CHANDIGARH :  Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal Thursday called upon the Vice Chancellors and College Principals from the state to come forward to jointly chalk out a strategy to impart quality education to the economically poor and bright students especially with rural background who had hardly any access to the modern educational avenues despite their enormous capacities and capabilities. 

Presiding over a conference of the Vice Chancellors of the Universities and Principals of the colleges from all over the state here at Law auditorium, Panjab University, Badal said; "It is my endeavor that none should be left illiterate and uneducated in the state because the growth and development in terms of physical infrastructure is meaning less until we improve  our human resource development through imparting quality education to our youth at all levels of schools, colleges and universities".

Badal pointed out that for the first time in the history, Punjab had introduced career counseling for all 10+2 students in the state in order to facilitate aptitude-oriented professional placement for the state's youth. The Chief Minister also mentioned that a state wide counseling exercise for students securing first division or above had been organized from June 20 to July 3 in the Government colleges affiliated to the concerned Universities under the direct supervision of Secretary, School Education, Punjab and the Vice Chancellors in the first phase. Besides the other students had also been given the career counseling by the principals of their respective colleges in the special sessions organized at district head quarters during the second phase.

Badal asked the vice chancellors to allow starting 'add on courses' in the colleges affiliated to their respective universities to enable the students to get vocational training so that they could be gainfully employed later on. The Chief Minister underlined the need to motivate the students to bring a paradigm shift in their mind set to opt for professional courses rather than traditional bachelor degrees courses like BA.

The Chief Minister also impressed upon the Principals to keep liaison with the authorities of concerned universities, Director Public Instructions (Colleges) and Universities Grants Commission to derive maximum benefit from the schemes relating to scholarships for the students under different categories, grant for expansion for infrastructure in the colleges and recruitment of qualified and trained staff.

Speaking on the occasion Vice Chairman of University Grants Commission (UGC) Prof. Mool Chand Sharma asked the Principals to send comprehensive proposals under various schemes offered by the UGC including career advancement programme, autonomous colleges, rural hilly remote areas scheme and colleges with potential for  excellence. He also mentioned about the 374 new colleges to be jointly set up by the Ministry of Human Resources and UGC which would be almost 100% funded by the Commission. He urged the Principals to mobilize teachers of their colleges to play a pro active role in shaping the destiny of the students saying, "Reputation of any institution rests on the quality of the students which it produces".

In his welcome address Punjab University Vice Chancellor Dr. R.C. Sobti briefly outlined the special courses started by the University especially for the benefit of the rural students.

Meanwhile, Joint Secretary UGC Mr. A.K. Dogra explained the nitty-gritty of the various schemes offered by the commission.

Earlier the Chief Minister released a calendar on the various scholarship schemes for the students prepared by the Punjab DPI Colleges.  Dr. Sobti presented a memorabilia to the Chief Minister on the occasion.

Prominent amongst others who were present on the occasion included Vice Chancellor Punjabi University Dr. Jaspal Singh, Secretary Higher Education Ms. Anjali Bhawra, Special Principal Secretary to Chief Minister K.J.S Cheema, Additional Principal Secretary Parveen Kumar, DPI Colleges Dr. Kanwarjit Singh, Director SC/BC Welfare Hussan Lal