Karnataka State Higher Education Minister Mr. Aravind Limbavali speaking at a meeting of the Karnataka State higher education Board yesterday in Bangalore promised that the state will have a new education policy that would aim to improve the quality of higher education.

Others who were present on the occasion included Prof. C.A. Krishna Bhat, Prof. Ashok Shettar, Basavaraj Patil Sedam, Prof. A.M. Narahari, Prof. Doraiswamy, Chidananda Gowda, Vice Chancellor of Bangalore University Dr. Prabhudev, Prof. Bisaliah and many more esteemed dignitaries.

The new policy draft would be ready soon and the educational experts should give their suggestions for improvement in the quality of higher education he added. He also said that there is a need for the educational experts to further the cause of higher education and the opinions of the experts would be honored by the government.

Mr Limbavali said that this year about 1800 seats have been left vacant through the CET and this is due to the rural students not interested in higher education. Awareness about higher education will be spread throughout by the government through edusat.

Vision Document 2020 has been prepared by the higher education council of state which has proposed to set up several general universities in all districts of the state .Currently there are nine such universities in state. It recommended one general university for every 100 colleges which means that there should be at least 22 such universities in 29 districts of the state as told by Mr Limbavali. Members of the council explained that the vision document’s aim of setting up universities at district level is already being implemented in Andhra Pradesh. The document is still under consideration.

Vice President of the Board and former Vice-Chancellor of Mangalore University Prof. I. M. Savadatti pointed out that the Board in Andhra Pradesh appears to have made many noticeable advances in the field of higher education. Karnataka has tremendous scope to improve the Board to reach the benefits of higher education to all the students. Stress should be given on research in higher education too.

Other recommendations included making Universities and colleges work round-the-clock learning centre and creating Centre for Excellence in various disciplines across state.

The principal secretary of the state department of higher education Mr A.S. Srikanth said that colleges currently are isolated units and active only during a limited period in the academic year. It is necessary to make them work round-the-clock, through the year, as learning centres and also grant greater autonomy to more colleges.