KA-HIGHEREDUCATION

Expert committee to be formed to examine changing syllabus in

higher education

Bengaluru, Jan 9 (PTI): Karnataka Higher Education

Minister G T Devegowda Wednesday said that an expert committee

would be constituted to look into changing the syllabus for

highereducation courses in the state.

Stating that government was making all efforts to

increase enrollment in higher education courses, he also said

his department was mullingholding online examinations for the

Common Entrance Test (CET).

During the meeting of Vice-Chancellors of all

universities here tomorrow, discussions would be held on

changing the syallbus in accordance with the need that exists

today in the fast changing world, Devegowda said.

"Syllabus inhigher education has not undergone any

change for a long period now...additional subjects can also

be added undercourses like BA.

In accordance with changing times, a lotof changes have

happened and we need to bring in programmesthat train our

youngsters accordingly," he told reporters here.

"We will however continue with things in the syllabus

that exist and holds good for today's requirements," he said,

adding that an expert committee would be constituted for this

purpose.

The Minister said discussions would be towardsensuring

that the exams conducted by the Karnataka Examination

Authority is through the online process.

"CET and other things that are there we want to do it

online, make it paperless. We want to do it from nextyear...

that's our decision," he said, adding that it was plannedto

introduce software, for which a meeting has been called on

January 19 to take a decision.

The minister said that the move was aimed at ending

complaints aboutmalpractices in the CET exams.

Pointing out that there are 10 state-run engineering

colleges in Karnataka, he said steps would be taken to provide

all basic facilities to make them on par with noted private

colleges.

Steps have also been taken to appointteaching staff

and principals to government and aidedcolleges, he said,

adding that the government would appoint 3,800 lecturers and

394 principals before the start of the next academic year.

Universities had been asked to open skilldevelopment

centres and adopt villages to encourage youngsters to enroll

forhigher education, by conducting various awareness

programmesthere, he said.

"Now enrollment or admissions for higher education is

about 25 per cent. We have to create more awarenessamong

youngsters so that they enroll for higher education. I want

Universities to work in this regard," he said.

The Minister said various steps, like introducing a

biometric system to track attendance of teachers, was being

planned by the government to improve the quality of education.

"The government is taking steps one after the other. By

next year, you will see some results," he said.