Education Notes

GoaMedium of instruction divide The election manifesto of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) — Goas oldest regional political party — released on February 24, promises to retain Konkani and Marathi as media of instruction in primary schools, if it is elected to office in the state assembly elections scheduled for March 3. The mediums of instruction for primary education will either be Konkani or Marathi or any other Indian language (but not English), MGP working president Narayan Sawant told reporters in Panaji. The party has also said it will enforce use of local languages in the day-to-day official communications of the government. MGP is contesting next months Goa assembly polls — in which medium of instruction in primary education is a major election issue — in alliance with the BJP. Last year, the incumbent Congress-led coalition government of the state extended government grants to English-medium in addition to Konkani/Marathi schools, a policy decision fiercely opposed by MGP. MGP which ruled Goa for 18 years after liberation from the Portuguese in 1961, has also promised it will promote agriculture and horticulture. Its mani-festo promises deserving rates and markets for agricultural products, and transport subsidies for agriculture. Rajasthan Court raps multiple supervisory authorities The Rajasthan high court has strongly criticised the multiplicity of adminis-trative councils whose clearance is required to introduce educational programmes approved by the Central and state governments. It is seen by this court that at times, various councils of the government of India are granting approval to courses, over which they have no power, Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari observed in his order passed on a petition filed by a group of students studying pharmacy. When the Pharmacy Council of India exists, we fail to understand what AICTE has to do with the pharmacy course and is granting permission to run the course, he said. The court also enquired about the reasoning behind approval for each course being neces-sary from several councils and bodies. Expressing disapproval of multiple supervisory councils for professional education study programmes, the court issued notice to the Centre and state authorities, including the vice chancellor of the Rajasthan University of Health Sciences to explain the need of multiple permissions for introduction of every study programme. We cannot allow such types of irregularities in the name of recognition, opined the judge. Bihar Universities restructuring programme The Bihar state government has resolved to restructure universities in the state according to new guidelines issued by the University Grants Commission (UGC). The states human resources development minister P.K. Shahi said a proposal advanced by the director of higher education to this effect has been approved by him and the ministrys principal secretary, Anjani Kumar Singh. Currently there are 12 universities in the state. A detailed proposal will soon be prepared to bifurcate Magadh Univ-ersity and create a new university comprising two Patna-based colleges. Smaller universities will be carved out of B.R.A. Bihar University, Muzaffarpur; L.N. Mithila University, Darbhanga and T.M. Bhagalpur University, say ministry sources. The proposal to bifurcate universities…