Chandigarh
2 December 2017
DIVYA AZAD
The first meeting of the Education Advisory Council, constituted by his H.E. Hon’ble Governor Punjab and Chief Administrator, Chandigarh Administration Sh. V. P. Badnore was held at Post Graduate Government College for Girls, Sector-11, Chandigarh under the chairmanship of Maj. Gen. M.S. Kandal, with Prof. A. K. Grover, Vice Chancellor, Panjab University, Mr. R. K. Popli, Director Higher Education, Chandigarh Administration, Mrs. Anujeet Kaur District Education Officer, Sh. Kewal Krishan Adiwal, Former Mayor, Chandigarh, Dr. Dalip Kumar, Additional Project Director, RUSA, Smt. Sangita Vardhan, founder Vatsal Chaya Trust as well as Principals from city colleges. On this occasion the newly renovated conference room of the college was also inaugurated.
A presentation on the Progression and Quality Sustenance of Higher Education, UT, Chandigarh was given by Dr. Dalip Kumar. He highlighted how the range of educational institutions in Chandigarh has widened in the past few decades, bringing in private players as well as technical, engineering and medical colleges spread across the city. The granting of PG courses and Research Centres in various disciplines to city colleges is laudable step by the Vice chancellor, PU. The range of elective subjects offered at the UG level and the initiative to bring in CBCS (Choice based credit system) reflect the University efforts to vocationalise education in keeping with current market needs. The Administration’s commitment to implement six reform agendas in areas of governance, exams, academics, admissions, digitization etc. were also highlighted.
The presentation by DEO Mrs. Anujeet Kaur illustrated the best practices being implemented at the school level across the 114 govt. schools in the city. She emphasised that the infrastructural facilities are being upgraded to serve students’ needs especially those of the differently abled/physically challenged. Government schools are also providing e- content and teaching through smart classrooms to provide quality education. A unique child tracking system through Aadhar card is also in place.
Appreciating the initiative of the Governor Punjab, Maj. Gen. M.S. Kandal stated that the setting up of this council is a landmark step towards improving the quality of Higher Education in the State. He asked the council members present to reflect on what is still lacking and what improvements would be further required to address any deficiencies in implementation of good educational practices.
Tracing the academic growth of Chandigarh, the Vice Chancellor delineated how it was designed from its inception to provide qualitative ‘Human Resource’ as the city’s unique contribution to the nation. The challenge before the University and the city colleges is to be on par with Ivy League institutions in the west.
Thanking the members for their invaluable inputs, Principal PGGCG-11 Prof. Anita Kaushal who is also the member of Education Advisory Council, expressed the view that this Council would be a forum for distinguished personages to visualize, conceptualize, draft and operationalize policies, programmes and events geared towards putting the educational institutions of the city on the world map of educational excellence.
