SEP panel final report in June 2nd week, says Minister for Higher Education

Bengaluru: The State Education Policy (SEP) commission will submit its final report to the government in the second week of June, announced Minister for Higher Education Dr M C Sudhakar in Bengaluru on Monday.

Although the deadline for the submission of the report had been revised, and extended to May 31, the SEP Commission had missed it, conceded Sudhakar. Participating in an event held to mark the release of a tri-monthly magazine published by the Karnataka State Higher Education Council, Sudhakar said that the government had consented to extending the deadline since the report, drafted in English, was being translated to Kannada.

“The commission constituted groups of experts, each of which has submitted policy recommendations. Work on the Kannada translation is almost complete, and the final report will be submitted soon,” said the minister.

Officials in the Department of Higher Education, however, pointed out that the entire policy would not be implemented in one go. “The implementation of such a far-reaching policy must be discussed at all levels of the government hierarchy. A budgetary allocation must be made for implementation of the policy. But implementation of recommendations that will prove beneficial to the students may be expedited,” said a senior official.

Rs 2,600-crore loan 

The Department of Higher Education is likely to get a loan of Rs 2,600 crore for improving the technical education ecosystem in Karnataka. “The Department of Economic Affairs of the Government of India has approved the proposal. The team from the Asian Development Bank will be in the state between June 9 and 22 to take stock of the programmes we proposing to start with the money,” said Dr M C Sudhakar.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday launched the first-of-its-kind tri-monthly magazine, which provides information on all circulars and orders published by the Department of Higher Education.

“The magazine is being published with the core objective of keeping all stakeholders abreast of the latest developments in the department,” said Sudhakar.