Now Private B.Ed colleges to start undergraduate courses
In what could give a boost the educational opportunities for young generation, the government has decided to start undergraduate courses in all private B.Ed colleges of J&K state.
The decision according to officials was taken in the recent Higher Education Council (HEC) meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti.
In the meeting the government has in principle decided to allow B.Ed college to conduct undergraduate courses for students, subject to the affiliation granted by the University.
The officials said that proprietors who have set up their B.Ed colleges in past and their infrastructure was lying defunct. However, the introduction of undergraduate courses will help the college authorities to utilize the “whole infrastructure for academic purposes.’’
“It was decided in the meeting that B.Ed colleges will be allowed to start the courses after infrastructure and other facilities will be certified by the University,” an official of Higher Education Department (HED) said.
He said the subject combination for students will be decided by government keeping in view the streams offered in already existing Degree Colleges across state.
“Government will first check the availability of streams in the existing colleges which are already running in the adjacent areas of B.Ed colleges. B.Ed colleges will offer addmissions for students in subjects which are not taught in existing colleges,” the official said.
“Those subjects which will be in demand as well as in line with the job opportunities will be taught to the undergraduates in B.Ed colleges,” the official said.
He said the classes will be started in the colleges after the government will approve the fee structure of the colleges, as per the facility and streams offered.
“Government doesn’t want to repeat the past mistakes wherein school education department had started ETT courses for outside students without any affiliation and certification from concerned authorities,” the official said.
Minister for Higher Education Syed Altaf Bukhari confirmed the development and said the introduction of undergraduate courses in B.Ed colleges will provide “access to large number of students to higher education.’’
“Most of the students go outside JK state to pursue their courses which are not offered in the existing colleges. We will try to introduce subjects which will fulfill the demand of students,” he said.
State government has also decided to setup two new government B.Ed colleges in Jammu and Srinagar, which will offer admission to the students for B.Ed and M.Ed courses. The decision to set up new B.Ed colleges has been taken after the existing B.Ed colleges were merged with cluster Universities.
KV Correspondent
