Odisha's higher education demography in many of its educationally-backward districts continues to be centred around humanities as they do not still have enough degree colleges or seats for science education, stated a report in The New Indian Express.
Five years back in its 5T charter, the Higher Education department had assured to take care of aspirations of students passing Plus II in educationally disadvantaged areas to pursue degree education, particularly science. This action plan had the approval of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
In May this year, when the government reviewed the progress made in the action plan, former higher education minister Rohit Pujari said they were still looking into it.
The state has 18 educationally-backward districts:
Angul
Balangir
Bargarh
Boudh
Deogarh
Dhenkanal
Gajapati
Ganjam
Kalahandi
Kandhamal
Keonjhar
Koraput
Malkangiri
Nabarangpur
Nayagarh
Nuapada
Rayagada
Sonepur.
There are 173 educationally-backward blocks (EBB), a majority located in these districts.
Is it enough?
For the upcoming academic session (2023-24), new self-financing colleges have been opened and the strength of science seats many as been increased. However, the arrangement does not suffice if one goes by the number of students who cleared the Plus II Science examination this year.
Of the 1,042 degree colleges in the state, only 49 are run by the government. The rest are aided and self-financing colleges which charge more fees than the government ones.
Consider the case of a tribal-dominated district like Malkangiri. It has 10 degree colleges with only 540 science seats. In the Plus II examination this year, 839 students of the district have cleared the science stream.
Likewise, Nabarangpur has 13 degree colleges with a total of 872 science seats. Here, 1,297 students cleared the test this year.
In Rayagada, 1,344 students cleared the test but there are only 768 seats in 13 colleges.
Similarly, for 2,585 students who cleared Plus II science in Kalahandi, there are only 1,936 seats in 33 colleges. Even in the case of Koraput where 1,886 students passed, there are only 1,176 science seats in 21 colleges.
Officials share thoughts
"This is also the reason why many of the students who clear the Plus II exam in science stream, chose other streams like arts, commerce or vocational courses at degree level. This is evident in the SAMS admission data of all previous years," said a faculty member of Koraput-based Vikram Dev University.
Officials of the Higher Education department said more seats are being added to degree colleges going by the demand for the science stream. "The process is continuing," an official added.
