SHIMLA-1 December, 2024-Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu chaired the Principal's Conference organized by the Department of Higher Education at Peterhoff, Shimla, on Saturday evening. Speaking on the occasion, he highlighted that Himachal Pradesh has become the first state in India to introduce ranking systems for educational institutions. This initiative would ensure self-assessment and auditing of institutions which allow them to identify their strengths and weaknesses. He said that the institutions with higher rankings would be rewarded with performance-based grants.

The Chief Minister also released the grading of libraries in government degree colleges and Sanskrit colleges. He emphasized that the state government was committed to bringing positive changes across all government sectors with the aim of systemic transformation. A new numerical-based online system for recording Annual Confidential Reports (ACRs) would soon be implemented, replacing the existing format, which is expected to yield numerous positive outcomes.

He said that the state government was planning to enhance the financial and administrative powers of college principals and promote decentralization within the education department. This approach would ensure good governance and timely completion of various tasks. Apart from this the Principals would also be empowered to provide financial assistance to needy students. He said that Postgraduate courses would be introduced in Sanskrit colleges and efforts would be made to strengthen district-level colleges and provide support to colleges in remote areas based on their needs. He said that the present state government was working on introducing hourly based period concept so that their valuable services could be availed during the scarcity of teaching staff. Apart from this the government was also ensuring the recruitment of teachers on regular basis.

The Chief Minister said that plans to develop integrated sports complexes in all assembly constituencies and introduce B.Ed. courses in colleges with adequate infrastructure. He said that the upcoming financial year would witness significant reforms in education with a special focus on strengthening institutions to provide quality education. He stressed that without quality education there was no value of degrees. The state government was also taking innovative steps to modernize medical education and promote the latest medical technologies and Rs. 500 crores has been allocated for the sector this year.

Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that in primary education the government was ensuring optimal utilization of available resources and has started English-medium from Class 1 which was playing an important role in benefiting students, particularly in rural areas. He said that modern libraries equipped with the latest facilities would be established at the district, sub-divisional and panchayat levels, with 493 libraries planned in the first phase at an estimated cost of Rs. 88 crores.

The Chief Minister said that the state government was committed to provide qualitative, inclusive, equitable, futuristic and technology-based education to the students in the state. He also discussed various initiatives, including the Rajiv Gandhi Government Day-Boarding Schools, Dr. Y.S. Parmar vidyarthi Rin Yojana, and the implementation of the National Education Policy.

Education Minister Rohit Thakur underlined the state government’s commitment to strengthening the education sector under the able leadership of Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu. He said that significant strides have been made in improving infrastructure and filling vacant positions in educational institutions. During the two-year tenure of the present state government, approximately 15,000 teaching posts have been created and were being filled in phases. In a first, the state cabinet approved the recruitment of 5,800 teachers in a single meeting. Modern courses were being introduced to align with global education standards and region-specific curricula were being considered to enhance employability and economic prosperity.

The Education Minister urged principals to share constructive suggestions for strengthening the education sector. He assured that the state government would provide all possible support the department to implement the productive reforms.

Secretary Education Rakesh Kanwar emphasized the importance of prioritizing student welfare while implementing the National Education Policy. He highlighted the need to design institution buildings based on regional requirements and encouraged principals to continuously work towards improving educational institutions.

Director Higher Education Amarjeet Sharma provided detailed insights into the conference's various aspects, while academicians presented on diverse topics.

Educationalist Nisha, Kamayani Bisht, Additional Director Education Dr. Harish Kumar, Vice-Chancellor Sardar Patel University Mandi Professor Lalit Kumar and Vice-Chancellor Technical University Hamirpur Shashi Kumar Dhiman gave a presentation on various subjects.

Technical Education Minister Rajesh Dharmani, MLA Anuradha Rana, Deputy Commissioner Bilaspur Abid Hussain Sadiq, Vice-Chancellors of various Universities, Chairman State Higher Education Council Prof. Sarvjot Singh Behl, academicians and senior officers were present on the conference.