Hyderabad: A huge gap between projected demand and actual allocation is to blame for poor gradation of higher education in Central and state universities in the country, says a report submitted by the parliamentary committee to the ministry of human resource development.
Only 55 per cent of funds were allotted from projected funds in 2018-19. “What is received is not even close to the projection,” Osmania University registrar Prof Gopal Reddy said. “The gaps exist at both the state and Central level. But the Central government is now releasing specific funds for specific skill development schemes and research where they want to have targeted results.”
The gap in funding affects quality of course, infrastructure, upgradation of professors and integration of courses.
“The thrust on higher education requires technology integration. To ensure that the faculty is able to cope with it, they would require constant training,” a senior professor at Hyderabad Central University said on condition of anonymity. “The government takes projected costs every six months, but the actual funds are anywhere close to the projections. This creates a sense of disinterest.”
The Telangana government allotted Rs 2,823 crore for higher education, but most of it was spent on improving infrastructure in junior government colleges and setting up 11 new polytechnic colleges in the state.
As a result, not much was spent on setting up quality laboratories, creating new facilities for technology integration and new departments.
