Sibal urges institutes to increase enrolment of female students

Tiruchirapalli (Tamil Nadu), Jan 5 (ANI): Union Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal has urged educational institutes to increase and encourage enrolment of female students.

Interacting with students and academicians here on Tuesday, Sibal asserted that educational institutes are equal for both students.

"Women also participate equally in the life of the nation, the nation cannot move forward and so children remember this, the central government has given an Indian Institute of Management (IIM) to Tiruchirapalli, which is going to be as much for girls as it is for boys," he said.

He also said private colleges and universities will have to collaborate with the government educational bodies to ensure adequate places of learning for the country's future educational needs.

When asked about the Central Government's role in increasing the number of universities as advocated by the National Knowledge Commission, Sibal said the (Central) Government alone could not start 800 to 900 new universities.

"The State Government should start universities and encourage public-private partnership in starting new ones," he added

The National Accreditation Authority for Higher Education Institutions Bill, 2010, would ensure quality, he said.

"Once this bill, along with the Foreign Education Providers Bill 2010, and the National Commission for Higher Education and Research Bill was passed, a broad framework could be evolved for expanding the gross enrolment ratio to 30 per cent by 2020," he added.

"Of the Rs. 219 crore levied from 119 licencees as liquidated damages for not rolling out telecom services, a sum of about Rs. 73 crore had been realised so far, Sibal, who is also the Telecom Minister, said, adding that the process for arriving at a new telecom policy in a year's time would be initiated in the next few months. (ANI)