Bengaluru: The Karnataka government has constituted a Cabinet Sub-Committee under the chairmanship of U.T. Khader to examine student-related concerns and recommend reforms covering examinations, recruitment, educational costs, institutional infrastructure, employment and student wellbeing.
The committee was constituted following a Cabinet decision taken on August 21, according to a government order dated August 26.
Basavaraj Rayareddy, Priyank Kharge, Sharan Prakash Patil and Madhu Bangarappa have been appointed as members of the sub-committee.
The panel has been tasked with recommending measures to prevent question-paper leaks, examination malpractice and irregularities in recruitment processes.
It will examine ways to ensure transparency, fairness and accountability in examinations and recruitment, besides considering the introduction of a fixed and time-bound calendar.
The sub-committee will study the cost of education, fee structures and the regulation of coaching institutions.
It will also review infrastructure and academic standards in government schools, pre-university colleges and universities, including staff vacancies and the availability of laboratories, libraries and hostels.
The panel will examine curriculum reforms and measures to improve the connection between education, skill development and employment.
Its mandate includes considering apprenticeships, internships and partnerships between educational institutions and industry to improve employment opportunities for students.
The committee will also examine student mental health and wellbeing, including access to counselling, academic-stress management and suicide-prevention measures, particularly in coaching centres, hostels and residential institutions.
Scholarships, financial assistance, hostel capacity, girls’ education and improved access for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, minorities and first-generation learners will form part of the review.
The order permits the committee to consult students, teachers, educational institutions and other stakeholders. It may also obtain assistance from subject experts while preparing its recommendations.
The Higher Education Department will serve as the nodal department for the sub-committee.
The committee has been directed to submit its report to the government within one month.
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