The Maharashtra government on Friday announced that it will not give permission for new colleges offering only traditional Arts, Commerce and Science courses.
The announcement was made by state Higher and Technical Education Minister Chandrakant Patil, who said emphasis needed to be given on encouraging more employment-oriented courses.
“We are taking this decision to not permit any new colleges offering traditional Arts, Commerce and Science courses this year. We want colleges to offer courses which are more useful for society and will help enhance the life of students as individuals,” Patil said.
He shared an example of how a course in Kolhapur to train people as bed assistants saw increased demand from students due to the need for such jobs in hospitals in the adjoining areas.
“There are many such professions or jobs, old as well as new, having no trained manpower. Educational institutions need to tap such gaps and offer courses,” said Patil, adding that colleges will be encouraged to offer novel courses where 70 per cent training is job-oriented while 30 per cent training should help an individual to lead a better life.
“In line with NEP 2020, it is definitely time that we change this fixed approach in higher education…,” former Vice Chancellor of Mumbai University Suhas Pednekar said.
