The Hindu : Kerala / Kochi News : Rs.2 crore for two clusters this year

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Sunday, May 04, 2008
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Kerala

Kerala - Kochi

Rs.2 crore for two clusters this year

G. Krishnakumar

Move aimed at expansion of higher education facilities in State

Third cluster to be set up in Ernakulam
Scheme to be based on the concept of equal participation

KOCHI: Giving a boost to the concept of optimum utilisation of the existing facilities for the expansion of higher education, the State Higher Education Council has set apart Rs.2 crore for implementing the scheme of cluster of colleges in two locations in the State during 2008-09.

A third cluster would be set up when the budgetary allocation of Rs.1 crore for the year 2007-08 for setting a cluster in Ernakulam is made available to the council by the government.

Sources in the council said expenses to the tune of Rs.1 crore per cluster would be met from the budgetary allocation of Rs.4.15 crore for the council for 2008-09.

Denying reports that the cluster proposal had been shelved for want of support from the stakeholders, sources said the government letter authorising the council as the nodal agency for the implementation of the scheme was received only on April 2.

The allocation of Rs.1 crore in the budget for 2007-08 for implementation of the scheme of cluster of colleges with Maharaja’s College, Ernakulam, as the nodal agency, was not placed at the disposal of the council.

Therefore, the council could not take further steps for the implementation of the scheme of cluster of colleges, with Maharaja’s as the nodal college.

Equal status

Describing that the proposed cluster of colleges scheme would be based on the concept of equal participation, the report prepared by the council said that irrespective of the differences in the infrastructure available in the partnering institutions, all institutions joining the cluster would have equal status.

“This could be institutionalised by incorporating provisions for equal status of all partners in the governance and administration of the cluster and by ensuring equality of opportunity in sharing existing facilities and developing new facilities,” the report said.

Own programmes

Explaining that the affiliating university would continue to regulate the partnering colleges in the conduct of their individual programmes, the report said clusters would be free to design their own programmes.

Elaborating on the functions and responsibilities of the cluster of colleges, the report said that partnering colleges could share resources like laboratory, library, auditorium, seminar hall and playground.

They could carry out faculty exchange programmes and introduce common facilities for research.

Some of the proposed programmes included introduction of five-year integrated programmes, innovative credit courses at undergraduate and postgraduate level and training programmes for teachers and office staff.

Governing body

The governing body would be responsible for taking policy decisions on behalf of the cluster.

It would consist of the Principal of each partnering college; representative of the management of each partnering college; elected representative of the teachers of each college; elected representative of the college union of each college; nominee of the State government; representative of the district panchayat; representative of the Syndicate of the affiliating university and two educationists nominated by the government.

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