Higher education sector poised for quantum jump in Orissa

Source:Indian Express,Bhubaneswar, 01.03.2010,Report by-Sanjeev Kumar Patro

Orissa’s higher education sector is poised for a quantum jump in the Eleventh Plan going by the latest UGC forecast.

It has projected that enrolment would clock a compounded annual growth rate of 7.5 per cent to touch over 6.5 lakh of an over 50 lakh population in the 18-23 year age group by the year 2012. The overall gross enrolment rate (GER) - the ratio of total enrolment to the total population in the age group of 18-23 years - would be 13 per cent. Consequently, additional enrolment in the 11th Plan period would be over 2.6 lakh.

The forecast, however, has indicated that Orissa’s GER would remain well below the national average of 15 per cent.

One of the reasons would be as high as 18 districts are still educationally backward districts. In Orissa’s case, the EBDs have either a predominant tribal population or are forested regions. Fourteen of the EBDs have over 25 per cent rural tribal population with five of them having over 58-59 per cent forest cover. Another three districts have over 40 per cent forest cover.

Significantly, the State’s chief industrial centres like Angul, Jharsuguda, Keonjar, Mayurbhanj and Sambalpur that, incidentally, have predominant tribal population are listed in the EBD category contrary to the national trend. This does not augur well for Government’s industrial drive.

Inequitable growth is further evidenced by the fact that the collegepopulation index (C-PI) (colleges per lakh population) in Orissa is 17.6 against 12.4 nationally. But, nine districts have the index much below the 12 colleges per lakh population.
Two districts have C-PI even below four and two others have below eight. Thus, lower GER is on account of unavailability of qualitatively affordable higher education opportunities.

If statistics are any indication, the inequity is set to get accentuated in the 11th Plan. Because, as per the population norm of a University per two lakh population, Orissa would require a whopping 25 universities for its 50 lakh student population in the age-group of 18-23 years by 2012.
There are nine at present.

Also, for the additional 2.6 lakh general enrolment by 2012, the State needs over 200more general colleges.

Thus, to supply the manpower requirement of the industries in the State, the Government has to seek holistic solutions for the EBDs here.