Concept is in preparatory stage, says CM
Panaji: The government plans to set up two cluster universities in the state under the New Education Policy (NEP), Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said
on Tuesday. These universities will be in addition to the Goa University.
“Under NEP, we are proposing two cluster universities. Goa University will continue. One cluster university will be in North Goa and the other in South Goa,” the Chief Minister said. Both the cluster universities will have separate vice-chancellors, he said.
How soon will it happen? The concept is in the preparatory stage and will take three years to implement, Sawant said.
Colleges will be given an option to either be affiliated to one of the two cluster universities in the respective districts or the Goa University, Sawant, who also holds the education portfolio, said.
The North Goa cluster university will have its administrative office at GEC (Goa Engineering College) in Farmagudi, while the South Goa cluster university will be based most likely in Quepem.
The Chief Minister said that the colleges will continue to function as they are doing presently. The only difference will be the administrative set-up for the cluster universities. Degrees will be awarded to the students by the respective cluster university, he said.
Under the National Education Policy, there will be academic flexibility and integration, he said.
“If a student has undertaken BA and wants to opt for music, he will be able to do so,” he said.
Under the National Education Policy, the central government has been encouraging the states to go for cluster universities for the benefit of students. The objective is to allow the established colleges to offer a wide range of courses and provide academic flexibility recommended under the National Education Policy.
Cluster universities will allow effective implementation of National Education Policy, as the affiliate institutions can have collaboration to offer multidisciplinary education. The first cluster university in India was the Cluster University of Srinagar (CUS), which was established in 2016.
The Chief Minister said that NEP is being implemented from the primary school level to the higher education level.
