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Shri Kapil Sibal calls upon states for partnership in education reforms; 56th meeting of CABE inaugurated
Shri Kapil Sibal, Union Minister for Human Resource Development, has called upon the states for support and partnership for bringing in educational reforms in the country. He was speaking during the inaugural session of the Central Advisory Board on Education (CABE) Meeting here today. The Minister underlined expansion, inclusion and excellence as the three underlying principles for educational reforms. Shri Sibal particularly called for collaboration from State Governments with regard to the Right to Education. He pointed out that Rs.1,50,000/- crore would be required for implementing the RTE in the country. It is perceived that there will be a shortfall of Rs.60,000/- crore as regards this massive exercise, which will have to be addressed he said.
Shri Sibal pointed out that in order to provide equal opportunity to all students trying for professional courses, a core curriculum in Maths and Science needs to be formulated. He informed the Members of the Meeting that in a recent Meeting, COBSE, has endorsed the framing of this core curriculum in Maths and Science and a Committee of COBSE has been constituted to draft the outlines of this curriculum in two months. Shri Sibal emphasized that diversity in education was to be respected and there was no intent of having a single board in the country.
With regard to higher education Shri Sibal, in his address, indicated the reforms being mooted in this sector. He said that his Ministry was in the process of formulating the structure for an overarching body for higher education that would be responsible for higher education policy. He said that some of the proposals for higher education included complete autonomy to universities for devising courses, cross fertilization of courses, research oriented universities etc. He also said that he was open to the idea of Indian universities collaborating with foreign universities or with the corporate sector. He pointed out that the corporate sector was showing increasing interest in education as they require trained manpower.
The HRD Minister stated that he is in the process of dialogue for the creation of a Central Madrasa Board. He clarified that he did not want to interfere at all with religious education. But he emphasized that he wanted to empower minorities with equivalence of Board exams so that they could move into the university system and be eligible for jobs. He also underlined commitment towards the Schedule Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Minorities, the differently abled, and other disadvantaged sections for which the same opportunity as the rest of the children of the country must be provided.
The Union Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Shri C.P. Joshi, the Union Minister for Labour & Employment, Shri Mallikarjun Kharge, Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Shri M.S. Gill, Union Minister of Tribal Affairs, Shri Kantilal Bhuria also addressed the Inaugural Session. The Minister of State, for Human Resource Development, Smt. D. Purandeswari, Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Shri R.P. Agrawal and Secretary, Deptt. of School Education and Literacy, Smt. Anshu Vaish were also present besides Ministers In-charge of Education of State Governments. Nominated members (representing different interests) including Shri Javed Akhtar, Ms. Teesta Sitalvad, among others, were also present at the meeting.
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Smt. Meira Kumar Inaugurates the Conference of Ministers of Parliamentary Affairs of States & UTs
Smt. Meira Kumar, the Speaker of Lok Sabha has said that it is the duty of the Whips of both the Government and Opposition to secure the compliance of the legislators with the rules. The Ministers of Parliamentary Affairs have a substantial role to play in the orderly conduct of the business of the House. Smt. Kumar said this while inaugurating the Conference of Ministers of Parliamentary Affairs of States and
The Speaker said that the issue of maintaining of discipline and decorum has been engaging the attention of the Annual Conference of Presiding Officers of Legislative Bodies in
She reminded the participating Ministers from States and UTs of the Resolution unanimously adopted by the All India Conference of Presiding Officers, Chief Ministers, Ministers of Parliamentary Affairs, Leaders and Whips of Parties on Discipline and Decorum in Parliament and Legislatures of States and Union Territories, held in New Delhi in November 2001, which among other things, urged that steps should be taken to ensure a minimum of 110 days of sittings of the Parliament and 90 days for Legislatures of big states and 50 days of sittings of the Legislatures of small States, respectively. This is a very important commitment that we all should make, Smt. Kumar mentioned.
She said that the Ministry's proposal to extend the initiative to expand the 'Youth Parliament Scheme' to rural areas is indeed laudable. Coupled with this and with the enhanced allocation of funds, the organization of 'Youth Parliament' in various parts of the country will be on more professional lines and more intensive with wider participation.
Shri Pawan Kumar Bansal, the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Water Resources, said in his welcome address that with ushering of the phase of coalition Governments where various political parties and groups constitute both the Governments and opposition, it has become all the more imperative that there exists a unity of purpose in smooth conduct of business in Parliament and Legislative Assemblies. In order that this enormous and diverse work may be handled efficiently on behalf of the Governments at the Centre and in the States, a coordinating agency is essential. He said, in a Parliamentary Democracy this task has been entrusted to Ministries of Parliamentary Affairs. The Ministers in charge of Parliamentary Affairs are also the Chief Whips of the Government. Being the Chief Whips of the Government, Ministers of Parliament Affairs have the important job of efficacious coordination between Legislative Bodies and the Governments and have to shoulder an onerous responsibility of establishing synergy between the diverse political parties and groups and bringing about synchronization of the various activities within and outside the Parliament and Legislative Assemblies, so that Parliament and Legislative Assemblies can function at an optimal level, Shri Bansal added.
Another important task assigned to the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs is holding of Youth Parliament Programme. Since 1966, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs is organizing Youth Parliament Competition on an All India basis to make the youths aware of the procedures as to how Parliament functions and to inculcate the virtues of Parliamentary Democracy in them. Shri Bansal said that the Ministry has now proposed to launch a new initiative to extend the Scheme to the rural areas in order to bring within its ambit a large population of youth who are not enrolled in any educational institution and hence are not made aware of the parliamentary system through organized curriculum, so that they are acquainted with the functioning of parliamentary and democratic method of airing the redressal of grievances through the parliamentary system.
The day-long Conference aimed at deliberating in detail, among other things, on the recommendations of the 14th All India Whips Conference and extension of the Youth Parliament Scheme.
Shri Prithviraj Chavan, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and Shri P. J. Thomas, Secretary, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs were also present.
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