The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : World Bank loan for technical education

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Sep 24, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

World Bank loan for technical education

Nagesh Prabhu

Karnataka ranked fourth among 13 states in TEQIP

‘The project helped increase the quality of graduates in critical areas’
Eleven colleges in Karnataka made extensive use of non-formal networking

BANGALORE: The World Bank has lauded the implementation of the Technical Education Quality Improvement Project (TEQIP) in six states, including Karnataka. The Bank expressed its readiness to provide a loan of Rs. 300 crore in the next phase of the project, which will commence from the next financial year.

The Joint Review Mission of the World Bank recently reviewed the progress of the $250 million project which was being implemented in 13 states — Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Uttarkhand, Gujarath, Jharkhand and Kerala. The project was being executed since 2004 for revamping the technical education in the country. The Bank has termed the progress as ‘satisfactory’ in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. It rated “moderately unsatisfactory” the progress in Gujarat, Jharkhand and Kerala. The overall implementation has been “moderately satisfactory” in Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Uttarakhand. Karnataka was ranked fourth while Jharkhand was last in the execution of the project.

The Bank’s Aide Memoire said “the project helped increase the quality of graduates in critical areas; 96 per cent increase in employment; and increase in enrolment for postgraduate programmes”.

Funds utilisation

Of the 76 engineering colleges selected in the country, 14 are from Karnataka. The colleges utilised the funds for upgradation of infrastructure, purchase of technical equipment, research and training of the teaching staff and development of networking methods. It helped the colleges transform into “centres of excellence” with all facilities, the officials of the Technical Education Department told The Hindu.

The Aide Memoire said 11 out of 14 colleges in Karnataka have made extensive use of non-formal networking with the industry, research and development and prestigious institutions. Achievements in academic areas were satisfactory — the significant achievement being registration of 420 students for doctoral studies and 179 for ME/ M.Tech and publication of 409 research papers in refereed journals. Under the programme, the colleges introduced credit system for all subjects.

The World Bank said Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu fared better in percentage of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe faculty, and West Bengal in the percentage of women faculty. “None of the other states appear to have filled the reserved quotas even at the Assistant Professors level,” it said.

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