28-Aug-2018: New council formed to advise PM on science, tech-related policy issues

Government has constituted a high power council to advise it on policy matters related to science, technology and innovation. Named as PM-STIAC (Science, Technology, Innovation Advisory Committee), the 21-member council, including a dozen special invitees, will be chaired by K Vijay Raghavan, Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government.

Among the key 9 permanent members are VK Saraswat, Member NITI Aayog and former DG of DRDO; A S Kiran Kumar, ex-Chairman, ISRO; Baba Kalyani, MD of Bharat Forge, Sangamitra Bandopadhyay, Director, Indian Statistical Institute, Manjul Bhargava, Princeton University, US & Field Medal winner in Mathematics; Madhuri Kanitkar of Armed Forces Medical College; Ajay Sood, IISc; and Subhash Kak, Oklahoma University, US.

According to an official notification, secretaries of all science & technology related ministries are part of the special invitees. These include atomic energy, space, biotechnology, new & renewable energy, environment & forests, agriculture, health & higher education.

The council will advise the Prime Minister on all matters related to S&T, innovation and monitor the implementation of PM’s vision on the same.

It will facilitate the formulation and implementation of policies and decisions, provide action-oriented and future preparedness advise and assist in directing S&T to solve the socio economic problems in the country. It will also have a large focus on driving innovation in education, research, industry etc.

PM-STIAC will effectively supersede the SAC-Cabinet and SAC-PM (which were in limbo ever since the Modi Government came to power in 2014), which will now stand dissolved.

16-Jan-2018: 65th Central Advisory Board of Education held on 16th January, 2018

The second day of the 65th Meeting of the Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) was held under the Chairmanship of Union Human Resource Development Minister Shri Prakash Javadekar.

The following resolutions were adopted:-

  • CABE will make all out efforts to increase GER by opening new universities, colleges, using infrastructure more productively and using ODL and online education
  • CABE will take positive action to plug regional disparities and will prepare perspective plan.
  • CABE commits to take necessary steps to ensure that no deserving student should be denied opportunity to have higher education for lack of means.
  • CABE appreciates initiatives in giving more thrust on improving quality, accord more autonomy to quality institutes, and introducing digital initiatives to improve governance, enhance quality and choice.
  • CABE will strive more for bringing accountability of all stakeholders.
  • CABE has decided to participate wholeheartedly in innovative programmes like Unnat Bharat, Swachh Bharat, Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat, Smart and Green Campus.
  • CABE rededicates to ensure Equity, Accessibility, Quality , accountability and affordability.

Brief presentations covering the Status of Higher Education, improving the Quality and Accountability in Higher Education, Digital Initiatives, Skill Development for New India – 2022 were made. The presentations also highlighted some of the recent digital initiatives and reforms agenda covering academic, accreditation and  governance reforms, progress in implementation of various schemes aimed at improving quality, ensuring equity, strengthening State institutions through Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan(RUSA), improving teacher quality through Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya National Mission on Teachers and Teaching(PMMMNMTT) among others which are currently underway in the higher education sector. Presentations on Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat, and Unnat Bharat Abhiyan were also made.

It was generally recognised that States have been doing excellent work by setting up cluster colleges, implementing academic and governance reforms, which were appreciated. In particular, some steps, such as opening residential colleges, setting up girls colleges, polytechnics, skill academies and centres, student mentorship programmes, smart classrooms, promoting technology hubs for startups, provision of scholarships, ERUDITE programme for brain gain, industry academia cells, etc.

The participants deliberated on several aspects of education and gained from the best practices made to improve educational levels of the students. The Education Ministers of the States, CABE Members actively participated in the discussions.