Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Private tech colleges in Punjab to reserve 10 percent seats for rural students

Association of Punjab State Technical Private Institutions Tuesday agreed in principle to reserve 10% of seats in their respective institutions free of cost exclusively for the rural students with first division or above from the academic session 2008-09. These institutions would impart absolute free education including the facilities of free boarding, lodging and transportation to the eligible beneficiaries.

Expressing grave concern to provide free education to the students with rural background who were deprived of the facility of basic education from the day one due to extreme poverty, Punjab CM called upon management of the private engineering colleges to come forward for this noble cause. CM also asked her to work out modalities for few Government Senior Secondary schools in the vicinity of these private engineering and technical colleges to run 10+2 classes by the management of these institutions as these were well equipped with qualified staff and infrastructure as a 'pilot project'. He said this step would certainly improve the quality of students to be admitted in these engineering colleges and the schools would act as a nursery for these institutions.

Punjab CM also emphasized the need to start evening classes in the institutions for short term courses in skill development free of cost for the benefit of rural students. He also asked the management of these institutions to start more engineering colleges especially at the block level within a radius of 25 to 30 K.M to cater to the need of technical education.

Comments : Step taken by these Private Collges is welcome and we hope that even government will also frame some policies where instead of caste/creed based reservations, reservation & help will be granted to rural and economically weak children.