All students passing HSC entitled to college admission: Valse-Patil

Mumbai, Jun 9 (UNI) Maharashtra Higher and Technical Education Minister Dilip Valse-Patil today assured that all students, passing the Higher Secondary Certificate examination, in the state and aspiring further studies would be accommodated into various courses, offered by aided and unaided colleges.

Speaking to reporters in Mantralaya here, Mr Valse-Patil said there are 1,080 aided and semi-aided colleges offering BA, BSc and BCom courses, and there are 386 permanently unaided colleges.

Between them, these colleges can accommodate 11,69,607 students.

Apart from these courses, there are Law colleges (103), BEd Colleges (419) and special colleges for women (125). Total intake of these institutions is about 1,54,000. the Minister pointed out, adding, ''these are apart from engineering and medical courses.'' He said there are also proposals to increase the intake capacity of verious institutions as well as some new courses would be on the offer.

Mr Valse-Patil exhorted students to think about newer courses where job opportunities are more after successful completion of courses.

He said the Union government in the last budget had announced plans of setting up more IITs and IIIts. The state government had already written to the Union government, stating its willingness for the same.

The Union HRD Minister is hosting a two-day meet on the educational scenario under the 11th five year plan in New Delhi early next month, Mr Valse-Patil said, adding, at that time he will discuss about upgrading of the state's infrastructure in the higher education field.

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