&D whereas China spends 3%. The Prime Minister has promised that it will be increased to 2%”, he said.
NEET
U T Khader, MLA, brought to the notice of the Minister the issue of NEET entrance tests and problems being faced by the students and teachers in the state. Both students as well as teachers have been accustomed to state syllabus all this while and with NEET and the changed central syllabus coming in, there was a need to provide training to students and teachers which has not happened, he said. Salaries have not been paid to high school teachers in the state in the last three months by the state government, he said.
Not a single high school, PU or degree college has been started by the state government in its current term and whatever activity has been carried out is mere implementation of Centre's projects by the state government, he added.
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