Ahmedabad, December 13: Despite shining on the economic front, 20 of the 26 districts in Gujarat are educationally backward.
This was admitted by the Gujarat government before the University Grants Commission (UGC). Of the 20 educationally backward districts, eight are predominantly tribal inhabited districts of Dahod, Kutch, Narmada, Panchmahal, Surat, Bharuch, Dangs and Valsad.
Criticising the Narendra Modi government for not giving attention to improve gross enrolment ratio in colleges, Congress leader Manish Doshi has urged the government to take initiative to open more colleges in backward districts with liberal central assistance.
The Centre was going to double the assistance to states in higher education during the 11th Five Year Plan and Gujarat should focus on education sector, said Mr Doshi, who is also Gujarat University Syndicate member.
The GPCC spokesperson, however, arraigned the state government for its failure to fully utilise Central assistance of Rs 85 crore provided during 2005-06 as only Rs 18 crore was spent during the three year period for implementing technical qualitative education improvement programme.
The gross enrolment ratio in Gujarat was about 7 compared to national average of 14 for the 18-23 age group, he said.
Mr Doshi said the UGC had identified a total of 374 districts across the country as educationally backward. The Centre had given approval for opening a model degree college in each EBD at a cost of Rs 8 crore with the Centre providing Rs 3 crore and the stategovernment contributing Rs 5 crore.
The Gujarat government should take benefit of the scheme to remove the state’s backwardness on education front, he added.
–Agencies