Date:08/05/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/05/08/stories/2006050815070300.htm

Other States - Bihar

Bihar to streamline higher education

A State Council to be formed on the norms laid down in the National Education Policy

Patna: With a view to streamlining higher education, the Bihar Government is planning to set up a State Council of Higher Education on the norms and guidelines laid down in the National Education Policy.

Once the decision is taken, the three existing bodies - the Bihar State University Commission, Bihar College Service Commission and the Bihar Inter-University Board - would be amalgamated to make way for the State Council of Higher Education, which is already successfully functioning in many States, Secretary, State Human Resource Development Department M.M. Jha said on Sunday.

Dr. Jha said the move to prune the higher education system gained momentum after the State Administrative Reforms Commission strongly recommended having one body instead of three for higher education.

The motive behind having the state council was to reduce the interference of the department even in routine works of the universities like promotion and appointment of teaching and non-teaching employees, Dr. Jha said.

Sources in the department said that Governor Buta Singh as Chancellor had also constituted a committee headed by retired IAS officer I.C. Kumar, now the Vice-Chancellor of Veer Kunwar Singh University, to suggest changes in the Bihar Universities Act and other aspects to streamline the functioning of the universities.

Besides having administrative power, the proposed council will also have financial powers. -- PTI